Comparative analysis of LC+ LCBDE and LC+ ERCP/EST for acute biliary pancreatitis / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To juxtapose laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with common bile duct exploration and stone extraction (LC+ LCBDE) against endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography/sphincterotomy with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC+ ERCP/EST) in the therapeutic context of acute biliary pancreatitis.Methods:The clinical data of patients with acute biliary pancreatitis in Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Datong Third People's Hospital from January 2017 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 44 patients were inrolled, including 23 males and 21 females, with the age of (60.6±11.7) years. Based on different treatment approaches, the patients were divided into the LC+ LCBDE group ( n=33) and the LC+ ERCP group ( n=11, LC+ ERCP/EST). Total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood amylase, operation time, postoperative hospitalization stays, total hospitalization cost, postoperative anal exhaust time, and postoperative complications (bile leakage, fever, bleeding) were compared between the two groups. Results:There were no significant differences in preoperative total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, ALT, AST, and blood amylase between LC+ ERCP group and LC+ LCBDE groups (all P>0.05). In LC+ LCBDE group, operation time was 110.0 (96.3, 147.5) min, postoperative hospitalization time was 9.0 (7.5, 11.0) d, postoperative exhaust time was 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) d, and in LC+ LCBDE group, operation time was 60.0 (32.0, 65.0) min, postoperative hospitalization time was 7.0 (4.0, 8.0) d, postoperative exhaust time was 1.0 (1.0, 1.0) d. Comparisons with LC+ LCBDE group, LC+ ERCP group had shorter postoperative hospitalization stay and earlier postoperative exhaust time, the total hospitalization cost of LC+ LCBDE group was 23 829.3 (21 779.6, 27 221.9) yuan, which was higher than 36 894.8 (31 963.5, 41 172.2) yuan in LC+ ERCP group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Comparison of postoperative total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, ALT and AST between LC+ ERCP group and LC+ LCBDE group, with no significant difference(all P>0.05). No postoperative complications such as bile leakage, residual stones, fever and bleeding occurred in both groups. Conclusion:Compared with LC+ ERCP/EST, LC+ LCBDE in the treatment of acute biliary pancreatitis, although the operation time and hospital stay are longer, but the total hospitalization cost is less, there is no need for multiple operations, and it can be used as the first choice for acute biliary pancreatitis.

Value of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric pancreaticobiliary maljunction / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM).Methods:Data of 40 pediatric patients under 14 with PBM diagnosed and treated by ERCP at Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from November 2012 to September 2022 were collected. PBM types, ERCP-related diagnosis and treatment, adverse events and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Nineteen cases were P-B type (joining of common bile duct with pancreatic duct), 17 were B-P type (joining of pancreatic duct with common bile duct), and 4 were complex type. Forty children with PBM underwent 50 ERCP-related operations, among which 48 procedures succeeded. One case failed during cannulation of ERCP, replaced by rendezvous-assisted endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (RV-ERP) afterwards. There were no serious postoperative adverse events such as bleeding, perforation or death. Thirty-four patients (85%) were followed up successfully, among which 14 underwent further surgery and 20 continued conservative treatment.Conclusion:ERCP is the golden standard to diagnose pediatric PBM, and it is also safe and effective treatment for PBM.

Advances in the differential diagnosis of malignant bile duct stenosis / 临床肝胆病杂志

There are various etiologies for extrahepatic bile duct stenosis， and pharmacotherapy and endoscopic intervention can achieve a good clinical effect in benign stenosis. Early diagnosis and timely surgical treatment of malignant stenosis may prolong the survival time of patients. However， there are still difficulties in the differential diagnosis of malignant bile duct stenosis. This article reviews the application of serology， radiology， endoscopic techniques， and artificial intelligence in the differential diagnosis of malignant bile duct stenosis， so as to provide strategies and references for formulating clinical diagnosis and treatment regimens.

