Outcomes of concomitant antiobesity medication use with endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty in clinical US settings.

Background: To evaluate the weight loss outcomes of the large US cohort of patients undergoing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) with or without concomitant anti-obesity (AOM) use. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of adult patients who underwent ESG from seven different sites, from January 1, 2020 to November 30, 2022. Percent total body weight loss (%TBWL) and %excess weight loss (%EWL) were calculated based on baseline weight at the procedure. Medication use was considered if the subject received a prescribed AOM during the study period. SPSS (version 29.0) was used for statistical analyses. Results: A total of 1506 patients were included (1359 (90.2 %) no AOM use and 147 (9.8 %) AOM use). Patients who were on an active AOM at the time of the procedure had a significantly lower TBWL% as compared to patients not on AOMs at 6 months. At the 24-month visit, patients who were prescribed AOMs after the 12-month visit had a significantly higher TBWL% and EWL% as compared to patients who were on active AOM at the time of the procedure. There was no significant difference between classes of medications at any time point, however, patients on a GLP-1RA had a trend towards improved weight loss at 18 and 24 months. Conclusion: In this large, real-world cohort of patients from the United States, data signal that with the use of pharmacotherapy at the appropriate time, patients can achieve optimal results.

Assessing ChatGPT vs. Standard Medical Resources for Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Education: A Medical Professional Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) represents a significant advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot technology. While ChatGPT offers promising capabilities, concerns remain about its reliability and accuracy. This study aims to evaluate ChatGPT's responses to patients' frequently asked questions about Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG). METHODS: Expert Gastroenterologists and Bariatric Surgeons, with experience in ESG, were invited to evaluate ChatGPT-generated answers to eight ESG-related questions, and answers sourced from hospital websites. The evaluation criteria included ease of understanding, scientific accuracy, and overall answer satisfaction. They were also tasked with discerning whether each response was AI generated or not. RESULTS: Twelve medical professionals with expertise in ESG participated, 83.3% of whom had experience performing the procedure independently. The entire cohort possessed substantial knowledge about ESG. ChatGPT's utility among participants, rated on a scale of one to five, averaged 2.75. The raters demonstrated a 54% accuracy rate in distinguishing AI-generated responses, with a sensitivity of 39% and specificity of 60%, resulting in an average of 17.6 correct identifications out of a possible 31. Overall, there were no significant differences between AI-generated and non-AI responses in terms of scientific accuracy, understandability, and satisfaction, with one notable exception. For the question defining ESG, the AI-generated definition scored higher in scientific accuracy (4.33 vs. 3.61, p = 0.007) and satisfaction (4.33 vs. 3.58, p = 0.009) compared to the non-AI versions. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores ChatGPT's efficacy in providing medical information on ESG, demonstrating its comparability to traditional sources in scientific accuracy.

Endoscopic transoral outlet reduction induces enterohormonal changes in patients with weight regain after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Background and study aims Transoral outlet reduction (TORe) has long been employed in treating weight regain after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. However, its impact on gut hormones and their relationship with weight loss remains unknown. Patients and methods This was a substudy of a previous randomized clinical trial. Adults with significant weight regain and dilated gastrojejunostomy underwent TORe with argon plasma coagulation (APC) alone or APC plus endoscopic suturing (APC-suture). Serum levels of ghrelin, GLP-1, and PYY were assessed at fasting, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after a standardized liquid meal. Results were compared according to allocation group, clinical success, and history of cholecystectomy. Results Thirty-six patients (19 APC vs. 17 APC-suture) were enrolled. There were no significant baseline differences between groups. In all analyses, the typical postprandial decrease in ghrelin levels was delayed by 30 minutes, but no other changes were noted. GLP-1 levels significantly decreased at 12 months in both allocation groups. Similar findings were noted after dividing groups according to the history of cholecystectomy and clinical success. The APC cohort presented an increase in PYY levels at 90 minutes, while the APC-suture group did not. Naïve patients had significantly lower PYY levels at baseline ( P = 0.01) compared with cholecystectomized individuals. This latter group experienced a significant increase in area under the curve (AUC) for PYY levels, while naïve patients did not, leading to a higher AUC at 12 months ( P = 0.0001). Conclusions TORe interferes with the dynamics of gut hormones. APC triggers a more pronounced enteroendocrine response than APC-suture, especially in cholecystectomized patients.

