Pathophysiology of severe gallstone pancreatitis: A new paradigm.

Severe gallstone pancreatitis (GSP) refractory to maximum conservative therapy has wide clinical variations, and its pathophysiology remains controversial. This Editorial aimed to investigate the pathophysiology of severe disease based on Opie's theories of obstruction, the common channel, and duodenal reflux and describe its types. Severe GSP might be a hybrid disease with pathology polarized between acute cholangitis with mild pancreatitis (biliary type) and necrotizing pancreatitis uncomplicated with biliary tract disease (pancreatic type), in which hepatobiliary and pancreatic lesion severity is inversely related to the presence or absence of impacted ampullary stones. Severe GSP is caused by stones that are persistently impacted at the ampulla with biliopancreatic obstruction (biliary type), and probably, stones that are either temporarily lodged at the duodenal orifice or passed into the duodenum, thereby permitting reflux of bile or possible duodenal contents into the pancreas (pancreas type). When the status of the stones and the presence or absence of impacted ampullary stones with biliopancreatic obstruction are determined, the clinical course and outcome can be predicted. Gallstones represent the main cause of acute pancreatitis globally, and clinicians are expected to encounter GSP more often. Awareness of the etiology and pathogenesis of severe disease is mandatory.

Novel peroral cholangioscopy-guided electrohydraulic lithotripsy for difficult stones.

Miwa and colleagues report on their experience with a newly developed peroral cholangioscope that is effective for the removal of difficult stones in the common bile duct and the cystic duct. The scope offers a large working channel and a high mobility bending section, increasing the efficacy of electrohydraulic lithotripsy.

Favorable impact of a novel endoscopic auxiliary system (NEAS) on fluoroscopy-guided lithotripsy for difficult bile duct stones: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Laser lithotripsy under fluoroscopic guidance is difficult to perform and risky due to its invisibility. In this study we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a novel endoscopic auxiliary system (NEAS)-assisted lithotripsy under fluoroscopy for treating difficult common bile duct (CBD) stones. METHODS: Patients with difficult CBD stones who were treated with NEAS-assisted laser lithotripsy (NEAS group) or conventional mechanical lithotripsy (ML) under fluoroscopy (ML group) were retrospectively evaluated. The primary outcome was the complete stone clearance rate and the secondary outcomes included operation time, complications, and medical cost. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were treated with NEAS-assisted laser lithotripsy and 144 patients underwent ML. Using the propensity score matching analysis, 17 pairs of cases treated with NEAS-assisted lithotripsy and ML were included. Patients in the NEAS group showed a higher stone clearance rate than the ML group (94.1% vs 58.8%, P = 0.039), as well as shorter operation time (41.9 min vs 49.4 min, P < 0.001) and lower medical cost (USD 4607 vs USD 5014, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups (5.9% vs 17.6%, P = 0.601). CONCLUSION: NEAS-assisted fluoroscopy-guided laser lithotripsy is feasible and safe, which may be a promising technique in fluoroscopy-guided laser lithotripsy for difficult CBD stones.

Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of difficult biliary stones in a reference hospital in Colombia.

The local experience and the success rate of different available treatments for difficult biliary stones in Colombia are poorly described. We made an observational study reporting patients treated for difficult biliary stones, at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio in Bogotá, Colombia between January 2015, and November 2021. Clinical characteristics, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) findings, and outcomes are presented. Additionally, the success rates of Endoscopic Sphincterotomy Plus Large Balloon Dilation (ESLBD), Mechanical Lithotripsy (ML), temporary stenting (TS), cholangioscopy-guided laser lithotripsy (CGLL), and surgery are described. A total of 146 patients were included (median age 69 years, IQR 58.5-78.5, 33.8% men). The median stone diameter was 15 mm (IQR 10 - 18 mm). One stone was presented in 39.9%, two stones in 18.2%, and ≥3 stones in the remaining stone. A 67.6% disproportion rate was observed between the stone and distal common bile duct. Successful stone extraction was achieved in 56.2% in the first procedure, 22.6% in the second, 17.1% in the third, 3.4% in the fourth, and 0.7% in the fifth procedures. The successful extraction rates were 56.8% for ESLBD, 75% for ML, 23.4% for TS, 57.7% for CGLL, and 100% for surgery. Endoscopic management of difficult stones is usually successful, although it usually requires 2 or more ERCPs procedures. The surgical requirements were low. ESLBD is an effective technique unlike TS. Few patients required advanced techniques such as ML or CGLL. Endoscopic procedures are associated with a low rate of complications.

Diseases of the Gallbladder and Biliary Tree.

Diseases of the gallbladder include a spectrum of gallstone diseases (cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, and cholangitis), cysts, polyps, and malignancy. In this review, we present the incidence, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of these various conditions. Importantly, we report when more urgent referral is indicated, as well as red flags that warrant further intervention and/or management.

