Reappraisal of factors impacting the cannulation rate and clinical efficacy of endoscopic minor papilla sphincterotomy.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess factors impacting the endoscopic minor papilla sphincterotomy (EMPS) success rate, clinical efficacy, and safety in a large cohort of patients with symptomatic pancreas divisum (PD). METHODS: Retrospective study including patients with PD referred to the Pancreas Institute of Verona from May 2009 to May 2020 to undergo EMPS. The whole population was analyzed to assess EMPS technical success, defined as the rate of deep cannulation of the dorsal duct. Patients treated for recurrent pancreatitis (RP) with a minimum follow-up of 1 year were included to evaluate the clinical efficacy, defined as resolution or significant reduction of acute pancreatitis (AP) episodes. Safety was defined as the rate of procedure-related adverse events (AEs) according to an international lexicon. The effects of the main determinants on study outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 106 patients were evaluated. Technical success was obtained in 87 (82.1%). The presence of pancreatic calcifications was associated with failure (p < 0.0001). Clinical efficacy was evaluated in 59 patients. Resolution/reduction of AP episodes after EMPS was observed in 93% of patients over a median follow-up of 49 months (IQR 37-92). Smoking habit was associated with AP recurrence (p = 0.026). The overall AE rate was 14.9%, with post-ERCP pancreatitis as the most common complication (12.6%). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, performed at a tertiary center, EMPS showed satisfactory technical success and an acceptable safety profile. If confirmed by prospective multicenter studies, EMPS could become the standard of care for the treatment of RP in PD.

Comparison between EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology and EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy histology for the evaluation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Studies comparing EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) with EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) for the evaluation of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are lacking. We aimed at comparing EUS-FNA with EUS-FNB in terms of Ki-67 proliferative index (PI) estimation capability, cellularity of the samples, and reliability of Ki-67 PI/tumor grading compared with surgical specimens. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with pNETs on EUS and/or surgical specimens were retrospectively identified. Specimens were re-evaluated to assess Ki-67 PI feasibility, sample cellularity by manual counting, and determination of Ki-67 PI value. Outcomes in the EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB groups were compared. Kendall rank test was used for Ki-67 PI correlation between EUS and surgical specimens. Subgroup analysis including small (≤20 mm), non-functioning pNETs was performed. RESULTS: Three-hundred samples from 292 lesions were evaluated: 69 EUS-FNA cytology and 231 EUS-FNB histology. Ki-67 PI feasibility was similar for EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB (91.3% vs. 95.7%, p = 0.15), while EUS-FNB performed significantly better in the subgroup of 179 small pNETs (88.2% vs. 96.1%, p = 0.04). Rate of poor cellulated (<500 cells) specimens was equal between EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB. A significant correlation for Ki-67 PI values between EUS and 92 correspondent surgical specimens was found in both groups, but it was stronger with EUS-FNB (tau = 0.626, p < 0.0001 vs. tau = 0.452, p = 0.031). Correct grading estimation was comparable between the two groups (p = 0.482). CONCLUSION: Our study showed stronger correlation for Ki-67 values between EUS-FNB and surgical specimens, and that EUS-FNB outperformed EUS-FNA in the evaluation of small pNETs. EUS-FNB should become standard of care for grading assessment of suspected pNETs.

Double guide-wire technique versus transpancreatic biliary sphincterotomy for difficult biliary cannulation: Real life experience from a referral center.

BACKGROUND: During ERCP for biliary indication, when a difficult bile duct (BD) cannulation occurs, with unintended access to the main pancreatic duct (PD), both double guidewire technique (DGW) and transpancreatic biliary sphincterotomy (TPBS) can be performed. We aimed to compare the technical success and adverse events (AEs) rate of these techniques. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with naïve papillae referred to the Pancreas Institute of Verona from January 2016 and July 2021 to undergo ERCP for biliary indications was performed. RESULTS: Overall, 202 patients (53.5% males, mean age 67.2 years) were evaluated (96 DGW, 106 TPBS). Malignant biliary stricture was the most common ERCP indication (78.2%). The rate of success in deep biliary cannulation was significantly higher in the DGW group (94.8%) compared to TPBS (79.2%) at the first attempt (p = 0.001). This result was also confirmed in the subgroup of patients with malignant distal stricture (72/77, 93.5% vs 63/80, 78.8%, p = 0.01). No significant difference in AEs rate, particularly in PEP incidence was found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: DGW demonstrated a higher success rate and similar safety profile compared with TPBS in difficult biliary cannulation. Based on this retrospective study, DGW should be preferred over TPBS in case of unintended PD cannulation. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm our results.