Applicability of individualized metabolic surgery score for prediction of diabetes remission after endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.

Background: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a safe and effective obesity treatment. The individualized metabolic score (IMS) is a validated score that uses preoperative variables predicting T2D remission (DR) in bariatric surgery. Objectives: We evaluated the applicability of using the IMS score to predict DR in patients after ESG. Design/Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with obesity and T2D who underwent ESG. We calculated DR, IMS score, and severity, and divided patients based on IMS category. Results: The cohort comprised 20 patients: 25% (5) mild, 55% (11) moderate, and 20% (4) severe IMS stages. DR was achieved in 60%, 45.5%, and 0% of patients with mild, moderate, and severe IMS scores (p = 0.08), respectively. IMS score was significantly associated with DR (p = 0.03), with the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic for predicting DR 0.85. Conclusion: These pilot data demonstrate that the IMS score appears to be useful in predicting DR after ESG.

Use of individualized metabolic surgery score in endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty Why was the study done? Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is effective and safe as a treatment for obesity and has also shown improvement in diabetes in previous studies. However, there is no data showing the rates of diabetes remission after this procedure and no measures to predict this outcome. This study uses the individualized metabolic score (IMS) to predict diabetes remission after ESG. What did the researchers do? They analyzed a sample of patients who had undergone ESG, and evaluated the change in their diabetes parameters at 1 year compared to baseline, and then correlated this with their calculated baseline IMS score. What did the researchers find? Patients with a higher IMS score, representing more severe disease, were less likely to have an improvement in their diabetes after ESG. What do the findings mean? ESG can be an effective treatment option for patients with obesity and early-stage diabetes.

Practice patterns and outcomes of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty based on provider specialty.

Background and study aims Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is performed in clinical practice by gastroenterologists and bariatric surgeons. Given the increasing regulatory approval and global adoption, we aimed to evaluate real-world outcomes in multidisciplinary practices involving bariatric surgeons and gastroenterologists across the United States. Patients and methods We included adult patients with obesity who underwent ESG from January 2013 to August 2022 in seven academic and private centers in the United States. Patient and procedure characteristics, serious adverse events (SAEs), and weight loss outcomes up to 24 months were analyzed. SPSS (version 29.0) was used for all statistical analyses. Results A total of 1506 patients from seven sites included 235 (15.6%) treated by surgeons and 1271 (84.4%) treated by gastroenterologists. There were no baseline differences between groups. Gastroenterologists used argon plasma coagulation for marking significantly more often than surgeons ( P <0.001). Surgeons placed sutures in the fundus in all instances whereas gastroenterologist placed them in the fundus in less than 1% of the cases ( P <0.001>). Procedure times were significantly different between groups, with surgeons requiring approximately 20 minutes more during the procedure than gastroenterologists ( P <0.001). Percent total body weight loss (%TBWL) and percent responders achieving >10 and >15% TBWL were similar between the two groups at 12, 18, and 24 months. Rates of SAEs were low and similar at 1.7% for surgeons and 2.7% for gastroenterologists ( P >0.05). Conclusions Data from a large US cohort show significant and sustained weight loss with ESG and an excellent safety profile in both bariatric surgery and gastroenterology practices, supporting the scalability of the procedure across practices in a multidisciplinary setting.

