The efficacy of a novel integrated outside biliary stent and nasobiliary drainage catheter system for acute cholangitis: a single center pilot study

Background/Aims@#Endoscopic biliary drainage is the gold standard treatment for cholangitis. The two methods of biliary drainage are endoscopic biliary stenting and nasobiliary drainage. A novel integrated outside biliary stent and nasobiliary drainage catheter system (UMIDAS NB stent; Olympus Medical Systems) was recently developed. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of this stent in the treatment of cholangitis caused by common bile duct stones or distal bile duct strictures. @*Methods@#We conducted a retrospective pilot study by examining the medical records of patients who required endoscopic biliary drainage for cholangitis due to common bile duct stones or distal bile duct strictures, and who were treated with a UMIDAS NB stent, between December 2021 and July 2022. @*Results@#Records of 54 consecutive patients were reviewed. Technical and clinical success rates were 47/54 (87.0%) and 52/54 (96.3%), respectively. Adverse events were observed in 12 patients, with six patients experiencing pancreatitis as an adverse event, following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Regarding late adverse events, five cases of biliary stent migration into the bile duct were observed. Disease-related death occurred in one patient. @*Conclusions@#The outside-type UMIDAS NB stent is an efficacious new method for biliary drainage and can be applied to many indications.

Infectious peritonitis after endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage in a patient with ascites

SUMMARY OF EVENT: Bacterial, mycotic peritonitis and Candida fungemia developed in a patient with moderate ascites who had undergone endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD). Antibiotics and antifungal agent were administered and ascites drainage was performed. Although the infection improved, the patient's general condition gradually deteriorated due to aggravation of the primary cancer and he died. TEACHING POINT: This is the first report to describe infectious peritonitis after EUS-BD. Ascites carries the potential risk of severe complications. As such, in patients with ascites, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is typically preferred over EUS-BD or percutaneous drainage to prevent bile leakage. However, ERCP may not be possible in some patients with tumor invasion of the duodenum or with surgically altered anatomy. Thus, in patients with ascites who require EUS-BD, we recommend inserting the drainage tube percutaneously and draining the ascites before and after the intervention in order to prevent severe infection.