ASGE guideline on the role of endoscopy in the evaluation and management of choledocholithiasis

Controversias en cirugía: colelitiasis y coledocolitiasis ¿Exploración de vías biliares laparoscópica más colecistectomía laparoscópica (cirugía en un paso) o CPRE y colecistectomía laparoscópica (cirugía en dos pasos)?

Introducción. La colelitiasis tiene una prevalencia del 15 % y el 21 % tendrá coledocolitiasis al momento de la colecistectomía, con 50 % de probabilidad de presentar complicaciones asociadas. Desde el advenimiento de la colecistectomía laparoscópica, el abordaje de la coledocolitiasis ha sido endoscópico, usualmente en un tiempo diferente al vesicular, sin embargo, los avances en laparoscopia han permitido explorar la vía biliar común por la misma vía, pudiendo realizar ambos procedimientos en el mismo tiempo de forma segura. Métodos. Se realizó una búsqueda de la literatura existente con relación al enfoque para el manejo de la colecistocoledocolitasis en un paso comparado con dos pasos. Resultados. Existe evidencia que demuestra mayor efectividad del abordaje en dos pasos, con CPRE y posterior colecistectomía laparoscópica, sobre el abordaje en un paso, especialmente en la tasa de fuga biliar y de cálculos retenidos. El enfoque en un paso con exploración de vías biliares y colecistectomía laparoscópica en el mismo tiempo es seguro, con alta tasa de éxito, baja incidencia de complicaciones, menor estancia hospitalaria y costos. Conclusión. El abordaje laparoscópico en un solo paso es un procedimiento seguro y eficaz para el manejo de la colecisto-coledocolitiasis, con el beneficio de estancia hospitalaria menor, sin embargo, se requieren habilidades técnicas avanzadas en cirugía laparoscópica. En nuestro medio ya existe una infraestructura para el manejo híbrido con CPRE y colecistectomía laparoscópica, pudiéndose realizar ambos en el mismo tiempo, para reducir estancia y costos.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence rates of adverse events after digestive endoscopy in children

BACKGROUND

With the widespread use of digestive endoscopy in children, a variety of adverse events (AEs) have occurred after digestive endoscopy. However, there are notable differences in the incidence of adverse reactions in digestive endoscopy in children at present, which makes it difficult to assess the safety of digestive endoscopy in children.

METHODS

Studies related to digestive endoscopy in children were screened from January 2005 to October 2021 from PubMed, Web of Science, Spring, CNKI, and Science Direct databases. RevMan5.3 and Stata were employed to carry out meta-analysis on the incidence of adverse respiratory events, myoclonus, abdominal pain, fever, bleeding, chest pain, sore throat, vomiting, and delayed capsule discharge after digestive endoscopy in children. The article quality was evaluated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The chi-square test and I² were adopted to test literature heterogeneity, and the article publication bias was assessed by displaying an inverted funnel plot as a funnel plot.

RESULTS

In all, 15 articles were included, involving a total of 27,770 children. In all, 15 articles were included, involving a total of 27,770 children. The risk ratio (RR) value of adverse respiratory events after digestive endoscopy in children was 1.31 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17 to 1.47, P<0.00001]; the odds ratio (OR) value of the incidence of myoclonus was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.46, P=0.04); the incidence of abdominal pain was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.11 to 1.27, P<0.00001); the incidence of fever was 1.09 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.12, P<0.00001); the incidence of bleeding was 1.24 (95% CI: 0.94 to 1.64, P=0.13); the incidence of chest pain was 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03 to 1.09, P<0.0001); incidence of sore throat was 1.11 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.18, P=0.0004); incidence of vomiting was 1.13 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.21, P=0.0001); and the incidence of delayed capsule expulsion was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.00 to 1.40, P=0.05).

DISCUSSION

The incidence of AEs after digestive endoscopy in children was low, which can be used in the diagnosis and therapy of digestive system diseases in children.

Interventional endoscopy for abdominal transplant patients

Interventional endoscopy can play a significant role in the care and management of children pre-and post- abdominal solid organ transplantation. Such procedures primarily include endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE), though additional interventions are available using standard endoscopes (gastroscopes, colonoscopes) for therapeutics purposes such as endoscopic hemostasis. The availability of pediatric practitioners with the advanced training to effectively and safely perform these procedures are most often limited to large tertiary care pediatric centers. These centers possess the necessary resources and ancillary staff to provide the comprehensive multi-disciplinary care needed for these complex patients. In this review, we discuss the importance of interventional endoscopy in caring for transplant patients, during their clinical course preceding the potential need for solid organ transplantation and inclusion of a discussion related to endoscopic post-surgical complication management. Given the highly important role of interventional endoscopy in patients with recurrent and chronic pancreatitis, we also include a discussion related to this complex disease process leading up to those patients that may need pancreas surgery including total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT).

A novel machine learning model and a public online prediction platform for prediction of post-ERCP-cholecystitis (PEC)

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an established treatment for common bile duct (CBD) stones. Post- ERCP cholecystitis (PEC) is a known complication of such procedure and there are no effective models and clinical applicable tools for PEC prediction.

METHODS

A random forest (RF) machine learning model was developed to predict PEC. Eligible patients at The First Hospital of Lanzhou University in China with common bile duct (CBD) stones and gallbladders in-situ were enrolled from 2010 to 2019. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the predictive discrimination and accuracy values based on receiver operation characteristics (ROC) curve and decision and clinical impact curve. The RF model was further validated by another 117 patients. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04234126.

FINDINGS

A total of 1117 patients were enrolled (90 PEC, 8.06%) to build the predictive model for PEC. The RF method identified white blood cell (WBC) count, endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation (EPBD), increase in WBC, residual CBD stones after ERCP, serum amylase levels, and mechanical lithotripsy as the top six predictive factors and has a sensitivity of 0.822, specificity of 0.853 and accuracy of 0.855, with the area under curve (AUC) value of 0.890. A separate logistic regression prediction model was built with sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of 0.811, 0.791, and 0.864, respectively. An additional 117 patients (11 PEC, 9.40%) were used to validate the RF model, with an AUC of 0.889 compared to an AUC of 0.884 with the logistic regression model.

INTERPRETATION

The results suggest that the proposed RF model based on the top six PEC risk factors could be a promising tool to predict the occurrence of PEC.

Validation of choledocholithiasis predictors from the "2019 ASGE Guideline for the role of endoscopy in the evaluation and management of choledocholithiasis."

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Identifying patients likely to have CDL is an important clinical dilemma because endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), carries a 5-7% risk of adverse events. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic test performance of the 2010 and 2019 ASGE criteria used to help risk stratify patients with suspected CDL.

METHODS

Consecutive patients evaluated for possible CDL from 2013 to 2019 were identified from surgical, endoscopic, and radiologic databases at a single academic center. Inclusion criteria included all patients who underwent ERCP and/or cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC) for suspected CDL. We calculated the diagnostic test performance of criteria from both guidelines and compared their discrimination using the receiver operator curve. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to identify the strongest component predictors.

RESULTS

1098 patients [age 57.9 ± 19.0 years, 62.8% (690) F] were included. 66.3% (728) were found to have CDL on ERCP and/or IOC. When using the 2019 guidelines, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy are 65.8, 78.9, 86.3, 54.1, and 70.4%, respectively. Using the 2010 guidelines, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy are 50.5, 78.9, 82.5, 44.8, and 60.1%, respectively. The AUC for high-risk criteria using the 2019 guidelines [0.726 (0.695, 0.758)] was greater than for the 2010 guidelines [0.647 (0.614, 0.681)]. The key difference providing the increased discrimination was the inclusion of stones on any imaging modality, which increased the sensitivity to 55.0% from 29.1%. Not including CDL on imaging or cholangitis, a dilated CBD was the strongest individual predictor of CDL on multivariate analysis (OR 3.70, CI 2.80, 4.89).