Performance of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty by Obesity Class in the United States Clinical Setting.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) has gained popularity over the past decade and has been adopted in both academic and private institutions globally. We present outcomes of the largest cohort of patients from the United States undergoing ESG and evaluate these according to obesity class. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of adult patients who underwent ESG. Medical information was abstracted from the electronic record with weight records up to 2 years after ESG. Percent total body weight loss (%TBWL) at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months was calculated based on baseline weight at the procedure. SPSS (version 29.0) was used for all statistical analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1,506 patients from 7 sites were included (501 Class I obesity, 546 Class II, and 459 Class III). Baseline demographics differed according to obesity class due to differences in age, body mass index (BMI), height, sex distribution, and race. As early as 6 months post-ESG, mean BMI for each class dropped to the next lower class and remained there through 2 years. %TWBL achieved in the Class III group was significantly greater when compared with other classes at all time points. At 12 months, 83.2% and 60.9% of patients had ≥10% and ≥15% TBWL for all classes. There were no differences in adverse events between classes. DISCUSSION: Real-world data from a large cohort of patients of all BMI classes across the United States shows significant and sustained weight loss with ESG. ESG is safe to perform in a higher obesity class with acceptable midterm efficacy.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) approach for patients with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a comparative study between four ERCP techniques with proposed management algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is technically challenging in patients with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) due to altered anatomy. OBJECTIVE: To compare the procedural and clinical outcomes of 4 different ERCP techniques in RYGB patients. SETTING: Academic tertiary referral center in the United States. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study including patients with RYGB anatomy who underwent an ERCP between January 2015 and September 2020. We compared procedural success and adverse events (AEs) rates of balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE), gastrostomy-assisted ERCP (GAE), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-directed transgastric ERCP (EDGE), and rendezvous guidewire-assisted ERCP (RGA). RESULTS: Seventy-eight RYGB patients underwent a total of 132 ERCPs. The mean age was 60 ± 11.8 years, with female predominance (85.7%). The ERCP procedures performed were BAE (n = 64; 48.5%), GAE (n = 18; 13.7%), EDGE (n = 25; 18.9%), and RGA (n = 25; 18.9%), with overall procedure success rates of 64.1%, 100%, 89.5%, and 91.7%, respectively. All approaches were superior to BAE (GAE versus BAE, P = .003; EDGE versus BAE, P = .034; RGA versus BAE, P = .011). The overall AE rates were 10.9%, 11.1%, 15.8 %, and 25.0%, respectively. There was no statistical difference in AEs. There were also no differences in bleeding, post-ERCP pancreatitis, and perforation rates between the 4 approaches. CONCLUSION: Procedure success was similar between GAE, RGA, and EDGE, but superior to BAE. AE rates were similar between approaches.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty as an early tool against obesity: a multicenter international study on an overweight population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is an effective, minimally invasive gastric remodeling procedure to treat mild and moderate obesity. Early adoption of ESG may be desirable to try to halt progression of obesity, but there are few data on its efficacy and safety for overweight patients. METHODS: This was a multicenter, international, analytical case series. Six U.S., 1 Brazilian, 1 Mexican, and 1 Indian center were included. Overweight patients according to local practice undergoing ESG were considered eligible for the study. The end points were percent total weight loss (%TWL), body mass index (BMI) reduction, rate of BMI normalization, and rate of adverse events. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-nine patients with a mean age of 42.6 ± 14.1 years and a mean BMI of 27.79 ± 1.17 kg/m2 were included. All procedures were successfully accomplished, and there were 3 intraprocedural adverse events (1.5%). The mean %TWL was 12.28% ± 3.21%, 15.03% ± 5.30%, 15.27% ± 5.28%, and 14.91% ± 5.62% at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively. At 12 and 24 months, 76% and 86% of patients achieved normal BMI, with a mean BMI reduction of 4.13 ± 1.46 kg/m2 and 4.25 ± 1.58 kg/m2. There was no difference in mean %TWL in the first quartile versus the fourth quartile of BMI in any of the time points. However, the BMI normalization rate was statistically higher in the first group at 6 and 12 months (6 months, 100% vs 48.5% [P < .01]; 12 months, 86.2% vs 50% [P < .01]; 24 months, 84.6% vs 76.1% [P = .47]; 36 months, 86.3% vs 66.6% [P = .26]). CONCLUSIONS: ESG is safe and effective in treating overweight patients with high BMI normalization rates. It could help halt or delay the progression to obesity.

