Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for chronic pancreatitis.

INTRODUCTION: There is still uncertainty regarding the efficacy and optimal modalities of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis. The aims of the present study were to assess the safety and the efficacy of ESWL, either alone or followed by therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (adjuvant ERCP) and to determine predictive factors of efficacy, in a real-life setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included all consecutive patients who underwent an ESWL in a single University Hospital between 2001 and 2012. The indication for ESWL was obstructive stone(s) of the main pancreatic duct resulting in either painful chronic pancreatitis or recurrent acute pancreatitis. Success was defined by resolution of pain, no analgesic treatment, no acute pancreatitis and no surgical treatment for chronic pancreatitis 6 months after the ESWL. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-six patients were studied; 6/146 (4%) had a complication of ESWL. Among the 132 patients in whom follow-up was completed, 91 (69%) had an adjuvant ERCP. After 6 months of follow-up, 100/132 (76%) patients achieved success. In multivariate analysis, the single significant predictive factor of the success of the ESWL treatment was chronic pain (p = 0.03). Patients who had chronic pain and needed opioid treatment had less chance of success than patients without chronic pain (OR 95%CI 0.31 [0.07-1.14]). We found no difference in the success rates between patients who underwent adjuvant ERCP and those who had ESWL only (p = 0.93). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the ESWL is a safe and effective treatment for patients with chronic pancreatitis and obstructive stones within the main pancreatic duct. Systematic association with therapeutic ERCP appears to provide no additional benefit and is therefore not recommended.

Prediction of drainage effectiveness during endoscopic stenting of malignant hilar strictures: the role of liver volume assessment.

BACKGROUND: The optimal endoscopic approach to the drainage of malignant hilar strictures remains controversial, especially with regard to the extent of desirable drainage and unilateral or bilateral stenting. OBJECTIVE: To identify useful criteria for predicting successful endoscopic drainage. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective 2-center study in the greater Paris area in France. PATIENTS: A total of 107 patients who had undergone endoscopic stenting for hilar tumors Bismuth type II, III, or IV and a set of contemporaneous cross-sectional imaging data available. INTERVENTIONS: The relative volumetry of the 3 main hepatic sectors (left, right anterior, and right posterior) was assessed on CT scans. The liver volume drained was estimated and classified into 1 of 3 classes: less than 30%, 30% to 50%, and more than 50% of the total liver volume. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was effective drainage, defined as a decrease in the bilirubin level of more than 50% at 30 days after drainage. Secondary outcomes were early cholangitis rate and survival. RESULTS: The main factor associated with drainage effectiveness was a liver volume drained of more than 50% (odds ratio 4.5, P = .001), especially in Bismuth III strictures. Intubating an atrophic sector (<30%) was useless and increased the risk of cholangitis (odds ratio 3.04, P = .01). A drainage > 50% was associated with a longer median survival (119 vs 59 days, P = .005). LIMITATIONS: Heterogeneous population and volume assessment methodology to improve in further prospective studies. CONCLUSION: Draining more than 50% of the liver volume, which frequently requires bilateral stent placement, seems to be an important predictor of drainage effectiveness in malignant, especially Bismuth III, hilar strictures. A pre-ERCP assessment of hepatic volume distribution on cross-sectional imaging may optimize endoscopic procedures.

Effects of biliary obstruction on the penetration of ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biliary penetration of ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime in patients with obstructed bile ducts and to determine simple predictive markers of effective biliary concentrations of these drugs. METHODS: Sixty-two patients treated with endoscopic biliary drainage were prospectively included in a nonrandomized way and received intravenous ciprofloxacin (200 mg twice daily) or cefotaxime (1 g three times a day) for more than 24 h before exploration. Blood and bile samples were collected at the time of drainage. Ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Biliary penetration was assessed by the bile-to-plasma ratio of the concentrations of both antibiotics. RESULTS: Biliary penetration ranged from 0.06 to 42.7 for ciprofloxacin and from 0.01 to 1.14 for cefotaxime. The ratio was more than one in only 10 patients (35%) and three patients (9%) in ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime groups, respectively. Biliary concentration of the drug was more than 10 times the minimal inhibitory concentration in only 10 patients (35%) and in 12 patients (35%) in ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime groups, respectively. Serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase or gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase were not good predictive markers of the biliary diffusion of the antibiotics. CONCLUSION: In patients with obstructed bile ducts, the biliary penetration of ciprofloxacin is poor and reaches effective biliary concentrations in a minority of patients. Cefotaxime biliary penetration is even poorer. No liver test can predict accurately the biliary penetration of the drugs.

[Duodenal duplication revealed by acute pancreatitis: endoscopic treatment]. / Duplication duodénale révélée par une pancréatite aiguë: traitement endoscopique.

We report the case of a 17 year old man who presented with several episodes of acute pancreatitis due to a duodenal duplication. This was successfully treated by an incision by sphincterotome during interventional duodenoscopy. The patient is symptom free without recurrence 20 months after endoscopic treatment.