CONCLUSION

Compared to 2010, the 2019 high-risk criterion improves diagnostic test performance, but still performs suboptimally. Less invasive tests, such as EUS or MRCP, should be considered in patients with suspected CDL prior to ERCP.

Evaluation of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2019 and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines' performances for choledocholithiasis prediction in clinically suspected patients: A retrospective cohort study

Background and Aim

The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) have published guidelines for choledocholithiasis. However, the guidelines were formulated using data from a large number of patients with no to low risk of common bile duct (CBD) stones. This study aimed to assess the guidelines' predictive performance in a population with a high frequency of stones.

Methods

Data for three choledocholithiasis standard reference tests were retrospectively reviewed from January 2019 to June 2021. Clinical parameters were used to categorize patients into risk groups according to the guidelines, and then the guidelines' predictive abilities were calculated.

Results

Among 1185 patients, 521 were included. The stone prevalence was 61.0% (n = 318). Twelve (2.3%), 146 (28.0%), and 363 (69.7%) patients were classified into low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐risk groups according to the ASGE guidelines, and 30 (5.8%), 149 (28.6%), and 342 (65.6%) according to the ESGE guidelines. Focusing on the high‐risk group, the ASGE guidelines had a positive predictive value of 73.6 and a positive likelihood ratio of 1.78. The ESGE guidelines had a positive predictive value of 73.7 and positive likelihood ratio of 1.79. Both guidelines had equivalent areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65–0.73) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.64–0.72), respectively.

Conclusion

In the high‐risk group, the guidelines increased the chance of detecting choledocholithiasis by approximately 10% (61.0% prevalence to 73.6 and 73.7% positive predictive value). However, statistically, the guidelines had marginal discriminative performance in a population with high stone prevalence.

Primary closure after laparoscopic common bile duct exploration is safe and feasible for patients with non-severe acute cholangitis

BACKGROUND

The safety and feasibility of primary closure after laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) have been confirmed in elective settings. However, the suitability of primary closure after LCBDE in the treatment of patients with non-severe acute cholangitis in emergency settings remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the safety and feasibility of LCBDE with primary closure in patients with non-severe acute cholangitis.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with choledocholithiasis combined with gallbladder stones treated by LCBDE with primary closure at our institution from January 2015 to April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were divided into two groups: emergency group (patients with non-severe acute cholangitis) and elective group (patients without acute cholangitis). The demographic and perioperative data of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-two patients received LCBDE combined with primary closure during this period, including 70 in the emergency group and 52 in the elective group. Baseline characteristics were balanced in both groups, except for higher levels of white blood cells (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and albumin in the emergency group. No postoperative mortality occurred in either group. Compared to the elective group, the emergency group had a longer operation time (P = 0.011), and more estimated blood loss (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of conversion (2.9% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.507), use of baskets (84.2% vs. 78.8%, P = 0.481), use of electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) (2.9% vs. 1.9%, P = 1.000), or postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.214). The incidence of postoperative complications was comparable between the two groups. During the follow-up period, none of the patients experienced biliary stricture, and 1 case of stone recurrence occurred in the elective group.

CONCLUSIONS

LCBDE with primary closure for choledocholithiasis patients with non-severe acute cholangitis has the equivalent efficacy and morbidity to elective surgery. Primary closure after LCBDE is a safe and feasible option for choledocholithiasis patients with non-severe acute cholangitis.

Application of ERCP Procedures in Choledocholithiasis with Duodenal Stenosis Patients

Objective

The treatment of choledocholithiasis with duodenal stenosis is a clinical difficult problem. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of ERCP via gastroscopy in the treatment of choledocholithiasis and duodenal stenosis.

Methods

From January 2015 to December 2020, 21 patients with choledocholithiasis with duodenal stenosis who underwent ERCP treatment under gastroscopy in our hospital were enrolled. The patients' case characteristics, ERCP status, and complication rate were analyzed.

Results

Among the 21 patients, 17 cases were successful in ERCP, and a total of 29 times ERCPs were performed, with an average of 1.71 times per patient. Among the failures of ERCP, selective deep intubation of common bile duct was unsuccessful in 4 cases. Six patients underwent multiple lithotomies, after the operation, of which 4 patients underwent secondary ERCP lithotomy and 2 patients underwent triple ERCP lithotomy. All patients successfully completed the balloon dilation without serious complications. Two patients developed mild acute pancreatitis after ERCP, and all recovered after medication.

Conclusion

In patients with choledocholithiasis and duodenal stenosis, ERCP treatment by gastroscopy has a higher success rate and does not increase the incidence of complications, but there is a problem of cholecystolithiasis recurrence.

Controversies in ERCP: Indications and preparation

The aim of the series of papers on controversies of biliopancreatic drainage procedures is to discuss the pros and cons of the varying clinical practices and techniques in ERCP and EUS for drainage of biliary and pancreatic ducts. The first part focuses on indications, clinical and imaging prerequisites before ERCP, sedation options, post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) prophylaxis, and other related technical topics. In the second part, specific procedural ERCP-techniques including precut techniques and its timing as well as management algorithms are discussed. In addition, controversies in EUS-guided bile duct and pancreatic drainage procedures are under preparation.

Early unplanned readmissions following same-admission cholecystectomy for acute biliary pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Same-admission cholecystectomy (CCY) is recommended for mild acute biliary pancreatitis (biliary-AP). However, there is a paucity of research investigating reasons for early (30-day) unplanned readmissions in patients who undergo CCY for biliary-AP. Hence, we sought to investigate this gap using a large population database.

METHODS

Using the Nationwide Readmission Database (2010-2014), we identified all adults (age ≥ 18 years) with a principal diagnosis of biliary-AP who had undergone CCY during the index hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression models were obtained to assess independent predictors for 30-day readmission. Principal diagnosis for all readmissions was collected to ascertain the indications for early readmission.

RESULTS

During the study period, 118,224 patients underwent same-admission CCY for biliary-AP. Three-fourths of all patients underwent invasive cholangiography during the hospitalization (intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC) = 57,038, ERCP = 31,500). The rate of early (30-day) readmission was 7.25% (n = 8574). Exacerbation of prior medical conditions (42.2%), sequelae of biliary-AP (resolving and recurrent pancreatitis, pseudocysts) (27.6%), surgical site and other postoperative complications (16%), choledocholithiasis and/or bile leak (9.6%), and preventable hospital-acquired conditions (4.6%) accounted for early readmissions. On multivariable analysis, predictors for readmission included male sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.28), insurance type (Medicare insurance [OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13-1.40]; Medicaid [OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09-1.38]), outside-facility discharge (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.16-1.57), severe AP (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.21-1.50), and ≥ 3 Elixhauser comorbidities (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.41-1.69). Performance of IOC (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.97) and ERCP (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.73-0.89) were associated with decreased risk of early readmission.

CONCLUSION

In this study, using a national population database evaluating patients who underwent same-admission CCY after biliary-AP, we identified potentially modifiable risk factors and causes for early readmission as well as opportunities to improve clinical care.

Optimal Timing of Cholecystectomy in Secondary Choledocholithiasis Patients Who Underwent Preoperative Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

Secondary choledocholithiasis occurs when stones leave the gallbladder. After therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with stone removal, cholecystectomy should be performed to prevent recurrence. However, the optimal timing for cholecystectomy in secondary choledocholithiasis patients is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal timing for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with secondary choledocholithiasis. In total, 22,996 patients in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis from 1998–2015 were divided into three groups according to whether they underwent surgery as an inpatient (early cholecystectomy (ELC)), within 2 months of admission (intermediate cholecystectomy (ILC)), or 2 months after admission (delayed cholecystectomy (DLC)). The primary outcomes included the recurrence, complication, and mortality rates. After adjusting for confounders, according to the 2013 Tokyo guidelines (cut-off at 2013), a subgroup analysis showed that, compared to the ELC group, the ILC group had lower recurrence, complication, and mortality rates, whereas the DLC group exhibited statistically significantly higher recurrence and mortality rates. In conclusion, the optimal timing of cholecystectomy in secondary choledocholithiasis patients after preoperative ERCP is within 2 months (ILC) after hospital admission. Moreover, ELC is associated with a measurable risk of complications.