Post-bariatric Surgery Changes in Secondary Esophageal Motility and Distensibility Parameters.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the increasing number of bariatric procedures over the recent years, the physiological changes in secondary esophageal motility and distensibility parameters after surgery remain unknown. METHODS: This is a retrospective, single-center cohort study comparing esophageal planimetry and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) distensibility in post-bariatric surgery patients (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and conversion/revisional patients (DH)) and native-anatomy patients with obesity (NAC). Distensibility refers to the area achieved with a certain amount of pressure, and secondary peristalsis represents the esophageal response to an intended obstruction. Patients with pre-surgical dysmotility symptoms were excluded from the study. RESULTS: From November 2018 to January 2023, 167 patients were evaluated and eligible for this study (RYGB = 87, SG = 33, NAC = 22, DH = 25). In NAC cohort, 17/22 (77%) patients presented normal motility patterns compared to 35/87 (40%) RYGB, 12/33 (36%) SG, and 5/25 (20%) DH (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). The most common abnormal motility pattern for all three bariatric cohorts was absent contractions. DH patients generally had the highest mean maximum distensibility index averages, followed by SG, RYGB, and NAC. CONCLUSION: Bariatric surgery affects esophageal and GEJ physiology, and it is associated with higher rates of secondary dysmotility. DH patients have even higher rates of dysmotility. Further studies assessing clinical data and their correlation with manometric and pH-metric findings are needed.

Correlation Between Gastrojejunal Anastomosis Diameter, Distensibility Index, and Weight Regain After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.

INTRODUCTION: Gastrojejunal anastomosis (GJA) dilation is an independent predictor of weight regain (WR) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). However, the role of planimetric measurements in this context remains unknown. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study including adult RYGB patients who underwent a diagnostic endoscopy with Endoflip assessment of the GJA. We excluded patients in the early postoperative period and those with abnormal endoscopic findings (marginal ulcers and gastro-gastric fistulas). RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were initially included. Endoscopic GJA diameter had a moderate positive correlation with WR (r=+0.438, p=0.011). However, after excluding the 7 patients with GJA> 30 mm, there was no significant correlation. There was a moderate agreement between the EndoFLIP-GJA diameter at 60mL and endoscopic diameter (ICC=0.576, p=0.049). The distensibility index (DI) showed a consistent moderate negative correlation with WR. Considering the maximum DI at 40 ml, we found a cutoff of DI = 7 mm2/mmHg that split the sample in two significantly different populations in terms of WR (67.4% vs. 43.2%, p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Visual estimation of the GJA diameter correlates with EndoFLIP at 60mL. In the subset of patients with GJA ≤ 30 mm, more distensible GJAs are associated with lower rates of WR. Larger studies are needed to confirm this correlation and to validate its utility for clinical management.

Endoscopic Management of Surgical Complications of Bariatric Surgery.

Bariatric surgery, although highly effective, may lead to several surgical complications like ulceration, strictures, leaks, and fistulas. Newer endoscopic tools have emerged as safe and effective therapeutic options for these conditions. This article reviews post-bariatric surgery complications and the role of endoscopy in their management.

Tubularization of the gastric pouch helps sustain weight loss after transoral outlet reduction for post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass weight recurrence.

Background and study aims Traditional transoral outlet reduction (TORe) is a minimally invasive endoscopic approach focused on reducing the aperture of the gastrojejunal (GJ) anastomosis, while the tubular transoral outlet reduction (tTORe) consists of tabularization of the distal pouch utilizing an O-shape gastroplasty suturing pattern. The primary aim of this study was to compare short-term weight loss between TORe and tTORe. Patients and methods Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database was conducted at a tertiary care bariatric center of excellence. The study included patients with history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) who had an endoscopic revision by TORe or tTORe and had follow-up data in their electronic medical record. The primary outcome was percent total body weight loss (%TBWL). Results A total of 128 patients were included (tTORe=85, TORe=43). At 3 and 6 months, the tTORe and TORe cohorts presented similar %TBWL (3 months: 8.5±4.9 vs. 7.3±6.0, P = 0.27 and 6 months: 8.1±7.4 vs. 6.8±5.6, P = 0.44). At 9 months, there was a trend toward greater weight loss in the tTORe cohort (9.7±8.6% vs. 5.1±6.8%, P = 0.053). At 12 months, the %TBWL was significantly higher in the tubularization group compared to the standard group (8.2±10.8 vs. 2.3±7.3%, P = 0.01). Procedure time was significantly different between both groups (60.5 vs. 53.4 minutes, P = 0.03). The adverse events rate was similar between groups (8.2% vs. 7.0% for tTORe and TORe, respectively, P = 0.61). Conclusions The tTORe enhances efficacy and durability of the standard procedure without adding significant procedure-related risks.