Efficacy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography combined with electrohydraulic lithotripsy under the direct view of eyeMax biliary-pancreatic imaging system in treatment of difficult choledocholithiasis / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography （ERCP） combined with electrohydraulic lithotripsy under the direct view of eyeMax biliary-pancreatic imaging system in the treatment of difficult choledocholithiasis. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 12 patients with difficult choledocholithiasis who underwent ERCP and electrohydraulic lithotripsy under the direct view of eyeMax biliary-pancreatic imaging system in Department of Gastroenterology， Jilin People’s Hospital， from May to November 2022. The clinical effect of lithotripsy and lithotomy was observed， and postoperative complications and time of surgical operation were assessed. ResultsAmong the 12 patients， 11 （91.67%） were successfully treated by electrohydraulic lithotripsy under direct view， 9 （75.00%） achieved first-attempt success in lithotripsy， and 11 （91.67%） had complete removal of calculi； 1 patient was found to have stenosis of the bile ducts caused by multiple biliary tract surgeries， and grade Ⅱ intrahepatic bile duct stones above the sites of stenosis were removed under direct view， but there were still residues of grade Ⅲ intrahepatic bile duct stones， which led to the fact that complete calculus removal was not achieved. The mean time of ERCP operation was 91.3±26.2 minutes， including a time of 41.8±22.2 minutes for energy lithotripsy. There were 2 cases of postoperative biliary tract infection which were improved after anti-infective therapy， 2 cases of hyperamylasemia which were not given special treatment， and 3 cases of mild pancreatitis which were improved after symptomatic medication， and there were no complications such as bleeding and perforation. ConclusionERCP combined with electrohydraulic lithotripsy under the direct view of eyeMax biliary-pancreatic imaging system is safe， effective， and feasible in the treatment of difficult choledocholithiasis.

Criterios 5-5-2 de canulación biliar y complicaciones post colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica: Experiencia en un hospital de referencia, Perú

La Sociedad Europea de Endoscopia Gastrointestinal (ESGE) define "canulación difícil" como aquella en la que se realizan más de 5 intentos, se exceden 5 minutos, o se produce canulación inadvertida del conducto pancreático 2 o más veces (criterios 5-5-2), recomendando estos puntos de corte para realizar técnicas avanzadas de canulación y disminuir la tasa de eventos adversos post CPRE. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar el rendimiento de los criterios 5-5-2 y su asociación con complicaciones post CPRE en un hospital de referencia de Perú. Realizamos un estudio analítico prospectivo de casos y controles en el que se incluyó 120 pacientes a los que se realizó CPRE. El grupo casos estuvo formado por 30 pacientes que cumplieron al menos uno de los criterios 5-5-2 y el grupo controles por 90 pacientes sin ninguno de estos criterios. Se comparó el desarrollo de complicaciones en cada grupo y su asociación con cada uno de los criterios 5-5-2. Las complicaciones presentadas fueron: pancreatitis post CPRE (6,6% en el grupo casos vs 3,3% en el grupo controles), sangrado (3,3% controles vs 0% casos) y perforación (1,1% controles vs 0 % casos); sin observar diferencia estadísticamente significativa. El criterio de 2 o más ingresos inadvertidos al conducto pancreático presentó asociación significativa (OR= 10,29, IC: 1,47-71,98; p= 0,005) con el desarrollo de pancreatitis post CPRE. Los criterios 5 minutos y 5 intentos no se asociaron a complicaciones post CPRE. En conclusión, el más relevante de los criterios 5-5-2 fue el ingreso inadvertido al conducto pancreático en 2 o más ocasiones, mostrando asociación por sí solo con pancreatitis post CPRE. Los criterios tiempo y número de intentos podrían ampliarse con cautela sin aumentar la tasa de complicaciones post CPRE.

The European Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) defines "difficult biliary cannulation" by the presence of one or more of the following: more than 5 contacts with the papilla, more than 5 minutes attempting to cannulate, or inadvertent cannulation of the pancreatic duct in 2 or more times (5-5-2 criteria), recommending these cut-off points to perform advanced cannulation techniques in order to reduce the rate of post-ERCP adverse events. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of the 5-5-2 criteria and their association with post-ERCP complications in a reference hospital in Peru. We performed a prospective analytical case-control study and 120 patients who underwent ERCP were enrolled. The case group included 30 patients who met at least one of the 5-5-2 criteria and the control group included 90 patients without any of these criteria. The ERCP- related complications in both groups and their association with each of the 5-5-2 criteria were compared. The ERCP-related complications that occurred were post-ERCP pancreatitis (6.6% in the case group vs. 3.3% in the control group), bleeding (3.3% controls vs. 0% cases) and perforation (1.1% controls vs. 0% cases); no statistically significant differences were observed. The criterion of 2 or more unintended cannulations to the pancreatic duct showed a significant association (OR= 10.29, CI: 1.47-71.98; p= 0.005) with the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis. The criteria 5 minutes and 5 attempts were not associated with post-ERCP complications. In conclusion, among 5-5-2 criteria only the unintended cannulation of 2 or more times into the pancreatic duct was associated with an increased risk of post-ERC pancreatitis. The time and number of attempts criteria could be cautiously expanded without increasing the rate of post-ERCP complications.