Evaluating the accuracy of American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines in patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis with choledocholithiasis

BACKGROUND

Acute gallstone pancreatitis (AGP) is the most common cause of acute pancreatitis (AP) in the United States. Patients with AGP may also present with choledocholithiasis. In 2010, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) suggested a management algorithm based on probability for choledocholithiasis, recommending additional imaging for patients at intermediate risk and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for patients at high risk of choledocholithiasis. In 2019, the ASGE guidelines were updated using more specific criteria to categorize individuals at high risk for choledocholithiasis. Neither ASGE guideline has been studied in AGP to determine the probability of having choledocholithiasis.

AIM

To determine compliance with ASGE guidelines, assess outcomes, and compare 2019 vs 2010 ASGE criteria for suspected choledocholithiasis in AGP.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 882 patients admitted with AP to a single tertiary care center from 2008-2018. AP was diagnosed using revised Atlanta criteria and AGP was defined as the presence of gallstones on imaging or with cholestatic pattern of liver injury in the absence of another cause. Patients with chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic malignancy were excluded as were those who went directly to cholecystectomy prior to assessment for choledocholithiasis. Patients were assigned low, intermediate or high risk based on ASGE guidelines. Our primary outcomes of interest were the proportion of patients in the intermediate risk group undergoing magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) first and the proportion of patients in the high risk group undergoing ERCP directly without preceding imaging. Secondary outcomes of interest included outcome differences based on if guidelines were not adhered to. We then evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of 2019 in comparison to the 2010 ASGE criteria for patients with suspected choledocholithiasis. We performed the t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test, as appropriate, to analyze if there were outcome differences based on if guidelines were not adhered to. Kappa coefficients were calculated to measure the degree of agreement between pairs of variables.

RESULTS

In this cohort, we identified 235 patients with AGP of which 79 patients were excluded as they went directly to surgery for cholecystectomy without prior MRCP or ERCP. Of the remaining 156 patients, 79 patients were categorized as intermediate risk and 77 patients were high risk for choledocholithiasis according to the 2010 ASGE guidelines. Among 79 intermediate risk patients, 54 (68%) underwent MRCP first whereas 25 patients (32%) went directly to ERCP. For the 54 patients with intermediate risk who had MRCP first, 36 patients had no choledocholithiasis while 18 patients had evidence of choledocholithiasis prompting ERCP. Of these patients, ERCP confirmed stone disease in 11 patients. Of the 25 intermediate risk patients who directly underwent ERCP, 18 patients had stone disease. One patient with a normal ERCP developed post ERCP pancreatitis. Patients undergoing MRCP in this group had a significantly longer length of stay (5.0 vs 4.0 d, P = 0.02). In the high risk group, 64 patients (83%) had ERCP without preceding imaging, of which, 53 patients had findings consistent with choledocholithiasis, of which 13 patients (17%) underwent MRCP before ERCP, all of which showed evidence of stone disease. Furthermore, all of these patients ultimately had an ERCP, of which 8 patients had evidence of stones and 5 had normal examination.Our cohort also demonstrated that 58% of all 156 patients with AGP had confirmed choledocholithiasis (79% of the high risk group and 37% of the intermediate group when risk was assigned based on the 2010 ASGE guidelines). When the updated 2019 ASGE guidelines were applied instead of the original 2010 guidelines, there was moderate agreement between the 2010 and 2019 guidelines (kappa = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.34-0.58). Forty-two of 77 patients were still deemed to be high risk and 35 patients were downgraded to intermediate risk. Thirty-five patients who were originally assigned high risk were reclassified as intermediate risk. For these 35 patients, 26 patients had ERCP findings consistent with choledocholithiasis and 9 patients had a normal examination. Based on the 2019 criteria, 9/35 patients who were downgraded to intermediate risk had an unnecessary ERCP with normal findings (without a preceding MRCP).

CONCLUSION

Two-thirds in intermediate risk and 83% in high risk group followed ASGE guidelines for choledocholithiasis. One intermediate-group patient with normal ERCP had post-ERCP AP, highlighting the risk of unnecessary procedures.

Destiny for Rendezvous: Is Cholecysto/Choledocholithiasis Better Treated with Dual- or Single-Step Procedures?

Biliary lithiasis is common worldwide, affecting almost 20% of the general population, though few experience symptoms. The frequency of choledocholithiasis in patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis is estimated to be 10-33%, depending on patients' age. Unlike gallbladder lithiasis, the medical and surgical treatment of common bile duct stones is uncertain, having changed over the last few years. The prior gold standard treatment for cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis was open cholecystectomy with bile duct clearance, choledochotomy, and/or surgical sphincterotomy. In the last 10-15 years, new treatment approaches to the complex pathology of choledocholithiasis have emerged with the advent of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), laparoscopic surgery, and advanced diagnostic procedures. Although ERCP followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the preferred mode of management, a single-step strategy (laparo-endoscopic rendezvous) has gained acceptance due to lesser morbidity and a lower risk of iatrogenic damage. Given the above, a tailored approach relying on careful evaluation of the disease is necessary in order to minimize complication risks and overall costs. Yet, the debate remains open, with no consensus on the superiority of laparo-endoscopic rendezvous to more conventional approaches.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the 2010 ASGE non-invasive predictors of choledocholithiasis and comparison to the 2019 ASGE predictors

In 2019, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guideline on the endoscopic management of choledocholithiasis modified the individual predictors of choledocholithiasis proposed in the widely referenced 2010 guideline to improve predictive performance. Nevertheless, the primary literature, especially for the 2019 iteration, is limited. We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis to examine the diagnostic performance of the 2010, and where possible the 2019, predictors. PROSPERO protocol CRD42020194226. A comprehensive literature search from 2001 to 2020 was performed to identify studies on the diagnostic performance of any of the 2010 and 2019 ASGE choledocholithiasis predictors. Identified studies underwent keyword screening, abstract review, and full-text review. The primary outcomes included multivariate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for each criterion. Secondary outcomes were reported sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative predictive value. A total of 20 studies met inclusion criteria. Based on reported ORs, of the 2010 guideline "very strong" predictors, ultrasound with stone had the strongest performance. Of the "strong" predictors, CBD > 6 mm demonstrated the strongest performance. "Moderate" predictors had inconsistent and/or weak performance; moreover, all studies reported gallstone pancreatitis as non-predictive of choledocholithiasis. Only one study examined the new predictor (bilirubin > 4 mg/dL and CBD > 6 mm) proposed in the 2019 guideline. Based on this review, aside from CBD stone on ultrasound, there is discordance between the proposed strength of 2010 choledocholithiasis predictors and their published diagnostic performance. The 2019 guideline appears to do away with the weakest 2010 predictors.

Alterations of gut microbiome and metabolite profiles in choledocholithiasis concurrent with cholangitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Gut microbiota and their metabolic products might play important roles in regulating the pathogenesis of choledocholithiasis concurrent with cholangitis (CC). The aim of this study was to explore the characteristic gut dysbiosis, metabolite profiles and the possible roles in patients with CC.

METHODS

A case-control study was carried out to analyze the alterations in the intestinal microbiota and their metabolites in patients with CC (n = 25) compared with healthy controls (HCs) (n = 25) by metagenomic sequencing to define the gut microbiota community and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis to characterize the metabolite profiles.