Endoscopic management of post-laparoscopic cholecystectomy biliary strictures. Long-term outcome in a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the long term results of long-lasting endoscopic stenting for benign biliary strictures related to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Additional biological and morphological data were collected from these patients during follow-up. METHODS: Patients undergoing ERCP for post-laparoscopic cholecystectomy biliary stricture in one of the three participating centers between 1990 and December 2001 were identified. Only patients with successful endoscopic stenting were subsequently included and analyzed. Follow-up data were obtained from referring centers, general practitioners and patients or relatives. Hepatic blood tests and abdominal ultrasound were proposed to all the patients who had not undergone further treatments after stent removal. RESULTS: Eight-eight patients had undergone ERCP for benign biliary stricture related to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Stenting failed in 19 patients. Balloon dilatation alone was used in four patients. Strictures were successfully stented in 65 patients. The mean number of stents inserted at the same time was 1.6. The mean duration of stenting was 14 months (range 1-120 months). Eighteen patients (28%) developed biliary or pancreatic symptoms during stenting. ERCP was considered satisfactory at the end of stenting (i.e. no remaining stricture or minor remaining change on ERCP) in 45 patients (69%). Twenty-two patients were lost to follow-up. Twenty-nine out of forty-three patients (67%) remained symptom-free with normal updated blood tests and abdominal ultrasound during a mean follow-up of 28 months (range 12-117 months) after stent removal. None of the patients with a normal ERCP at the end of stenting developed stricture recurrence during follow-up. Eleven patients were operated (8 with persistence of stricture, 2 for stricture recurrence up to 63 months after stent removal, 1 for pancreatitis). CONCLUSION: Based on clinical, morphological and biological criteria, a long-term success was obtained in 70% of patients with post-laparoscopic cholecystectomy benign biliary strictures, after several months of endoscopic stenting.

Reliability, cost-effectiveness, and safety of reuse of ancillary devices for ERCP.

BACKGROUND: The choice between reusable and single-use devices for ERCP depends on various medical and economic criteria. This study evaluated the reliability and the safety (risk of cross-contamination) of reusable devices. A cost analysis of the use of reusable devices also was conducted. METHODS: All patients referred for ERCP that required use of a sphincterotome or a retrieval basket were eligible for inclusion in a clinical study of 4 different devices (3 types of sphincterotome, 1 type of retrieval basket). All devices were steam sterilized. Before each use, each device was subjected to bacteriologic and virologic tests (hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus markers). Devices were examined before and after each procedure. The numbers of safe and efficient procedures that could be performed with each device were assessed. Three strategies were compared in a cost analysis: internal reprocessing (strategy 1), external reprocessing (strategy 2), and single-use (strategy 3). Inputs used were the results of the clinical study, hospital data for 1 year of endoscopic activity, and market prices. RESULTS: A total of 342 patients underwent the following procedures: sphincterotomy (248 patients), stent insertion (59 patients), use of basket without sphincterotomy (14 patients), and diagnostic ERCP/unsuccessful cannulation (21 patients). At the time of ERCP, 36 patients had viral or bacterial infection. Fifty instruments were used (20 single-lumen sphincterotomes, 10 double lumen sphincterotomes, 20 retrieval baskets). Overall, the median number of efficient uses per device was 10. The median number of efficient uses by each type of device was the following: single-lumen sphincterotome, 12; double-lumen sphincterotome, 8; and, retrieval baskets, 10. All virologic and bacteriologic tests for all instruments were negative. The cost-optimization analysis found that strategy 1 is cost effective (euro37,283/y) compared with strategy 2 (euro40,101/y) and especially with Strategy 3 (euro115,210/y). CONCLUSIONS: Reuse of the sphincterotomes and baskets evaluated in this study during ERCP is safe in terms of infectious hazards. Because they endure numerous uses, reusable instruments are cost effective, especially when compared with single-use accessories.

Nifedipine for prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis: a prospective, double-blind randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatitis is the most common complication of ERCP. Calcium channel inhibitors have been shown to prevent the development of experimental pancreatitis. The aim of this randomized, placebo-controlled trial was to determine whether the calcium channel blocker nifedipine prevents post-ERCP pancreatitis. METHODS: Patients referred for ERCP were enrolled. Those being treated with a calcium channel inhibitor and those with acute or chronic pancreatitis were excluded. Nifedipine or placebo was administered orally less than 3 hours before and within 6 hours after ERCP. The main outcome measure was the number of cases of post-ERCP pancreatitis; a secondary outcome was the rate of post-ERCP pain (without pancreatitis) that persisted for 12 or more hours. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-five patients (70 women, 85 men; mean [SD] age 65.8 [18.2] years; range, 23-97 years) were enrolled and randomized to receive nifedipine (76 patients) or placebo (79 patients). The two groups were comparable. Procedures performed were retrograde diagnostic cholangiopancreatography alone (n = 33), biliary sphincterotomy (n = 31), stone extraction (n = 39), stent placement (n = 37), sphincteroplasty (n = 5), and other (n = 3). ERCP was unsuccessful in 5 patients. A single case of severe pancreatitis was observed (placebo group). The rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis was not different between groups (nifedipine, 10 patients, 13.2%; placebo, 14 patients, 17.7%; p = 0.4). The frequency of post-ERCP pain was not different between the groups. The only independent predictor of post-ERCP pancreatitis was difficult cannulation in both groups (OR = 3.78: 95% CI [1.25, 11.45]). CONCLUSION: This study failed to demonstrate a significant effect of nifedipine in the prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis. A multicenter trial with greater statistical power would be needed to demonstrate a benefit for this drug.