Pancreatitis aguda recurrente secundaria a disfunción del esfínter de oddi: Reporte de caso

La disfunción del esfínter de Oddi (DEO) es una patología poco frecuente que debe ser considerada en el diagnóstico diferencial de pacientes con episodios de dolor biliar o pancreatitis aguda recurrente y antecedente de colecistectomía. Generalmente son pacientes con múltiples consultas, en los cuales la patología ha afectado considerablemente su calidad de vida. El diagnóstico se sustenta en la clínica, los marcadores serológicos y los medios diagnósticos de soporte, que se solicitan según el componente esfinteriano sospechado. El tratamiento con mayor eficacia es la esfinterotomía endoscópica. El uso de prótesis es aceptado, pero discutido. Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino en la cuarta década de la vida que consultó por múltiples episodios de pancreatitis aguda recurrente con estudios de etiología que sospecharon disfunción del esfínter de Oddi pancreático y quien fue llevado a manejo endoscópico, con mejoría de su cuadro clínico.

Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD) is a rare pathology that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with biliary pain episodes or recurrent acute pancreatitis and a background of cholecystectomy. Generally, these are patients with multiple consultations where this pathology has considerably affected their quality of life. Diagnosis is based on clinical findings, serological markers and supporting diagnostic tests requested according to the suspected sphincteric component. The most effective treatment is endoscopic sphincterotomy. The use of prosthesis is accepted but debated. We present the case of a male patient in his forties who consulted for multiple episodes of recurrent acute pancreatitis with etiology studies suspecting dysfunction of the pancreatic sphincter of Oddi and who was taken to endoscopic management with improvement of his clinical picture.

Advances in the treatment of iatrogenic bile duct injury / 临床肝胆病杂志

Iatrogenic bile duct injury (IBDI) refers to bile duct injury accidentally caused by medical factors such as surgical operation or other invasive operations during treatment. With the gradual maturity of surgical operation and minimally invasive techniques, the treatment of bile duct injury now includes endoscopic treatment, bile duct jejunum Roux-en-Y anastomosis, bile duct end-to-end anastomosis, hepatectomy, and liver transplantation. For IBDI, the selection of reasonable and effective treatment methods is currently an important and difficult issue in biliary surgery. Through a systematic review of the literature on the treatment of IBDI, this article analyzes and summarizes the different treatment modalities for IBDI.

Application value of ERCP in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreaticobiliary maljunction in children / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective:To investigate the application value of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) in children.Methods:The clinical data of 77 PBM children who underwent ERCP in General Surgery Department of Children's Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University between January 2018 and December 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. Clinical characteristics, classification and post-operative nursing interventions were summarized, and vital signs, changes of biochemical markers and the occurrence of postoperative complications were compared and recorded.Results:77 patients were classified according to Japanese Study Group on Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction (JSGPM), including 34 patients with type A, 18 patients with type B, 21 patients with type C, and 4 patients with type D. There were 68 patients with congenital bile duct dilation and 9 patients without congenital bile duct dialtion. 92 ERCP procedures were performed under general anesthesia, and 91 cases were successful with a success rate of 98.91%. Among these cases, including 7 cases of endoscopic sphincterotomy, 28 cases of endoscopic balloon dilation of the nipple, 22 cases of endoscopic probe dilation, 22 cases of endoscopic stone removal by balloon or basket, 35 cases of endoscopic retrograde biliary stent drainage, 4 cases of endoscopic pancreatic duct drainage, 18 cases of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, 2 cases of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, and 14 cases of biliary stent removal. In 77 children with PBM, body temperature, FLACC score, and laboratory-related biochemical indexes including direct bilirubin, serum amylase, ALT, AST and CGT decreased significantly after ERCP, and all the differences were statistically significant (all P value <0.001). The incidence of postoperative complications was 15.38%(14/91), including hyperamylasemia in 9 cases (9.89%) and abdominal pain in 5 cases (5.49%). Conclusions:ERCP is safe and effective in the treatment of abnormal confluence of pancreatic duct in children.