RESULTS

Significantly reduced Shannon diversity index (p = 0.043) and differential overall fecal microbiota community in CCs were observed. Twelve dominant altered species were identified and analyzed (LDA score > 3.0, p < 0.05) (Q value < 0.05), including unclassified_f_Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia_coli, Roseburia_faecis and Eubacterium rectale. Moreover, the levels of KEGG pathways related to biofilm formation of Escherichia coli, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis, and the metabolism of propanoate and glutathione in CCs were significantly altered. Finally, 47 markedly changed metabolites (VIP > 1.0 and p < 0.05), including low level of kynurenic acid (KYNA) and high concentration of N-palmitoylsphingosine involving tryptophan metabolism and sphingolipid signaling pathways, were identified to validate aberrant metabolic patterns in CCs, and multiple correlated metabolic modules involving bile inflammation were altered in CCs.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides novel insights into compositional and functional alterations in the gut microbiome and metabolite profiles in CC and the underlying mechanisms between gut microbiota and bile inflammation.

Compliance to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography according to current guidelines and adverse outcomes of suspected choledocholithiasis in an acute care setting

INTRODUCTION

Common bile duct (CBD) stones are common among patients who underwent cholecystectomy. However, few studies have investigated the compliance with the guidelines for the prediction of choledochlithiasis (CL). Therefore, we aim to study the compliance with the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines for the identification of CL in a major hospital in Saudi Arabia's capital.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective chart review on adult patients admitted to emergency department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh with gallstones between January 2016 and January 2019. Our data collection includes demographics and level of suspicion based on Transabdominal Ultrasound, liver function, amylase, and lipase tests. We then determined the likelihood of CL based on ASGE guidelines in order to assess the adherence to ASGE guidelines, the procedure's outcomes and adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 826 patients who met the study's criteria: 384 (46.4%) were compliant, while 442 (53.6%) were non-compliant with ASGE guidelines. There was a significant association between compliance and the presence of stones on ERCP in high likelihood patients. 48 (21.3%) of total ERCP procedures among all the likelihoods had adverse outcomes. 13 (40.6%) of non-compliant ERCP performed in intermediate likelihood have experienced adverse outcomes. There was a significant association between having adverse outcomes and being non-complaint with ASGE guidelines.

CONCLUSION

Despite ASGE guidelines' recommendations, a third of high likelihood cases and the majority of intermediate likelihood cases were non-compliant. Additionally, the current guidelines for the intermediate group are somewhat vague, giving ample leeway for patients to be placed in the intermediate group, which might subject them to unnecessary interventions. To conclude, there was a great lack of compliance with ASGE guidelines that is significantly associated with adverse outcomes. Hence, reassessing the current guidelines and monitoring healthcare facilities' compliance with the updated guidelines is highly recommended.

The Need for Standardizing Diagnosis, Treatment and Clinical Care of Cholecystitis and Biliary Colic in Gallbladder Disease

Gallstones affect 20% of the Western population and will grow in clinical significance as obesity and metabolic diseases become more prevalent. Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) is a common treatment for diseases caused by gallstones, with 1.2 million surgeries in the US each year, each costing USD 10,000. Gallbladder disease has a significant impact on the logistics and economics of healthcare. We discuss the two most common presentations of gallbladder disease (biliary colic and cholecystitis) and their pathophysiology, risk factors, signs and symptoms. We discuss the factors that affect clinical care, including diagnosis, treatment outcomes, surgical risk factors, quality of life and cost-efficacy. We highlight the importance of standardised guidelines and objective scoring systems in improving quality, consistency and compatibility across healthcare providers and in improving patient outcomes, collaborative opportunities and the cost-effectiveness of treatment. Guidelines and scoring only exist in select areas of the care pathway. Opportunities exist elsewhere in the care pathway.

Endoscopic ultrasound avoids adverse events in high probability choledocholithiasis patients with a negative computed tomography

BACKGROUND

The current guideline recommends patients who meet high probability criteria for choledocholithiasis to receive endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, adverse events can occur during ERCP. Our goal is to determine whether endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) before ERCP can avoid unnecessary ERCP complications, especially in patients with a negative CT scan.

METHODS

A total of 604 patients with high probability of choledocholithiasis were screened and 104 patients were prospectively enrolled. Patients with malignant biliary obstruction, altered GI anatomy, and choledocholithiasis on CT scan were excluded. Among them, 44 patients received EUS first, and ERCP if choledocholithiasis present (EUS-first group). The other 60 patients received ERCP directly (ERCP-first group). The baseline characteristics, presence of choledocholithiasis, and complications were compared between groups. All patients were followed for 3 months to determine the difference in recurrent biliary event rate. Cost-effectiveness was compared between the two strategies.

RESULTS

There was no marked difference in age, sex, laboratory data, presenting with pancreatitis, and risk factors for choledocholithiasis. Overall, 51 patients (49.0%) had choledocholithiasis, which did not justify the risk of direct ERCP. In the EUS-first group, 27 (61.4%) ERCP procedures were prevented. The overall complication rate was significantly lower in the EUS-first group compared to the ERCP-fist group (6.8% vs. 21.7%, P = 0.04). The number-needed-to-treat to avoid one unnecessary adverse event was 6.71. After a 3-month follow-up, the cumulative recurrence biliary event rates were similar (13.6% vs. 15.0%, P = 0.803). EUS-first strategy was more cost-effective than the ERCP-first strategy (mean cost 2322.89$ vs. 3175.63$, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

In high-probability choledocholithiasis patients with a negative CT, the EUS-first strategy is cost-effective, which can prevent unnecessary ERCP procedures and their complications.

Gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy

INTRODUCTION

Cholecystectomy is the preferred option for symptomatic gallstones. Gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy (GPC) is proposed to satisfy the specific surgical patients with high-risks, biliary deformity and suffered from concomitant gallstone and choledocholithiasis.

AREAS COVERED

This review summarizes and compares the various GPC operations for cholelithiasis in some specific cases.

EXPERT OPINION

Transmural GPC mainly focuses on the gallstones, including endoscopic minimally invasive cholecystolithotomy (EMIC)-, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery-, and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-GPC. These GPC procedures potentially preserve gallbladder integrity and function after clearance of gallstones. Additionally, transmural GPC may overcome the disadvantages of cholecystectomy, including cosmetic considerations and postoperative complications. However, the stone recurrence rate of EMIC varies greatly from 4.92% to 40.0%, and based on limited studies, long-term adverse events due to gallbladder mucosa and natural lumen injury are largely unknown in transmural GPC. Thus, transmural GPC may be an alternative to cholecystectomy for surgical patients with high-risks and abnormal biliary anatomy. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-based transcystic GPC may be promising for some specific patients with concomitant gallstones and choledocholithiasis, since gallbladder integrity and function may be completely preserved as the gallbladder wall was hardly injured and the function of sphincter of Oddi was retained.

Application of endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy combined with antegrade stenting in patients with malignant biliary obstruction after failed ERCP

BACKGROUND

This study was aimed at comparing the safety and effectiveness of endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) and EUS-HGS combined with antegrade stenting (EUS-HGAS) in patients with malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) after failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with MBO and receiving EUS-HGS or EUS-HGAS from September 2015 to October 2020 were enrolled in this study. Clinical success, complications, reintervention rate, post-operative hospital stay, time to stent dysfunction, and patient death were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 45 patients (21 in the EUS-HGAS group and 24 in the EUS-HGS group) were enrolled in this study. In the EUS-HGAS group, 21 patients all achieved clinical success (100%); in the EUS-HGS group, 24 patients also achieved technical success (100%) (P > 0.05). The differences between pre- and post-operative TB and ALT and AST levels were greater in the single-step EUS-HGAS group (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications was 2 of 21 (9.5%) in the EUS-HGAS group and 5 of 24 (20.8%) in the EUS-HGS group (P > 0.05). The reintervention rate was 0 in the EUS-HGAS group and 1 (4.2%) in the EUS-HGS group (P > 0.05). Time to stent dysfunction or patient death was longer in the EUS-HGAS group (P < 0.05). The post-operative hospital stay was longer and the total cost was higher in the EUS-HGAS group.

CONCLUSION

EUS-HGAS was superior to EUS-HGS in terms of biliary drainage effectiveness and time to stent dysfunction or patient death in patients with MBO after failed ERCP. Furthermore, two-step EUS-HGAS may be safer in some patients.