Pure Cut or Endocut for Biliary Sphincterotomy? A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Adverse events (AE) after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are not uncommon and post-ERCP acute pancreatitis (PEP) is the most important one. Thermal injury from biliary sphincterotomy may play an important role and trigger PEP or bleeding. Therefore, this study evaluated the outcomes of 2 electric current modes used during biliary sphincterotomy. METHODS: From October 2019 to August 2021, consecutive patients with native papilla undergoing ERCP with biliary sphincterotomy were randomized to either the pure cut or endocut after cannulation. The primary outcome was PEP incidence. Secondary outcomes included intraprocedural and delayed bleeding, infection, and perforation. RESULTS: A total of 550 patients were randomized (272 pure cut and 278 endocut). The overall PEP rate was 4.0% and significantly higher in the endocut group (5.8% vs 2.2%, P = 0.034). Univariate analysis revealed >5 attempts ( P = 0.004) and endocut mode ( P = 0.034) as risk factors for PEP. Multivariate analysis revealed >5 attempts ( P = 0.005) and a trend for endocut mode as risk factors for PEP ( P = 0.052). Intraprocedural bleeding occurred more often with pure cut ( P = 0.018), but all cases were controlled endoscopically during the ERCP. Delayed bleeding was more frequent with endocut ( P = 0.047). There was no difference in perforation ( P = 1.0) or infection ( P = 0.4999) between the groups. DISCUSSION: Endocut mode may increase thermal injury leading to higher rates of PEP and delayed bleeding, whereas pure cut is associated with increased intraprocedural bleeding without clinical repercussion. The electric current mode is not related to perforation or infection. Further RCT assessing the impact of electric current on AE with overlapping preventive measures such as rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hyperhydration are needed. The study was submitted to the Brazilian Clinical Trials Platform ( http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br ) under the registry number RBR-5d27tn.

Pitfalls of EUS-guided gastrojejunostomy in a patient with history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and a frozen abdomen.

Video 1Case of EUS-guided gastrojejunostomy in a patient with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and a frozen abdomen.

Management of a refractory marginal ulcer following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with EUS-guided Roux-en-Y gastric bypass reversal.

Video 1EUS-guided Roux-en-Y gastric bypass reversal procedure to treat a refractory marginal ulcer following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Improvements in hepatic steatosis, obesity, and insulin resistance in adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease after the primary obesity surgery endoluminal 2.0 procedure.

BACKGROUND: The primary obesity surgery endoluminal 2.0 (POSE 2.0) procedure involves full-thickness gastric body plications to narrow the stomach using durable suture anchor pairs. We evaluated POSE 2.0 as a treatment strategy for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with obesity. METHODS: Adults with obesity and NAFLD were prospectively allocated based on their preference to undergo POSE 2.0 with lifestyle modification or lifestyle modification alone (control). Primary end points were improvement in controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and resolution of hepatic steatosis at 12 months. Secondary end points included %total body weight loss (%TBWL), change in serum measures of hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance, and procedure safety. RESULTS: 42 adult patients were included (20 in the POSE 2.0 arm and 22 in the control arm). At 12 months, POSE 2.0 significantly improved CAP, whereas lifestyle modification alone did not (P < 0.001 for POSE 2.0; P = 0.24 for control). Similarly, both resolution of steatosis and %TBWL were significantly higher with POSE 2.0 than with control at 12 months. Compared with controls, POSE 2.0 significantly improved liver enzymes, hepatic steatosis index, and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio at 12 months. There were no serious adverse events. CONCLUSION : POSE 2.0 was effective for NAFLD in patients with obesity, with good durability and safety profile.