[Management of acute cholecystitis]. / Prise en charge de la cholécystite aiguë.

Acute cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder most often related to gallstones. The diagnostic and severity criteria are well described by the Tokyo criteria. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains the treatment of choice. It can also be performed in elderly patients and in pregnant women during any trimester. For patients not eligible for surgery, percutaneous or echo-endoscopic gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) are effective treatment alternatives. The management of acute cholecystitis must therefore be adapted to each patient by carefully evaluating the risks and benefits associated with surgery.

La cholécystite aiguë est une inflammation de la vésicule biliaire le plus souvent liée à des calculs biliaires. Les critères diagnostiques et de sévérité sont bien décrits par les critères de Tokyo. La cholécystectomie laparoscopique précoce reste le traitement de choix. Elle peut être également réalisée chez les patients âgés et chez les femmes enceintes pendant n'importe quel trimestre. Pour les patients non éligibles à la chirurgie, les drainages de la vésicule biliaire par voie percutanée ou échoendoscopique (EUS-GBD) sont des alternatives thérapeutiques efficaces. La prise en charge de la cholécystite aiguë doit donc être adaptée à chaque patient en évaluant de façon attentive les risques et bénéfices associés à la chirurgie.

Single-center survey of incidental imaging findings on computed tomography in patients with psoriasis on biologic therapy.

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease that predominantly affects the skin and joints. Systemic therapies are required for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, and biologics can provide significant symptomatic improvement. Computed tomography (CT) analysis is recommended before and after biologic therapy to exclude the possibility of comorbid infections and malignancies; incidental findings are often detected in asymptomatic patients. In this study, we analyzed the common incidental findings on CT in 227 patients with psoriasis on biologic therapy and 219 living-kidney transplant donors at our hospital. Incidental findings on CT were observed in 176 (77.5%) patients with psoriasis. The most common were fatty liver (82 patients, 36.1%), urolithiasis (54 patients, 23.8%), pulmonary lesions (47 patients, 20.7%), gallstones or postoperative gallstones (38 patients, 16.7%), liver cysts (36 patients, 15.9%), renal cysts (33 patients, 14.5%), and colonic diverticulum (22 patients, 9.7%), which were observed in 38 (17.4%), eight (3.7%), 68 (31.1%), 12 (5.5%), 58 (26.5%), 88 (40.2%), and 10 (4.6%) donors, respectively. The prevalence of fatty liver, urolithiasis, gallstones, and postoperative gallstones was significantly higher in patients with psoriasis. Multivariate logistic regression showed that psoriasis was a risk factor for fatty liver disease, urolithiasis, and gallstones. Currently, incidental findings on CT in patients with psoriasis have not been well studied. The results of this survey will lead to increased awareness of the incidental findings on CT as a complication of psoriasis.

[Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Gallstones].

Gallstones are relatively common in the general population, and the clinical presentation is asymptomatic in most patients or has a benign course, such as biliary colic or vague gastrointestinal symptoms. On the other hand, it sometimes causes life-threatening complications, such as cholecystitis and pancreatitis. Asymptomatic gallstones do not require specific treatment, but a cholecystectomy may be necessary if the patient has a high risk of complications or gallbladder cancer. Abdominal ultrasonography is the most useful diagnostic tool for gallstones, which shows high sensitivity and specificity. In addition, endoscopic ultrasonography may be helpful when typical symptoms of gallstones are present, but gallstones are not identified with abdominal ultrasonography. Abdominal CT, MRCP, or ERCP help identify complications or other accompanying diseases caused by gallstones. Oral bile acid dissolution therapy can be attempted by administering ursodeoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid if gallstones are confirmed, but the related symptoms are mild or atypical, and the patient is unable/unwilling to undergo a cholecystectomy. A high success rate can be achieved when the treatment candidate is appropriately selected. The disadvantages of oral bile acid dissolution therapy are that there are few appropriate candidates, long-term treatment is required, and the gallstone frequently recurs when the treatment is discontinued.

Multi-institutional Retrospective Study of Percutaneous Cholangioscopy-Assisted Lithotripsy for Inoperable Calculous Cholecystitis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous lithotripsy for gallstone eradication in patients with calculous cholecystitis with stones >1 cm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multi-institutional institutional review board approved retrospective review of patients who presented with calculous cholecystitis and were not determined to be surgical candidates. All patients underwent percutaneous cholecystostomy tube placement for acute infection, which was later exchanged for a large sheath for ShockPulse (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) lithotripsy and stone destruction. Review parameters included procedural technical and clinical data, including clinical presentation, mean length of hospital stay, and postintervention symptom reduction. RESULTS: Twelve patients (mean age, 74.6 years; range, 52-94 years; 6 men and 6 women) underwent large-bore sheath (24-30 F) cholangioscopy-assisted gallstone destruction via rigid lithotripsy. The size of the gallstones ranged from 1.2 to 4.0 cm. All patients had prior cholecystostomy access for a mean of 25 weeks before gallstone extraction to ensure tract maturation via transhepatic or transperitoneal access. The technical success rate in single-session stone removal was 100%, with no major procedure-related adverse events. All patients were symptom- and pain-free after the procedure. The mean procedure time was 111.5 minutes, and the mean fluoroscopy time was 19.2 minutes. The median length of hospital stay was 1 day after the procedure. The mean time from percutaneous lithotripsy to biliary tube removal was 35 days (range, 17-45 days). CONCLUSIONS: Fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous rigid lithotripsy is a safe and effective procedure for gallstone destruction and extraction in patients who are poor surgical candidates with large lumen-occupying cholelithiasis.

