Current Utility of Transgastric Percutaneous Drainage for the Management of Pancreatitis-Related Retrogastric Walled-Off Necrotic Collections: A Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction Pancreatic fluid collection (PFC) is one of the most frequent complications associated with acute pancreatitis. The route of drainage is guided by the size and site of collection. The present study aims to assess the clinical and technical success of transgastric percutaneous drainage (PCD) for managing retrogastric walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN). Materials and methods A total of 44 patients with acute pancreatitis diagnosed with WOPN who underwent transgastric PCD with ultrasound or CT guidance as part of standard clinical management were included in the study. Patients were observed for improvement in clinical parameters, and treatment outcomes were noted in terms of technical success, clinical success, adverse events, need for additional procedures, hospital stay, and duration of placement of all drains. Data for the internalization of transgastric PCD was also observed in the study. Results Technical success during the drain placement was observed in 93% (n=41) of patients.Internalization of the transgastric drain was attempted in 12 patients and successful in 11 (91%). The median duration of hospital stay from the time of placement of the first PCD until discharge and the median duration of all PCDs placed were higher in patients where the transgastric drain was not internalized as compared to patients where the transgastric drain was internalized. Conclusion In WOPN, transgastric drain placement and successful internalization in any form help in the early resolution of peripancreatic and abdominal collections. It also reduces the time to percutaneous catheter removal, which in turn reduces the morbidity and decreases the need for additional interventions or surgery.

Shear Wave Elastography: A Reliable Secondary Parameter for Diagnosing Biliary Atresia in Infants With Neonatal Cholestasis.

Objective In this study, we aimed to optimize various grayscale, Doppler, and elastography parameters and evaluate their diagnostic performance in the preoperative diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA). Materials and methods A total of 158 infants aged <6 months with neonatal cholestasis (NC) were enrolled in the study and sonography was performed after four hours of fasting. For comparison of elastography, 31 exclusively age-matched controls, not suffering from liver disease, were included separately. Triangular cord and gallbladder (GB) parameters were considered as primary parameters, while right hepatic artery (RHA) caliber, RHA-to-right portal vein (RPV) ratio, hepatic subcapsular flow (HSF), and shear wave elastography (SWE) were considered as secondary parameters. Diagnosis of infants with BA was confirmed on histopathology. Data were presented as mean ±standard deviation (SD) and frequency. Differences between groups were compared using the Chi-square test and the unpaired student t-test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was done for individual ultrasound/Doppler/SWE parameters to calculate the optimal cutoff value. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were calculated for each parameter and their combinations. Results Of the primary parameters, GB contractility index (CI) and length showed the highest sensitivity and specificity respectively. A cutoff of 14 kPA was derived for SWE for the diagnosis of BA. Among secondary parameters, SWE had the best diagnostic performance, better than even the individual primary parameters. A combination of primary parameters with SWE in series showed the highest accuracy. Conclusion Among secondary parameters, elastography can prove to be highly useful. The highest accuracy in diagnosing BA can be obtained by combining primary parameters with SWE.

Emergent Management of Gastric Variceal Bleed in the Setting of Acute Pancreatitis-Related Sinistral Hypertension With Partial Splenic Embolization: A Series of Two Cases.

Sinistral portal hypertension in the setting of acute pancreatitis is a known complication owing to splenic vein thrombosis. It can lead to upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to the development of fundal gastric varices due to the shunting of blood via short gastric veins. However, in the setting of acute pancreatitis, surgical procedures can have high post-operative morbidity. Emergent management of cases with absent gastro-renal shunt can be done by partial splenic arterial embolization, as it is minimally invasive and can provide similar results. Herein, we report a case series of two cases of acute pancreatitis complicated with splenic vein thrombosis and gastric varices, which were managed by partial splenic artery embolization.

Primary synovial sarcoma of parotid gland with intravenous extension into the heart.

We are reporting a case of a 47-year-old male with primary synovial sarcoma of the right parotid gland with tumor thrombus extension in the right internal jugular vein and right atrium. The rarity of this occurrence as documented in the review of the literature provides for uncertainty about proper management. Our case represents a rare occurrence with the unique radiological finding that has implications for management.