Comparison of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography assisted with colonoscope and enteroscope in patients with history of Roux-en-Y anastomosis (with video) / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) assisted with colonoscope and enteroscope in patients with history of Roux-en-Y anastomosis.Methods:A retrospective study was performed on the data of 70 patients who underwent ERCP assisted with standard colonoscope or single balloon enteroscope after Roux-en-Y reconstruction in Hangzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to December 2020. Patients were divided into the standard colonoscopy group ( n=43) and the single balloon enteroscopy group ( n=27) according to endoscopy. The success rates of insertion, intubation and ERCP, and incidence of complications were compared. Results:A total of 81 ERCP procedures were performed in 70 patients. The insertion success rates of the standard colonoscopy group and the single balloon enteroscopy group were 91.8% (45/49) and 78.1% (25/32), respectively, showing no significant difference ( χ2=2.04, P=0.153). The success rates of primitive papilla intubation in the two groups were 74.1% (20/27) and 1/6, showing significant difference ( P=0.016). The ERCP success rates of the standard colonoscopy group and the single balloon enteroscopy group were 75.5% (37/49) and 59.4% (19/32), showing no significant difference ( χ2=2.36, P=0.124). The post operative complication incidences of the standard colonoscopy group and the single balloon enteroscopy group were 4.1% (2/49) and 9.4% (3/32), showing no significant difference ( χ2=0.25, P=0.620). Conclusion:ERCP assisted with standard colonoscope and single balloon enteroscope is safe and effective in patients after Roux-en-Y anastomosis. Standard colonoscopic ERCP can become an endoscopy solution for patients with biliary tract disease after Roux-en-Y reconstruction.

Retrospective analysis of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography after pancreaticoduodenectomy / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) after pancreaticoduodenectomy and endoscopic selection strategies.Methods:Clinical data of 34 patients treated with ERCP after pancreaticoduodenectomy at the Endoscopic Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from January 2013 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The success rates of endoscopic insertion, diagnosis, treatment and ERCP, and the incidence of adverse events were analyzed.Results:Fifty ERCP treatments were performed in 34 patients. The success rates of endoscopic insertion, diagnosis, treatment, and ERCP after pancreaticoduodenectomy were 92.0% (46/50), 93.5% (43/46), 88.4% (38/43) and 76.0% (38/50), respectively. The success rates of ERCP assisted with colonoscope and balloon-assisted enterosocpe were 76.0% (19/25) and 75.0% (18/24), respectively. There were 3 adverse events, including 1 case of anastomotic mucosa tear during surgery, 1 case of cardiopulmonary arrest and 1 case of postoperative cholangitis.Conclusion:ERCP is effective and safe after pancreaticoduodenectomy in general. ERCP assisted with colonoscope and balloon-assisted colonoscope shows similar success rate after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Pancreatic duct stent combined with indomethacin suppository for prevention of pancreatitis after difficult bile duct intubation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To explore the preventive effects of pancreatic duct stent combined with rectal administration of indomethacin suppository for post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP) after difficult bile duct intubation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).Methods:From January 2019 to December 2021, patients with biliary and pancreatic diseases undergoing ERCP in Hangzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University were given 100 mg indomethacin suppository to anal canal 30 minutes before the operation. And those with difficult bile duct intubation during the operation ( n=204) were included in this study. According to the random number table, they were divided into the combination group (implanted with pancreatic duct stent during the operation, n=104) and the indomethacin group (not implanted with stent, n=100). The incidences of hyperamylasemia and PEP were compared between the two groups. Results:The incidences of postoperative hyperamylasemia [21.2% (22/104) VS 34.0% (34/100), χ2=4.22, P=0.040] and PEP [14.4% (15/104) VS 32.0% (32/100), χ2=8.88, P=0.003] in the combination group were significantly lower than those in the indomethacin group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of severe PEP between the two groups [1.0% (1/104) VS 1.0% (1/100), χ2=0.001, P=0.978]. Conclusion:Compared with rectal administration of indomethacin suppository alone, the incidences of hyperamylasemia and PEP after difficult bile duct intubation during ERCP can be further reduced when it is combined with pancreatic duct stent placement.

