Endoscopic ultrasound-guided balloon-occluded gastrojejunostomy bypass, duodenal stent or laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy for unresectable malignant gastric outlet obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) can be relieved by either laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy (LGJ), endoscopic stenting (SEMS) or endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastrojejunostomy (endoscopic ultrasound-guided balloon-occluded gastrojejunostomy bypass; EPASS). This study aimed to compare the outcomes of the three treatment methods. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients who suffered from malignant GOO between January 2012 to November 2020 that received either EPASS, LGJ or SEMS. The outcomes included the technical and clinical success, 30-day adverse events and mortality, pre and post stenting GOO scores (GOOSs), stent patency and causes of stent dysfunction. RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen patients were included (30 EPASS, 35 LGJ, 49 SEMS). The technical success of EPASS, LGJ and SEMS were 93.3%, 100%, 100% (P = 0.058) and clinical success rates were 93.3%, 80%, 87.8% (P = 0.276), respectively. Procedural time was longest for the LGJ group (P < 0.001). The EPASS group had the shortest hospital stay (EPASS 1.5 [1-17], LGJ 7 [2-44], SEMS 5 [2-46] days, P < 0.001). EPASS group also had the lowest rates of recurrent obstruction (EPASS 3.3%, LGJ 17.1%, SEMS 36.7%, P = 0.002) and re-intervention (EPASS 3.3%, LGJ 17.1%, SEMS 26.5%, P = 0.031). The 1-month GOOS was highest in the EPASS group (EPASS 3 [1-3], LGJ 3 [0-3], SEMS 2 [0-3], P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastrojejunostomy was associated with better clinical outcomes then the other two procedures. The procedure may be the best option provided that the expertise is available.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Gastroenterostomy for Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction: A Minimally Invasive Alternative to Palliative Surgical Bypass.

Gastric outlet obstruction is a mechanical obstruction to the flow of gastric contents to the intestines. The most common causes of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (MGOO) are pancreatic and gastric cancers. MGOO is associated with reduced quality of life and poor prognosis due to malnourishment from the inability to tolerate oral intake. Surgical gastrojejunostomy and endoscopic placement of enteral stents are palliative options with different advantages and disadvantages. We present a case of MGOO treated with endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy, a minimally invasive alternative to palliative surgical bypass.

EUS-guided gastrojejunostomy for management of malignant gastric outlet obstruction in a patient with Roux-en-Y anatomy.

Video 1Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastrojejunostomy.

Clinical management for malignant afferent loop obstruction.

Afferent loop obstruction (ALO) is defined as duodenal or jejunal mechanical obstruction at the proximal anastomosis site of a gastrojejunostomy. With advances in chemotherapy, the incidence of malignant ALO is increasing. Malignant ALO can be complicated by ischemia, gangrenous bowel, pancreatitis, and ascending cholangitis. Moreover, the general condition of patients with recurrent cancer is often poor. Therefore, accurate and rapid diagnosis and minimally invasive treatments are required. However, no review articles on the diagnosis and treatment of malignant ALO have been published. Through literature searching, we reviewed related articles published between 1959 and 2020 in the PubMed database. Herein, we present recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant ALO and describe future perspectives. Endoscopic transluminal self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement is considered the standard treatment for malignant ALO, as this procedure is well established and less invasive. However, with the development of interventional endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in recent years, the usefulness of EUS-guided gastrojejunostomy has been reported. Moreover, through indirect comparison, this approach has been reported to be superior to transluminal SEMS placement. It is expected that a safer and less invasive treatment method will be established through the continued advancement and innovation of interventional endoscopy techniques.