Usefulness of endoscopic ultrasound in children with pancreatobiliary and gastrointestinal symptoms

Background and study aims  Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is useful in diagnosing and treating childhood pancreatobiliary and gastrointestinal diseases. However, there are limited data on its effectiveness for various indications. Patients and methods  This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients who underwent EUS for upper gastrointestinal tract disorders from January 2018 to December 2020 to assess its indications, findings, interventions, and complications. Results  Ninety-two procedures were performed in 85 children, (70.5 % male; mean [SD] age 12.1 years [3.9] years) with a mean (SD) symptom duration of 1.1 (0.5) years. The procedures were technically successful in all patients. The primary indication for EUS was abdominal pain in 45(52.9%) and jaundice/cholangitis in 15 patients (17.6 %). General anesthesia was used in 12 (13 %) and TIVA in 80 patients (87 %). The most common diagnostic findings were choledocholithiasis in 21 (24.7 %) and cholelithiasis in 12 patients (14.1 %). Among interventions, EUS-guided cystogastrostomy for pancreatic pseudocyst was done in four patients (4.7 %), and EUS-guided rendezvous for failed ERCP in one patient (1.2 %) with cholangitis. There were no immediate post-procedural complications. Overall, EUS had a meaningful impact on the subsequent clinical management in 69 cases (81.2 %). Conclusions  EUS in the pediatric population is safe, effective, and has a meaningful impact in appropriately selected cases. It can act as a rescue in major therapeutic procedures, but adequate care should be taken at the procedural level and during anesthesia.

A UK survey on variation in the practice of management of choledocholithiasis and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (ALiCE Survey)

BACKGROUND

The practice of managing suspected/confirmed common bile duct stones (CBDS) can vary significantly in the UK. We aimed to assess this variability in practice and challenges to form a basis for future consensus.

METHODS

An electronic survey containing 40 questions on various aspects of management of CBDS was sent to surgeons who perform cholecystectomies via five surgical associations.

RESULTS

 A total of 132 surgeons responded to the survey. The speciality of surgeons includes upper gastro-intestinal (68%), general (18%), colorectal (12%), and others (2%). For patients with suspected CBD stones, 80% would choose magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreatography, and 14.4% would proceed to intra-operative imaging. Most surgeons preferred intra-operative cholangiogram over intra-operative ultrasound (83% vs 17%). For the treatment, 62.1% preferred a two-stage approach [endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC)] and 33.4% chose a single-stage approach [LC + laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE)]. Eighty (60.6%) responders performed LCBDE, and 19 (23.8%) of them performed > 10 LCBDEs in a year. Two third of surgeons (62.5%) preferred a trans-choledochal approach to CBDS. Half of the surgeons that perform LCBDE use a T-tube selectively and 1.6% routinely. The "availability of very good ERCP service" and "lack of formal training" were the two main reasons for surgeons not performing LCBDE. Both surgeons' speciality and whether they perform other complex laparoscopic surgery were significantly associated with choosing a two-stage approach over a one-stage approach (χ² test, speciality p = 0.033, complex surgery p = 0.011).

CONCLUSION

 Our survey confirms the significant variability in the diagnosis and management of CBDS. The two-stage approach is still the most common way of managing CBDS in the UK. The main reasons for the low uptake of the single-stage approach are the availability of good ERCP service, lack of equipment and lack of formal training in the technique of LCBDE.

EUS versus MRCP to perform ERCP in patients with intermediate likelihood of choledocholithiasis: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

In patients with an intermediate likelihood of choledocholithiasis, European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) guidelines recommend endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) to diagnose choledocholithiasis to make the indication for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) treatment; there is no randomised control trial to compare both in this setting.

DESIGN

Patients with suspected choledocholithiasis satisfying ESGE guideline's intermediate likelihood were screened for this single-centre randomised controlled trial between November 2019 and May 2020. The enrolled patients were randomised to either EUS or MRCP. ERCP was performed in stone positive cases or if clinical suspicion persisted during follow-up. Negative cases underwent a further 6-month clinical follow-up. Main outcome was accuracy (sensitivity/specificity) of both tests to diagnose choledocholithiasis, with ERCP or follow-up as a gold standard.

RESULTS

Of 266 patients, 224 patients (mean age: 46.77±14.57 years; 50.9 % female) were enrolled; overall prevalence of choledocholithiasis was 49.6%, with a higher frequency in the MRCP group (63/112 vs 46/112 for EUS). Both sensitivity of EUS and MRCP were similarly high (92%-98%), without significant differences between the two groups. The negative predictive value and likelihood ratio + were significantly higher in EUS arm (p<0.05). The percentage of ERCPs either incorrectly halted back (false negatives: EUS: 2 vs MRCP: 5) or performed unnecessarily (false positives: EUS: 1 vs MRCP: 2) was low in both groups.

CONCLUSION

The performance parameters of both EUS and MRCP are comparable for detecting choledocholithiasis in the intermediate-risk group of choledocholithiasis and the choice of a test should be based on local expertise, availability of resources and patient preference.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04173624.

Accuracy of SAGES, ASGE, and ESGE criteria in predicting choledocholithiasis

BACKGROUND

Patients with suspected choledocholithiasis (CDL) are stratified as high-risk (HR), intermediate-risk (IR), and low-risk (LR) according to the guidelines of Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE). Although these approaches are invaluable, paucity of validation studies are currently available. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the above risk stratification criteria in predicting CDL.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 280 patients with suspected CDL. All patients were stratified according to above professional societies as HR, IR, and LR, and diagnostic performance was evaluated.

RESULTS

In the HR group, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were 0.77 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70-0.84], 0.75 (95% CI, 0.68-0.81), and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.68-0.81) for SAGES, ASGE, and ESGE criteria, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy were 78.93% (81.13% sensitivity, 72.06% specificity), 75% (75.47% sensitivity, 73.53% specificity), and 70% (66.04% sensitivity, 82.35% specificity) for SAGES, ASGE, and ESGE criteria, respectively. Regarding the IR group, the diagnostic accuracy were 22.50% (16.98% sensitivity, 39.71% specificity), 25% (24.53% sensitivity, 26.47% specificity), and 30.00% (33.49% sensitivity, 19.12% specificity) for SAGES, ASGE, and ESGE criteria, respectively. The common bile duct stone (CBDS) visualized on imaging has the highest risk for CDL [odds ratio (OR), 13.59 (95% CI, 5.26-35.12)], followed by CBDS plus dilated common bile duct [OR, 13.33 (95% CI, 5.16-34.47)], CBDS plus cholangitis [OR, 13.33 (95% CI, 3.17-56.15)], and CBDS plus total bilirubin level > 1.7 mg/dL [OR, 9.89 (95% CI, 3.47-28.20)].

CONCLUSIONS

The current SAGES, ASGE, and ESGE criteria have acceptable diagnostic accuracy for CDL. The patients with visualized CBDS on imaging have the highest risk for CDL.

Disección aérea masiva tras CPRE: reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura

Introducción. Por ser un procedimiento de mínima invasión, la colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica (CPRE) es el procedimiento más utilizado para el manejo de la patología litiásica biliar. Sin embargo, puede presentar complicaciones que comprometen la vida del paciente. Caso clínico. Paciente masculino de 63 años es llevado a CPRE por una coledocolitiasis recidivante gigante. Durante el procedimiento presentó una disección aérea masiva con neumotórax bilateral a tensión, secundarios a una perforación duodenal, que derivó en una fístula bilio-retroperitoneal. Se trató de forma conservadora con una adecuada evolución. Discusión. Se han descrito pocos casos de neumotórax como complicación de la CPRE. Se considera que este es el primer caso publicado de neumotórax a tensión manejado exitosamente de forma conservadora. Conclusión. El diagnóstico temprano de las disecciones aéreas es el único predictor independiente que podría cambiar el curso clínico de esta patología y su manejo dependerá de la experticia del cirujano y del estado clínico del paciente.