Risk factors for acute cholangitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and construction of the nomogram / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for acute cholangitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and to construct its nomogram.Methods:Clinical data of patients who underwent ERCP for common bile duct stones in the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2014 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 95 patients with acute cholangitis after the operation (the acute cholangitis group) were included and 285 patients without acute cholangitis after the operation (the non-acute cholangitis group) were selected by random sampling at 1∶3 via the software. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors for acute cholangitis after ERCP. A nomogram model was established to predict the incidence of acute cholangitis after ERCP based on the results of multivariate analysis.Results:Univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in age, combination with diabetes, levels of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and glucose, roughness in gallbladder wall, bile duct diameter, stenosis in lower bile duct, proportion of patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage and endoscopic nasobiliary drainage between the two groups ( P<0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that advanced age ( OR=1.108, 95% CI:1.079-1.138, P<0.001), combination with diabetes ( OR=4.524, 95% CI:1.299-15.758, P=0.018), roughness in gallbladder wall ( OR=2.495, 95% CI:1.106-5.630, P=0.028), increased bile duct diameter ( OR=1.303, 95% CI:1.181-1.437, P<0.001), and stenosis in lower bile duct ( OR=4.192, 95% CI:2.508-7.005, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for acute cholangitis after ERCP. Based on the results of multivariate analysis, the nomogram of acute cholangitis after ERCP was established. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve was 0.887. Conclusion:Advanced age, combination with diabetes, rough gallbladder wall, increased diameter of bile duct and stenosis in lower bile duct are independent risk factors for acute cholangitis after ERCP. Clinicians can make clinical intervention based on the nomogram of risk factors above to improve the prognosis of patients.

Influence of effective liver drainage volume on overall survival in patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction: a multicenter study / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the influence of liver drainage volume on overall survival time in patients with unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction.Methods:Data of 633 patients with unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction (BismuthⅡ-Ⅳ) who underwent endoscopic stent drainage in 3 endoscopy centers from January 2002 to May 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Main observation indicators included clinical success rate, stent patency, overall survival, the effective liver drainage volume, and complication incidence.Results:The clinical success rates of patients with liver drainage volume <30%, 30%-50%, and >50% were 56.8% (25/44), 77.3% (201/260) and 84.2% (277/329) respectively. The incidences of early cholangitis were 31.8% (14/44), 18.8% (49/260) and 16.1% (53/329). The median stent patency time was 4.5 (95% CI: 1.8-7.2) months, 5.6 (95% CI: 5.0-6.2) months and 6.6 (95% CI: 5.2-8.0) months. The overall survival time was 2.4 (95% CI: 1.8-3.0) months, 4.0 (95% CI: 3.4-4.6) months and 4.9 (95% CI:4.4-5.4) months, respectively. The clinical success rate ( χ 2=8.28, P=0.012), median stent patency period ( χ 2=18.87, P=0.015) and overall survival time ( χ 2=6.93, P=0.024) of 30%-50% liver drainage volume group were significantly higher than those of <30% group. Further multivariate cox regression analysis showed that the disease type (hepatocellular carcinoma VS hilar cholangiocarcinoma: HR=1.50, 95% CI:1.18-1.91, P=0.001; gallbladder carcinoma VS hilar cholangiocarcinoma: HR=1.45, 95% CI:1.14-1.85, P=0.002; metastatic cholangiocarcinoma VS hilar cholangiocarcinoma: HR=1.48, 95% CI:1.08-2.04, P=0.015), bilirubin level >200 μmol/L ( HR=1.35, 95% CI:1.14-1.60, P<0.001),metal stents ( HR=0.67, 95% CI:0.56-0.79, P<0.001), liver drainage volume (volume 30%-50% VS <30%: HR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.45-0.90, P=0.010; volume>50% VS <30%: HR=0.58, 95% CI:0.41-0.81, P=0.002) and anti-tumor therapy ( HR=0.51, 95% CI:0.42-0.61, P<0.001) were independent predictors for overall survival time of patients with unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction. Conclusion:When endoscopic stent drainage is performed for patients with unresectable malignant hilar bile duct obstruction, at least 30% liver volume is required for better overall survival. In addition, the use of metal stent drainage and anti-tumor therapy may increase survival benefits.