[Single-operator Cholangioscopy Guided Lithotripsy].

ERCP is the standard treatment for common bile duct stones (CBD stones). On the other hand, in approximately 10% of patients with CBD stones, the complete removal of the stones cannot be achieved by conventional ERCP, which performs endoscopic sphincterotomy followed by stone extraction. Additional advanced and complex procedures are often necessary to remove these "difficult bile duct stones", including endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation or mechanical lithotripsy. Advances in cholangioscopy have made electrohydraulic or laser lithotripsy under direct endoscopic visualization possible during ERCP. Cholangioscopy-guided lithotripsy using the SpyGlass DS system could be a better treatment tool for removing difficult stones. The focus of this review was to describe single-operator cholangioscopy in the management of difficult CBD stones.

Early Versus Delayed Enteral Feeding in Predicted Severe Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study.

Background: The optimal timing of enteral nutrition (EN) initiation in predicted severe acute gallstone pancreatitis (SAGP) and its influence on disease outcomes are not well known. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with predicted SAGP treated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and EN. The patients were classified into two groups according to the timing of EN initiation after admission: within 48 h, and more than 48 h. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay, need for intensive care admission, need for surgical intervention, improvements in blood test results after 7-10 days of EN, incidence of pancreatic necrosis and infection, and hospital care costs. The microbiological profiles of infectious complications were also evaluated. Results: Of the 98 patients, 31 and 67 started EN within 48 h, and more than 48 h after admission, respectively. Early EN was associated with a decrease in in-hospital mortality (0 vs. 11.9%; p=0.045), length of hospital stay (median:18 vs. 27 days; p=0.001), need for intensive care admission (3.2% vs. 20.9%; p=0.032), and hospital care costs (median:9,289 vs. 13,518 US$; p=0.007), compared to delayed EN. Moreover, early EN for 7-10 days had more beneficial effects on blood test results than delayed EN, including total protein (p=0.03) and CRP (p=0.006) levels. However, the need for surgical intervention and incidence of pancreatic necrosis did not differ between the two groups. In our study, Gram-negative bacteria were the main responsible pathogens (50.5%). Infection with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) was found in 19.4% of the patients. The most common MDRO was MDR Enterococcus faecium. Early EN was not superior in reducing incidence of infected pancreatic necrosis, bacteremia, polymicrobial infection, or MDROs. Conclusions: In patients with predicted SAGP, early EN is associated with a decrease in in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, need of intensive care admission, and hospital care costs, compared to delayed EN. There are no significant benefits of early EN in reducing the rate of infection-related complications. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.

A nomogram for clinical estimation of acute biliary pancreatitis risk among patients with symptomatic gallstones: A retrospective case-control study.

Background/Purpose: Currently, there are no effective tools to accurately assess acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) risk in patients with gallstones. This study aimed to develop an ABP risk nomogram in patients with symptomatic gallstones. Methods: We conducted a retrospective nested case-control study and data on 816 conservatively treated patients with symptomatic gallstones admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between January 6, 2007 and January 22, 2016 were retrospectively collected. We conducted a propensity-score matched (PSM) analysis based on follow-up time in a ratio of 1:4 between ABP group (n=65) and non-ABP group (n=260). These matched patients were randomly divided into study cohort (n=229) and validation cohort (n=96) according to a ratio of 7:3. In the study cohort, independent risk factors for ABP occurrence identified using Cox regression were included in nomogram. Nomogram performance and discrimination were assessed using the concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC). The model was also validated in the validation cohort. Results: Nomogram was based on 7 independent risk factors: age, diabetes history, gallbladder wall thickness, gallstone diameter, coexisting common bile duct (CBD) stones, direct bilirubin (DBIL), and white blood cell count (WBC). The C-index of nomogram was 0.888, and the 10-year AUCs of nomogram was 0.955. In the validation cohort, nomogram still had good discrimination (C-index, 0.857; 10-year AUC, 0.814). The calibration curve showed good homogeneity between the prediction by nomogram and the actual observation. DCA and CIC demonstrated that nomogram was clinically useful. Conclusions: The ABP risk nomogram incorporating 7 features is useful to predict ABP risk in symptomatic gallstone patients.