Role of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in the Diagnosis and Management of Cholestatic Liver Diseases

Cholestatic liver diseases (CLDs) occur as a result of bile duct injury, emanating into duct obstruction and bile stasis. Advances in radiological imaging in the last decade has replaced endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as the first diagnostic tool, except in certain groups of patients, such as those with ischemic cholangiopathy (IsC) or early stages of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). ERCP provides an opportunity for targeted tissue acquisition for histopathological evaluation and carries a diverse therapeutic profile to restore bile flow. The aim of this review article is to appraise the diagnostic and therapeutic roles of ERCP in CLDs.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of optimal diagnostic strategy for patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis with intermediate probability for choledocholithiasis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

EUS, MRCP, and intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC) are the recommended diagnostic modalities for patients with intermediate probability for choledocholithiasis (IPC). The relative cost-effectiveness of these modalities in patients with cholelithiasis and IPC is understudied.

METHODS

We developed a decision tree for diagnosing IPC (base-case probability, 50%; range, 10%-70%); patients with a positive test were modeled to undergo therapeutic ERCP. The strategies tested were laparoscopic cholecystectomy with IOC (LC-IOC), MRCP, single-session EUS + ERCP, and separate-session EUS + ERCP. Costs and probabilities were extracted from the published literature. Effectiveness was assessed by assigning utility scores to health states, average proportion of true-positive diagnosis of IPC, and the mean length of stay (LOS) per strategy. Cost-effectiveness was assessed by extrapolating a net-monetary benefit (NMB) and average cost per true-positive diagnosis.

RESULTS

LC-IOC was the most cost-effective strategy to diagnose IPC (base-case probability of 50%) among patients with cholelithiasis in health state-based effectiveness analysis (NMB of $34,612), diagnostic test accuracy-based effectiveness analysis (average cost of $13,260 per true-positive diagnosis), and LOS-based effectiveness analysis (mean LOS of 4.13) compared with strategies 2 (MRCP), 3 (single-session EUS + ERCP), and 4 (separate-session EUS + ERCP). These findings were robust on deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with cholelithiasis with IPC, LC-IOC is a cost-effective approach that should limit preoperative testing and may shorten hospital LOS. Our findings may be used to design institutional and organizational management protocols.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography compared with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in the detection of choledocholithiasis

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (US) with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis in context of laboratory blood test values.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients who underwent both MRCP and US as part of their choledocholithiasis workup. MRCP findings, reviewed by two board-certified radiologists, laboratory findings, and US reports were collected.

RESULTS

Our study included 243 patients. On US examination 74 cases were found dilated (30.5%), while 94 cases showed dilation (38.7%) by MRCP. The overall accuracy of US was 76.1%, where 185 patients had similar MRCP and US findings, 7.8% had false positive ultrasound, and 16% had false negative ultrasound finding. The accuracy of ultrasound was significantly higher in males (p = .013). In addition, a significant difference in duct dilatation as found by ultrasound and accuracy of diagnosis (p = .01).

CONCLUSION

Although US has a relatively low accuracy, its properties of being cost-effective and non-invasive make it an ideal first step in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis. If a patient has elevated liver enzymes or a high risk of choledocholithiasis, we recommend that MRCP be performed even no dilation was seen on US.

National adherence to the ASGE-SAGES guidelines for managing suspected choledocholithiasis: An EAST multicenter study

BACKGROUND

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons provide guidelines for managing suspected common bile duct (CBD) stones. We sought to evaluate adherence to the guidelines among patients with choledocholithiasis and/or acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) and to evaluate the ability of these guidelines to predict choledocholithiasis.

METHODS

We prospectively identified patients undergoing same-admission cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis and/or ABP from 2016 to 2019 at 12 United States medical centers. Predictors of suspected CBD stones were very strong (CBD stone on ultrasound; bilirubin >4 mg/dL), strong (CBD > 6 mm; bilirubin ≥1.8 to ≤4 mg/dL), or moderate (abnormal liver function tests other than bilirubin; age >55 years; ABP). Patients were grouped by probability of CBD stones: high (any very strong or both strong predictors), low (no predictors), or intermediate (any other predictor combination). The management of each probability group was compared with the recommended management in the guidelines.

RESULTS

The cohort was comprised of 844 patients. High-probability patients had 64.3% (n = 238/370) deviation from guidelines, intermediate-probability patients had 29% (n = 132/455) deviation, and low-probability patients had 78.9% (n = 15/19) deviation. Acute biliary pancreatitis increased the odds of deviation for the high- (odds ratio [OR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-2.8; p = 0.03) and intermediate-probability groups (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.07-2.42; p = 0.02). Age older than 55 years (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.4-3.43; p < 0.001) also increased the odds of deviation for the intermediate group. A CBD greater than 6 mm predicted choledocholithiasis in the high (adjusted OR (aOR), 2.16; 95% CI, 1.17-3.97; p = 0.01) and intermediate group (aOR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.59-4.86; p < 0.001). Any very strong predictor (aOR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.76-3.37; p < 0.0001) and both strong predictors predicted choledocholithiasis (aOR, 2; 95% CI, 1.35-2.96; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Almost 45% of patients with suspected CBD stones were managed discordantly from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons guidelines. We believe these guidelines warrant revision to better reflect the ability of the clinical variables at predicting choledocholithiasis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

Increased post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis for choledocholithiasis without acute cholangitis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Choledocholithiasis is the most common indication for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Identifying risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) is important for reducing the risk of developing PEP after common bile duct (CBD) stone removal. However, studies examining the risk factors for PEP for CBD stones are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine whether the presence or absence of acute cholangitis is a clinical risk factor for PEP in patients with CBD stones.

METHODS

In this multicenter retrospective study, 1539 patients with naïve papillae were divided into patients without and with acute cholangitis. We compared the incidence of PEP between the two groups using one-to-one propensity score matching to adjust for the potential confounding factors of PEP.

RESULTS

In the entire cohort, the rates of PEP in patients without and with acute cholangitis were 9.6% (52/542) and 1.8% (18/997), respectively (P < 0.001, odds ratio = 5.8). In the propensity-matched cohort, the rates of PEP in patients without and with acute cholangitis were 8.3% (27/326) and 2.5% (8/326), respectively (P = 0.002, odds ratio = 3.6). The rate of PEP was significantly higher in patients without acute cholangitis than in those with acute cholangitis after adjusting for the confounding factors of PEP.

CONCLUSIONS

The absence of acute cholangitis may be an important clinical risk factor for PEP due to CBD stone removal. In patients without acute cholangitis, endoscopists should explain the specific risk of PEP carefully and actively implement prophylaxis against PEP.

Predictors of recurrent bile duct stone after clearance by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: A case-control study

BACKGROUND

Recurrent common bile duct (CBD) stone is a long-term sequalae among patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with CBD stone extraction. Data regarding risk factors for recurrent CBD stone are scarce. We aimed to identify predictors of recurrent CBD stone.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective case-controlled study from January 2010 to December 2019. Inclusion criteria included patients who had recurrent CBD stone at least 6 months after the index ERCP, in which complete stone extraction was performed and normal cholangiogram was obtained. Overall, 457 patients were included. Forty-two patients (9.2%) had recurrent CBD stone, and 415 patients (90.8%) did not have recurrent CBD stone.

RESULTS

In univariate analysis, male sex [odds ratio (OR) = 0.49, P = 0.033] was a protective factor, while endoscopic stone extraction by basket vs. balloon (OR = 2.55, P = 0.005), older age (OR = 1.03, P = 0.003), number of CBD stones (OR = 1.99, P = 0.037), size of CBD stone (OR = 4.06, P = 0.003) and mechanical lithotripsy (OR = 9.22, P = 0.004) were risk factors for recurrent CBD stone. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, mechanical lithotripsy [OR = 9.73, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.69-55.89, P = 0.010], basket clearance vs. combined basket and balloon (OR = 18.25, 95% CI: 1.05-318.35, P = 0.046) and older age (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.05, P = 0.023) were risk factors, and male sex (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.19-0.81, P = 0.012) was a protective factor.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for recurrent CBD stone. Taking into consideration those factors might aid in minimizing the CBD stone recurrence risk.