The efficacy of the combination of radiofrequency ablation and endoscopic metal stent in the treatment of 44 patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma / 中华消化杂志

Objective:To explore the efficacy of the combination of radiofrequency ablation(RFA) and endoscopic metal stent in the treatment of patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma.Methods:From January 3, 2012 to June 30, 2019, at the Department of Endoscopic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, the clinical data of 44 patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma who were treated by the combination of RFA and endoscopic metal stent were retrospectively collected, which included age, gender, location of cholangiocarcinoma(hilar cholangiocarcinoma and distal cholangiocarcinoma), etc. Postoperative evaluation was conducted based on the follow-up, including clinical success rate, postoperative complication rate, time of stent patency and overall survival time (OS). The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to analyze the difference of OS between patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma and distal cholangiocarcinoma. Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Results:The age of the 44 patients with cholangiocarcinoma was (70.3±11.6) years old, with 20 males (45.5%). There were 22 patients (50.0%) with hilar cholangiocarcinoma and 22 patients (50.0%) with distal cholangiocarcinoma. The clinical success rate of 44 patients was 93.2%(41/44). A total of 5 patients(11.4%) had postoperative complications, which were all improved by appropriate treatment. The median time of follow-up of the 44 patient was 9.2 months(ranged from 3.1 to 57.6 months), the median time of stent patency was 7.0 months (ranged from 5.8 to 8.2 months). Thirty-two patients (72.7%) died during the follow-up, and the median OS was 10.9 months(ranged from 9.0 to 12.8 months). The median OS of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma was 7.8 months(ranged from 4.6 to 11.0 months) and that of patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma was 12.5 months(ranged from 5.7 to 19.4 months), and there was no statistically significant difference( P>0.05). Conclusion:RFA combined with endoscopic metal stent is safe and effective in the treatment of patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma.

A long term follow-up study of endoscopic radiofrequency ablation for unresectable ampullary carcinoma / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To explore the long-term effect of endoscopic radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of unresectable ampullary carcinoma.Methods:Clinical data of patients with ampullary carcinoma who received endoscopic radiofrequency ablation in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from January 2012 to May 2019 were retrospectively collected, including basic information, frequency of radiofrequency ablation, the type of biliary stent, postoperative complications, and follow-up. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival of patients after endoscopic radiofrequency ablation. Relationship between frequency of radiofrequency ablation, type of biliary stent and overall survival time was analyzed.Results:A total of 50 patients were enrolled, including 31 males and 19 females, aged 73.0±9.7 years. Twenty-five patients (50.0%) underwent 1 radiofrequency ablation treatment, while 25 patients (50.0%) underwent radiofrequency ablation treatments more than twice. Postoperative complications occurred in 6 patients (12.0%), all of which were mild symptoms. The average follow-up was 22.3 months, with a total of 39 (78.0%) deaths, 5 (10.0%) lost to follow-up, and 6 (12.0%) surviving. The median overall survival time was 16.9 (95% CI: 9.1-24.8) months, with cumulative survival rates of 62.0%, 38.5%, 27.0%, and 12.6% at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The median overall survival time of those treated with radiofrequency ablation ≥2 times showed a trend of prolongation compared to patients treated once, but the difference was not statistically significant [26.7 (95% CI: 9.7-43.7) months VS 12.6 (95% CI: 4.9-20.3) months, χ2=3.049, P=0.081]. Plastic stents were used in 32 patients (64.0%) and metal stents in 18 patients (36.0%). There was no significant difference in median overall survival time between patients using metal and plastic stents [17.1 (95% CI: 6.1-28.0) months VS 15.9 (95% CI: 6.9-24.9) months， χ2=0.029， P=0.865]. Conclusion:Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation is a safe treatment for unresectable ampullary carcinoma, and multiple consecutive treatments may increase the survival benefit.