Endoscopic resection of a gastric GI stromal tumor using the helix-snaring technique.

Video 1Endoscopic resection of a gastric GI stromal tumor using the helix-snaring technique.

Long-term follow-up after transoral outlet reduction following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: Back to stage 0?

Background and study aims Significant weight regain affects up to one-third of patients after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and demands treatment. Transoral outlet reduction (TORe) with argon plasma coagulation (APC) alone or APC plus full-thickness suturing TORe (APC-FTS) is effective in the short term. However, no study has investigated the course of gastrojejunostomy (GJ) or quality of life (QOL) data after the first post-procedure year. Patients and methods Patients eligible for a 36-month follow-up visit after TORe underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with measurement of the GJ and answered QOL questionnaires (RAND-36). The primary aim was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of TORe, including weight loss, QOL, and GJ anastomosis (GJA) size. Comparisons between APC and APC-FTS TORe were a secondary aim. Results Among 39 eligible patients, 29 returned for the 3-year follow-up visit. There were no significant differences in demographics between APC and APC-FTS TORe groups. At 3 years, patients from both groups regained all the weight lost at 12 months, and the GJ diameter was similar to the pre-procedure assessment. As to QOL, most improvements seen at 12 months were lost at 3 years, returning to pre-procedure levels. Only the energy/fatigue domain improvement was kept between the 1- and 3-year visits. Conclusions Obesity is a chronic relapsing disease. Most effects of TORe are lost at 3 years, and redilation of the GJA occurs. Therefore, TORe should be considered iterative rather than a one-off procedure.

EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy for malignant biliary obstruction: A multicenter comparative study between plastic and metallic stents.

Background and Objectives: EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) is commonly employed to address malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) after a failed ERCP. In this context, both self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) and double-pigtail stents (DPSs) are suitable devices. However, few data comparing the outcomes of SEMS and DPS exist. Therefore, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of SEMS and DPS at performing EUS-CDS. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study between March 2014 and March 2019. Patients diagnosed with MBO were considered eligible after at least one failed ERCP attempt. Clinical success was defined as a drop of direct bilirubin levels ≥ 50% at 7 and 30 postprocedural days. Adverse events (AEs) were categorized as early (≤7 days) or late (>7 days). The severity of AEs was graded as mild, moderate, or severe. Results: Forty patients were included, 24 in the SEMS group and 16 in the DPS group. Demographic data were similar between the groups. Technical success rates and clinical success rates at 7 and 30 days were similar between the groups. Similarly, we found no statistical difference in the incidence of early or late AEs. However, there were two severe AEs (intracavitary migration) in the DPS group and none in the SEMS cohort. Finally, there was no difference in median survival (DPS 117 days vs. SEMS 217 days; P = 0.99). Conclusion: EUS-guided CDS is an excellent alternative to achieve biliary drainage after a failed ERCP for MBO. There is no significant difference regarding the effectiveness and safety of SEMS and DPS in this context.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage: a literature review.

Neoplasms of the biliopancreatic confluence may present with obstruction of the bile tract, leading to jaundice, pruritus and cholangitis. In these cases drainage of the bile tract is imperative. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with placement of a choledochal prosthesis is an effective treatment in about 90% of cases, even in experienced hands. In cases of ERCP failure, therapeutic options traditionally include surgical bypass by hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) or percutaneous transparietohepatic drainage (DPTH). In recent years, endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage techniques have gained space because they are less invasive, effective and have an acceptable incidence of complications. Endoscopic echo-guided drainage of the bile duct can be performed through the stomach (hepatogastrostomy), duodenum (choledochoduodenostomy) or by the anterograde drainage technique. Some services consider ultrasound-guided drainage of the bile duct the procedure of choice in the event of ERCP failure. The objective of this review is to present the main types of endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage and compare them with other techniques.