Difficult Biliary Stones: A Comprehensive Review of New and Old Lithotripsy Techniques

Biliary stones represent the most common indication for therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Many cases are successfully managed with biliary sphincterotomy and stone extraction with balloon or basket catheters. However, more complex conditions secondary to the specific features of stones, the biliary tract, or patient’s needs could make the stone extraction with the standard techniques difficult. Traditionally, mechanical lithotripsy with baskets has been reported as a safe and effective technique to achieve stone clearance. More recently, the increasing use of endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation and the diffusion of single-operator cholangioscopy with laser or electrohydraulic lithotripsy have brought new, safe, and effective therapeutic possibilities to the management of such challenging cases. We here summarize the available evidence about the endoscopic management of difficult common bile duct stones and discuss current indications of different lithotripsy techniques.

Is the use of fully covered metal stents effective in the treatment of difficult lithiasis of the common bile duct?

BACKGROUND

The management of difficult lithiasis of common bile duct (CBD) often requires a multimodal approach. Fully Covered Metal Stents (FCSEMS) could fragment the stones, dilate strictures of the CBD and progressively enlarge the papillary orifice. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of FCSEMS in the treatment of difficult lithiasis of CBD.

METHODS

All consecutive cases of difficult lithiasis of CBD after an attempt of clearance with complete sphincterotomy were retrospectively considered from 2009 to 2019. Intrahepatic lithiasis cases were excluded. Multivariable analysis (stepwise logistic regression if p value < 0.1 at univariable analysis) was made to understand factors associated with efficacy of FCSEMS in difficult lithiasis of CBD.

RESULTS

163 cases of difficult lithiasis over 1516 cases of lithiasis of CBD (incidence of 11%) were considered. Among eligible patients, 96 (mean age 78 ± 11.9 years, 43% males) placed a FCSEMS during the first ERCP. Mean diameter of stone was 17.5 ± 5.5 mm. An attempt of dilation during the same procedure was made in 18% cases. After removal of the stent, 52 (54%) patients had complete clearance of CBD at cholangiography. The rest of patients (44), subsequently underwent multimodal treatment (final success of 95%). After logistic regression, variables positively associated with clearance of CBD were sex male (OR 3.5) and stent permanence ≥ 30 days (OR 3.2). Diameter of the stone ≥ 2 cm was associated with failure (OR 0.2). 7 post-ERCP pancreatitis, 6 post-sphincterotomy bleeding and 3 cholangitis occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

FCSEMS are useful in the approach of difficult lithiasis of CBD with no significant adverse events associated.

Disease-Based Risk Stratification of Postendoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis for Common Bile Duct Stones

BACKGROUND

Risk stratification of postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) for common bile duct (CBD) stones is needed for clinicians to adequately explain to patients regarding the risk of PEP in advance of ERCP and to proactively take preventive measures in high-risk patients.

AIMS

To stratify the risk of PEP for CBD stones based on CBD-related diseases.

METHODS

A total of 1551 patients with naïve papilla who underwent ERCP for CBD stones were divided into three groups: Group A: asymptomatic CBD stones, Group B: obstructive jaundice and elevated liver test values without cholangitis, and Group C: mild, moderate, and severe cholangitis. We stratified the risk of PEP by comparing its incidence among the three groups using the Holm's method. Furthermore, we performed one-to-one propensity score matching between Group A and the other groups to examine the risk of PEP in Group A.

RESULTS

The incidence rates in Groups A, B, and C were 13.7%, 7.3%, and 1.8%, respectively. The Holm-adjusted p values between Groups A and B, Groups A and C, and Groups B and C were 0.023, < 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively. Propensity score matching revealed that the incidence of PEP was significantly more in Group A than in the other groups (13.3% vs. 1.5%; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of PEP for CBD stones was stratified into low risk (Group C), intermediate risk (Group B), and high risk (Group A). This simple disease-based risk stratification may be useful to predict the risk of PEP in advance of ERCP.

Controversies in ERCP: Technical aspects

The aim of the series of papers on controversies of biliopancreatic drainage procedures is to discuss pros and cons of the varying clinical practices and techniques in ERCP and EUS for drainage of biliary and pancreatic ducts. While the first part focuses on indications, clinical and imaging prerequisites prior to ERCP, sedation options, post-ERCP pancreatitis prophylaxis, and other related technical topics, the second part discusses specific procedural ERCP techniques including precut techniques and their timing as well as management algorithms. In addition, reviews on controversies in EUS-guided bile duct and pancreatic drainage procedures are under preparation.

The effect and importance of extrahepatic bile duct anatomy variations in the etiology of choledocholithiasis

Background: Biliary stone disease is a frequently encountered problem among the population with a variety of causes and resulting in a wide range of symptoms from vague abdominal discomfort to life-threatening conditions requiring urgent surgical intervention. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) has become a noninvasive radiological diagnostic method extensively used in the evaluation of the biliary tract providing excellent anatomical detail. Apart from the classical causes widely described in the literature in stone etiology, the effect of anatomical variations of the bile tract is a subject that has been investigated recently. The present study aimed to manifest the effect of anatomical variations of the extrahepatic biliary tract on the etiology of choledocholithiasis. Methods: The data of 182 patients who underwent MRCP in our hospital between 2016 and 2021 were retrospectively scanned. The patients were divided into two groups, asymptomatic patients and acute cholangitis. Cystic duct, common hepatic duct, choledochal lengths, and variations in cystic duct opening were analyzed by an experienced radiologist in MRCP. Results: The relation was detected between the cystic choledochal variance of the patients (p<0.001). The cystic duct length of the patients showed statistically significant differences (p<0.05). Conclusion: When the extrahepatic bile duct variations were evaluated, some notable values were found for the etiology, as well as being critical in acute cholangitis. There is a need for studies with larger sample sizes in the literature on this subject.

Predicting common bile duct stones: Comparison of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria for accuracy

OBJECTIVE

To determine accuracy of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria for predicting presence of common bile duct (CBD) stones.

METHODS

In a prospective study at Jinnah Hospital Lahore from March 2021 to February 2022, patients with suspected CBD stone were stratified in High risk (HR), intermediate risk (IR) and low risk (LR) for SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria. All patients underwent ERCP and risk strata were analyzed using SPSS 22® for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy.

RESULTS

In 90 patients with mean age 45.18(±14.87) and male/female ratio 0.64(35/55), area Under Curve (AUC) for predicting CBD stones was 0.75, 0.81and 0.83 for HR and 0.28, 0.52 and 0.52 for IR group while it was 0.53, 0.81 and 0.53 for absence of stone in LR group of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE criteria respectively. HR groups had accuracy of 81.1%, 86.7% and 87.8% in predicting CBD stone while LR criteria had 68.8%, 86.7% and 68.1% accuracy in predicting absence of CBD stone for SAGES, ASGE and ESGE respectively.

CONCLUSION

HR strata of SAGES, ASGE and ESGE scores have excellent accuracy in predicting CBD stones whereas IR and LR criteria are suboptimal for excluding CBD stones.

Management of biliary stones in bariatric surgery

Morbidly obese and post-bariatric surgery patients are at increased risk for biliary stones formation. The complications related to biliary stones may impose complexity on their management. This study aimed to review the management of biliary conditions in obese and bariatric patients. In this study, a narrative review was performed of the medical, surgical, and endoscopic procedures for the management of biliary stones and their related complications. Knowing the main prophylactic and therapeutic interventions options is essential for clinicians to properly manage the biliary stones in patients candidates or submitted to bariatric surgery.