Application of endoclip- and submucosal injection-assisted cannulation technique to difficult cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (with video) / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To evaluate the value of endoclip-assisted and submucosal injection-assisted cannulation techniques for difficult cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).Methods:Data of 12 458 patients treated with ERCP for the first time in the First Affilated Hospital of Naval Medical University from June 2015 to September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Twenty eight (0.22%) were identified as difficult cannulation where metal clip- or submucosal injection-assisted cannulation was used. The selective cannulation success rate, intubation time and complication incidence of the two techniques in difficult cannulation patients were analyzed.Results:Difficult cannulation was performed in 18 males (64.3%) and 10 females (35.7%) with an age of 69.6±14.1 years assisted by metal clips or submucosal injection. Five cases (17.9%) were type Ⅱ, 5 cases (17.9%) type Ⅲ, and 18 cases (64.3%) type Ⅴ according to papilla classification. Sixteen patients (57.1%) received metal clip-assisted cannulation, and 12 cases (42.9%) submucosal injection-assisted cannulation. Twenty-five (89.3%) patients successfully underwent selective cannulation with the cannulation time of 9.9±4.3 min. One case (3.6%) of mild post-ERCP pancreatitis and 3 cases (10.7%) of post-ERCP hyperamylasemia occurred. No postoperative bleeding or perforation occurred. All patients were cured and discharged after conservative treatment.Conclusion:When selective cannulation is difficult due to poor papilla exposure or deflection, endoclip- or submucosal injection-assisted cannulation can effectively improve the successful selective cannulation rate during ERCP with low complication incidence, which is worth of clinical promotion.

Efficacy and safety of digital cholangioscopy-assisted non-radiation endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for common bile duct stones / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of digital cholangioscopy-assisted non-radiation endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for common bile duct stones.Methods:Clinical data of patients who underwent digital cholangioscopy-assisted non-radiation ERCP for common bile duct stones from May 2019 to September 2021 were reviewed. The baseline data, the success rate of cannulation, the one-time success rate of endoscopic stone removal, the operation time, total hospital stay, complications, and recurrence of bile duct stones were analyzed.Results:A total of 170 patients were included, and bile duct stones were detected in 156 (91.8%) patients with the long diameter of 7.7±4.1 mm under preoperative imaging examination. Bile duct stones were detected under choledochoscopy and were successfully removed by using digital cholangioscopy through non-radiation ERCP. The success rate of cannulation was 100.0% (170/170) . The one-time success rate of endoscopic stone removal was 96.5% (164/170), and 6 patients (3.5%) received secondary stone removal for large stones (long diameter>30 mm).The time of biliary exploration and whole non-radiation ERCP were 9.6±2.7 min (6-24 min) and 35.9±17.3 min (13-85 min), respectively. The total hospital stay was 6.3±2.2 days (5-10 days). Postoperative pancreatitis occurred in 3 patients (1.8%), all of whom were mild and resolved after symptomatic treatment. No recurrence of bile duct stones was seen in any patient over 1-month postoperative follow-up.Conclusion:Digital cholangioscopy-assisted non-radiation ERCP is safe and effective for common bile duct stones without ray exposure, which is worth of promotion.

Comparison of stone extraction under direct visualization with a single peroral choledochoscopy system and conventional X-ray endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for non-difficult common bile duct stones / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of stone extraction with a single peroral choledochoscopy system under direct visualization and conventional X-ray endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for non-difficult common bile duct stones.Methods:A total of 164 patients with common bile duct stones who underwent stone extraction by using the single peroral choledochoscopy system under direct visualization (the observation group, n=82) and conventional X-ray endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (the control group, n=82) from January 2018 to April 2022 in Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine were enrolled. The observation group was directly selected from the database, while the control group was randomly matched by age stratification with baseline data validated. The success rates of intubation, stone removal, postoperative complication incidence, and radiation exposure between the two groups were compared. Results:There was no significant difference between the baseline data of the observation group and the control group ( P>0.05). The number of patients with detected stones≥2 in the observation group and the control group were 59 (71.95%) and 37 (45.12%) respectively with significant difference ( χ 2=12.16, P=0.001). The success rates of bile duct intubation in the observation group and the control group were both 100.00% (82/82). The success rates of stone extraction were 98.78% (81/82) and 100.00% (82/82) respectively with no significant difference ( P>0.05). The one-time stone removal rates of the two groups were 93.90% (77/82) and 92.68% (76/82) respectively with no significant difference ( χ2=0.10, P=0.755). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the observation group and the control group ( P>0.05). The amount of intraoperative ray exposure volume in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group [10.20 (6.69, 18.94) mGy VS 15.41 (10.70, 22.77) mGy, U=2 462.00, P=0.003]. Conclusion:The efficacy and safety of stone extraction with single peroral choledochoscopy system under direct visualization are comparable to those of traditional X-ray ERCP for non-difficult common bile duct stones, but it can significantly reduce the intraoperative ray exposure volume during therapeutic ERCP stone extraction.

