A retrospective study of emergency endoscopic needle-knife sphincterotomy for acute severe cholangitis resulting from impacted common bile duct stones at duodenal papilla / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective To evaluate the application value of emergency endoscopic needle-knife sphincterotomy(NKS) on acute cholangitis of severe type (ACST) resulting from impacted common bile duct stones at duodenal papilla. Methods A retrospective study was performed on the data of 90 ACST cases with impacted common bile duct stones at the native papilla and undergoing emergency NKS between January 2011 and January 2017 in Tianjin Nankai Hospital. The completion of treatment, mean operating time, impacted stone clearance rate, changes of laboratory indexes before and after endoscopic procedure, and complications were analyzed. Results All the 90 patients underwent emergency NKS successfully, with a total success rate of 100. 0％. The mean operating time was 25. 2±11. 7 min. The impacted stone clearance rate was 95. 6％(86/90). The complication rate was 5. 6％(5/90), including 3 cases of hemorrhage and 2 cases of post-ERCP pancreatitis. There was no procedure-related mortality. The postoperative white blood cell count, serum procalcitonin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase decreased significantly compared with pre-operation ( all P<0. 001) . Conclusion Emergency NKS is effective and safe for treatment of ACST resulting from impacted common bile duct stones at duodenal papilla with a relative high application value.

Las técnicas de rescate en la canulación biliar difícil / Rescue techniques in difficult biliary cannulation

La colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica (CPRE) es la técnica de elección para el tratamiento de diferentes enfermedades biliopancreáticas. La canulación selectiva del conducto deseado (biliar o pancreático) es el punto clave inicial del objetivo terapéutico. Actualmente, la forma más utilizada para conseguir el acceso a la vía biliar, y que podemos denominar "técnica estándar", es la que emplea un esfinterótomo asociado con una guía hidrófila. Cuando dicha canulación estándar falla, existen diferentes alternativas que nos permitirán conseguir la canulación en un alto porcentaje de pacientes. En situaciones de canulación difícil, las técnicas de rescate a utilizar pueden estar condicionadas, entre otras, por el perfil de riesgo de complicaciones del paciente, por la experiencia o las preferencias del endoscopista y por haber conseguido o no previamente la canulación del conducto pancreático. Si se consiguió la canulación del conducto pancreático puede intentarse la técnica de doble guía, la esfinterotomía transpancreática y el precorte de aguja sobre prótesis pancreática. Si no se consiguió la canulación del conducto pancreático, probablemente la mejor opción sea una fistulotomía. Es conveniente conocer, en el contexto de una canulación difícil, cuándo hay que decidir la finalización de la prueba, principalmente si no existe una urgencia de drenaje de la vía biliar para el paciente. En estos casos debemos considerar repetir el procedimiento unos días más tarde. Si la urgencia del paciente es evidente, puede intentarse el acceso de la vía biliar asistido por técnicas alternativas.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the technique of choice in treating different biliopancreatic diseases. Selective cannulation of the desired duct (biliary or pancreatic) is the initial key point of the therapeutic goal. Currently, the most used method to obtain access to the bile duct is what we can call "standard technique", which uses the sphincterotome associated with a hydrophilic guide. When such standard cannulation fails, there are different alternatives that will allow us to achieve cannulation in a high percentage of patients. In situations of difficult cannulation the rescue techniques may be conditioned by the risk profile of the patient's complications, by the experience and/or preferences of the endoscopist, or by whether or not he has previously been able to cannulate the pancreatic duct. If cannulation of the pancreatic duct is achieved, the double guide technique, and needle precut on pancreatic prosthesis can be attempted. If cannulation of the pancreatic duct is not achieved, fistulotomy is probably the best option. In the case of a difficult cannulation, it is important to know when to decide the end of the test, especially if there is no urgency to drain the bile duct. In these cases we should consider repeating the procedure a few days later. If the patient's urgency is evident, access to the bile duct assisted by alternative techniques can be attempted.

Burdick's Technique for Biliary Access Revisited

The precut sphincterotomy is used to facilitate selective biliary access in cases of difficult biliary cannulation. Needle-knife precut papillotomy is the standard of care but is associated with a high rate of complications such as pancreatitis, duodenal perforation, bleeding, etc. Sometimes during bowing of the sphincterotome/cannula and the use of guide wire to facilitate biliary cannulation, inadvertent formation of a false passage occurs in the 10 to 11 o'clock direction. Use of this step to access the bile duct by the intramucosal incision technique was first described by Burdick et al., and since then two more studies have also substantiated the safety and efficacy of this non-needle type of precut sphincterotomy. In this review, we discuss this non-needle technique of precut sphincterotomy and also share our experience using this "Burdick's technique."

Esfinterotomía de aguja / Needle sphincterotomy

La canulación fallida del conducto biliar común durante la colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica es del 5 al 20% según la experticia del operador. El uso de guías hidrofílicas y la canulación profunda y selectiva son claves en el adecuado abordaje de la vía biliar. La inadecuada selección del paciente, papilas pequeñas o peridiverticulares, cálculo impactado, disfunción del Oddi o traumatismo repetido durante la canulación son las causas más frecuentes. La esfinterotomía de aguja en sus dos modalidades infundibulotomía y el precorte son técnicas opcionales para el abordaje del conducto biliar ante el fallo de la técnica convencional. Ambas técnicas son igualmente efectivas para el abordaje biliar en coledocolitiasis. La hiperamilasemia es más frecuente en el precorte (17.75%) en infundibulotomía (2.7%). La incidencia de pancreatitis post colangiografía es de 15% posterior a 15 o más intentos de canulación. La pancreatitis en el precorte puede alcanzar el 8% y es rara durante la infundibulotomía. El sangramiento ocurre de forma comparable con ambas técnicas. La esfinterotomía de aguja temprana en la canulación fallida disminuye la ocurrencia de pancreatitis post procedimiento. Debe ser realizada por colangiografistas expertos en la técnica y manejo de las complicaciones y contarse con los equipos y materiales adecuados

The failed cannulation of the common bile duct during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is from 5 to 20% depending on operator expertise. The use of hydrophilic guides and the deep and selective cannulation are key to sucessfull access to the bile duct. Inadequate patient selection, small duodenal papilla or peridiverticular, impacted gallstone, Oddi dysfunction or repeated trauma during cannulation are the most common causes of failure. Needle-knife sphincterotomy in its two modalities: infundibulotomy and precut are optional techniques for accessing the bile duct when confronted with the conventional technique failure. Both techniques are equally effective for biliary choledocholithiasis. Hyperamylasemia is more common in the precut (17.75%) infundibulotomy (2.7% ). The incidence of post cholangiography pancreatitis is 15% after 15 or more cannulation attempts. Pancreatitis in precut can reach 8% and is rare during the infundibulotomy. Bleeding occurs in a similar way in both techniques. Early needle-knife use, in failed in cannulation decreases the occurrence of post procedure pancreatitis. It must be perfomed by experts in the technique that are able to manage eventual complications beside having adequate equipment and materials available