Ultimate outcomes of three modalities for non-surgical gallbladder drainage in acute cholecystitis with or without concomitant common bile duct stones

Backgrounds/Aims

In moderate and high-surgical risk patients with acute cholecystitis, studies comparing percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) vs. endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting (ETGS) vs. endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural gallbladder stenting (EUGS) are limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare efficacy and recurrence of cholecystitis after PC, ETGS, or EUGS during follow-up.

Methods

We reviewed 143 moderate and high-surgical risk patients with acute cholecystitis with or without concomitant common bile duct stones who underwent PC, ETGS, or EUGS at our hospital. Technical success rate (TSR), clinical success rate (CSR), and recurrence were compared.

Results

TSR in PC or EUGS group was higher than that in the ETGS group for those with concomitant common bile duct stones (100% vs. 100% vs. 73.2%; p = 0.07) and for those without concomitant common bile duct stones (100% vs. 100% vs. 77.3%; p < 0.001). CSR in ETGS or EUGS group was higher than that in the PC group for those with concomitant common bile duct stones (96.2% vs. 100% vs. 87.5%; p = 0.41) and for those without concomitant common bile duct stones (94.1% vs. 100% vs. 63.0%; p = 0.006). Using Kaplan–Meier analysis, the overall recurrent risk was the highest in the PC group (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

In moderate and high-surgical risk patients with acute cholecystitis, EUGS provides significantly higher CSR with comparable TSR to PC. Thus, ETGS should be the first choice in those with concomitant common bile duct stones. Among the three patient groups, those who received PC had the highest rate of recurrence.

Machine learning models compared to existing criteria for noninvasive prediction of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-confirmed choledocholithiasis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Noninvasive predictors of choledocholithiasis have generally exhibited marginal performance characteristics. We aimed to identify noninvasive independent predictors of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-confirmed choledocholithiasis and accordingly developed predictive machine learning models (MLMs).

METHODS

Clinical data of consecutive patients undergoing first-ever ERCP for suspected choledocholithiasis from 2015-2019 were abstracted from a prospectively-maintained database. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify predictors of ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis. MLMs were then trained to predict ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis using pre-ERCP ultrasound (US) imaging only and separately using all available noninvasive imaging (US/CT/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography). The diagnostic performance of American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) "high-likelihood" criteria was compared to MLMs.

RESULTS

We identified 270 patients (mean age 46 years, 62.2% female, 73.7% Hispanic/Latino, 59% with noninvasive imaging positive for choledocholithiasis) with native papilla who underwent ERCP for suspected choledocholithiasis, of whom 230 (85.2%) were found to have ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis. Logistic regression identified choledocholithiasis on noninvasive imaging (odds ratio (OR) = 3.045, P = 0.004) and common bile duct (CBD) diameter on noninvasive imaging (OR=1.157, P = 0.011) as predictors of ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis. Among the various MLMs trained, the random forest-based MLM performed best; sensitivity was 61.4% and 77.3% and specificity was 100% and 75.0%, using US-only and using all available imaging, respectively. ASGE high-likelihood criteria demonstrated sensitivity of 90.9% and specificity of 25.0%; using cut-points achieving this specificity, MLMs achieved sensitivity up to 97.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

MLMs using age, sex, race, presence of diabetes, fever, body mass index (BMI), total bilirubin, maximum CBD diameter, and choledocholithiasis on pre-ERCP noninvasive imaging predict ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis with good sensitivity and specificity and outperform the ASGE criteria for patients with suspected choledocholithiasis.

Role of EUS at high risk for choledocholithiasis without severe cholangitis and visible stone on cross-sectional imaging: A multicenter randomized clinical trial

Background and Objectives:

The prevalence of choledocholithiasis in the high-risk group of choledocholithiasis has been reported to be slightly more than 50% when there is no definite cholangitis. Replacement of diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) with an EUS-first approach may be beneficial in these patients.

Materials and Methods:

In this prospective, multicenter study, patients with dilated common bile duct and serum total bilirubin levels of 1.8–4 mg/dL were randomly allocated to undergo either EUS first, followed by subsequent ERC if necessary (EUS group) or ERC only (ERC group). The primary endpoint was the incidence of negative outcomes associated with a false-negative diagnosis of the choledocholithiasis or the endoscopic procedure. The secondary endpoints were the rate of diagnostic ERC and hospital stay length related to the endoscopic procedure.

Results:

Of 90 patients who were randomly assigned, the final analysis involved 42 in the EUS group and 44 in the ERC group. The negative outcomes were not significantly different between the EUS and ERC groups (2.4% vs. 6.8%; P = 0.62). The rate of diagnostic ERC was significantly lower in the EUS group (2.4% vs. 47.7%; P < 0.001). The hospital stay length related to the endoscopic procedure was significantly shorter in the EUS group (1.8 ± 1.0 vs. 2.5 ± 1.2 days; P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

In selected high-risk choledocholithiasis patients, an EUS-first strategy significantly decreased the rate of diagnostic ERC and hospital stay but did not achieve a significant reduction in negative endoscopic procedure outcomes.

Creation of a Pediatric Choledocholithiasis Prediction Model

BACKGROUND

Definitive non-invasive detection of pediatric choledocholithiasis could allow more efficient identification of those patients who are most likely to benefit from therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for stone extraction.

OBJECTIVE

To craft a pediatric choledocholithiasis prediction model using a combination of commonly available serum laboratory values and ultrasound results.

METHODS

A retrospective review of laboratory and imaging results from 316 pediatric patients who underwent intraoperative cholangiogram or ERCP due to suspicion of choledocholithiasis were collected and compared to presence of common bile duct stones on cholangiography. Multivariate logistic regression with supervised machine learning was used to create a predictive scoring model. Monte-Carlo cross-validation was used to validate the scoring model and a score threshold that would provide at least 90% specificity for choledocholithiasis was determined in an effort to minimize non-therapeutic ERCP.

RESULTS

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and common bile duct diameter via ultrasound were found to be the key clinical variables to determine the likelihood of choledocholithiasis. The dictated specificity threshold of 90.3% yielded a sensitivity of 40.8% and overall accuracy of 71.5% in detecting choledocholithiasis. Positive predictive value was 71.4% and negative predictive value was 72.1%.

CONCLUSION

Our novel pediatric choledocholithiasis predictive model is a highly specific tool to suggest ERCP in the setting of likely choledocholithiasis.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound in children

Gastrointestinal endoscopy is fundamental to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in pediatric gastroenterology. In the decades since endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease were introduced into clinical practice, there has been increasing interest in these procedures, and practice guidelines and position papers that clearly define the role of ERCP and EUS in children have been published. Based on the distinction of endoscopy between children and adults, this review focuses on the current state of ERCP and EUS procedures in children, including the types of endoscopes used in children, general anesthesia and radiation exposure, biliary and pancreatic indications, considerations of education and training for ERCP and EUS procedures in children, and expectations for development of endoscopes for children.

Factors related to the spontaneous passage of common bile duct stones through the papilla: a single-center retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Common bile duct (CBD) stones can spontaneously pass through the papilla. This study explored factors associated with stone passage by comparing differences in the clinical features of stones retained in the CBD and excreted stones.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively collected for all patients who were hospitalized in our center between March 2016 and May 2021 with clinical, laboratory, or imaging evidence of CBD stones. All patients underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and were classified into two groups: group A (stones extracted by ERCP, n = 86) and group B (stones discharged before ERCP, n = 15). Demographic data, biochemical and radiological findings were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Stone size (0.82 vs. 0.33 cm), and levels of total bilirubin (58.2 vs. 28.8 μmol/L), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (416.7 vs. 193.9 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (191.9 vs. 123.1 U/L), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (603.7 vs. 37.2 U/mL), and α-L-fucosidase (37.4 vs. 22.6 U/L) were significantly higher in group A than in group B. Logistic regression analyses showed that stone size was the only factor significantly associated with spontaneous passage of CBD stones.

CONCLUSIONS

CBD stones less than 0.33 cm in size may be self-expelled through the papilla.