Value of three-dimensional visualization technique in precise stent drainage for hilar cholangiocarcinoma / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of three-dimensional (3D) visualization technology in the precise drainage through endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD) for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods:Clinical data of 42 patients with highly suspected hilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent ERBD in Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital from September 2019 to August 2022 were retrospectively collected. Twenty patients underwent 3D biliary tract reconstruction before surgery (the reconstruction group) and 22 others did not undergo 3D biliary tract reconstruction before surgery (the non-reconstruction group). The surgery time, X-ray exposure time, the technical success rate, the clinical success rate, incidence of postoperative complications, recent and short-term endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) reintervention rate of the two groups were compared.Results:There was no significant difference in preoperative baseline data between the two groups ( P>0.05). ERBD was conducted successfully in all 42 patients. The operation time in the reconstruction group [35.00 (25.00, 57.50) min] was significantly shorter than that in the non-reconstruction group [60.00 (33.75, 60.00) min] with significant difference ( Z=-2.251, P=0.024). There was no significant difference in the X-ray exposure time between the two groups [10.00 (5.00, 12.00) min VS 10.55 (9.50, 17.50) min, Z=-1.552, P=0.121]. The technical success rates of both groups were 100.0%, and the clinical success rate of the reconstruction group was higher than that of the non-reconstruction group [70.0% (14/20) VS 31.8% (7/22)] with significant difference ( χ 2=6.109, P=0.013). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups [20.0% (4/20) VS 22.7% (5/22), χ 2=0.141, P=0.708]. All patients were followed up for 6 months after the procedure. The median survival time was 3.91 months in the reconstruction group and 2.78 months in the non-reconstruction group. There was no ERCP intervention in the reconstruction group within 2 weeks after the procedure, while 4 cases (18.2%) in the non-reconstruction group received 6 ERCP interventions due to cholangitis and postoperative pancreatitis. Within 2 weeks to 3 months, 2 patients (10.0%) in the reconstruction group received 4 ERCP interventions for cholangitis, and 2 patients (9.1%) in the non-reconstruction group received 3 ERCP interventions for cholangitis. There was no significant difference in recent ( χ 2=2.183, P=0.140) or short-term ( χ 2=0.000, P=1.000) ERCP reintervention rate between the reconstruction group and the non-reconstruction group. Conclusion:3D visualization biliary duct reconstruction technology can measure the volume of liver drainage for hilar cholangiocarcinoma, shorten the operation time and improve the clinical success rate through precise preoperative planning, which is worth of promotion.

Efficacy of endoscopic stenting drainage for hilar biliary malignant obstruction caused by hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic stenting drainage for patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction caused by unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:Data of 106 patients with malignant hilar obstruction caused by unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who received endoscopic stenting drainage in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from January 2012 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different stent types, they were divided into the metal stent group (30 cases) and the plastic stent group (76 cases). The observation indexes included clinical success rate, complication incidence, stent patency and overall survival time. The independent predictors for stent patency and overall survival of patients were analyzed by multivariate Cox regression model.Results:The overall clinical success rate was 67.9% (72/106) and the incidence of postoperative cholangitis was 29.2% (31/106). The clinical success rates were 93.3% (28/30) and 57.9% (44/76) ( χ2=12.40, P<0.001), and the incidences of postoperative cholangitis were 13.3% (4/30) and 35.5% (27/76) ( χ2=5.12, P=0.024) in the metal stent group and the plastic stent group, respectively. The median stent patency was 5.2 (95% CI:3.7-6.0) months, and the overall survival time was 3.0 (95% CI:2.5-3.7) months. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that hepatic drainage volume <30% was an independent predictor for stent patency ( HR=2.12, 95% CI:1.01-4.46, P=0.048). Bismuth type Ⅳ ( HR=2.06, 95% CI:1.12-3.77, P=0.020), Child-Pugh class C ( HR=4.09, 95% CI: 2.00-8.39, P<0.001) and plastic stent ( HR=1.87, 95% CI:1.21-2.90, P=0.005) were independent predictors for overall survival time. Conclusion:Hepatocellular carcinoma involving the hilar bile duct has a poor prognosis. Compared with plastic stents, metal stents show advantages in clinical success rate and incidence of postoperative cholangitis. Hepatic drainage volume <30% is an independent predictor for stent patency, and Bismuth type Ⅳ, Child-Pugh class C and plastic stent are independent predictors for overall survival time.