Outcomes after clearance of pancreatic stones with or without pancreatic stenting

Groove pancreatitis: From enigma to future directions-A comprehensive review

Groove pancreatitis (GP) is a rare and clinically distinct form of chronic pancreatitis affecting the pancreaticoduodenal groove comprising the head of the pancreas, duodenum, and the common bile duct. It is more prevalent in individuals in their 4-5th decade of life and disproportionately affects men compared with women. Excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, pancreatic ductal stones, pancreatic divisum, annular pancreas, ectopic pancreas, duodenal wall thickening, and peptic ulcers are significant risk factors implicated in the development of GP. The usual presenting symptoms include severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and jaundice. Establishing a diagnosis of GP is often challenging due to significant clinical and radiological overlap with numerous benign and malignant conditions affecting the same anatomical location. This can lead to a delay in initiation of treatment leading to increasing morbidity, mortality, and complication rates. Promising research in artificial intelligence (AI) has garnered immense interest in recent years. Due to its widespread application in diagnostic imaging with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity, AI has the potential of becoming a vital tool in differentiating GP from pancreatic malignancies, thereby preventing a missed or delayed diagnosis. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of GP, covering the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, radiological and endoscopic evaluation, management strategies, and future directions. This article also aims to increase awareness about this lesser known and often-misdiagnosed clinical entity amongst clinicians to ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Position statement on the definition, incidence, diagnosis and outcome of acute on chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Acute on chronic pancreatitis (ACP) is a relatively common condition, but there are significant gaps in our knowledge on the definition, incidence, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

METHODS

A systematic review that followed PICO (Population; Intervention; Comparator; Outcome) recommendation for quantitative questions and PICo (Population, Phenomenon of Interest, Context) for qualitative research was done to answer 10 of the most relevant questions about ACP. Quality of evidence was judged by the GRADE criteria (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation). The manuscript was sent for review to 12 international experts from various disciplines and continents using a Delphi process.

RESULTS

The quality of evidence, for most statements, was low to very low, which means that the recommendations in general are only conditional. Despite that, it was possible to reach strong levels of agreement by the expert panel for all 10 questions. A new consensus definition of ACP was reached. Although common, the real incidence of ACP is not known, with alcohol as a major risk factor. Although pain dominates, other non-specific symptoms and signs can be present. Serum levels of pancreatic enzymes may be less than 3 times the upper limit of normal and cross-sectional imaging is considered more accurate for the diagnosis in many cases. It appears that it is less severe and with a lower mortality risk than acute pancreatitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the evidence base is poor, this position statement provides a foundation from which to advance management of ACP.

Pancreatoscopy-guided electrohydraulic lithotripsy for the treatment of obstructive pancreatic duct stones: a prospective consecutive case series

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Pancreatoscopy-guided electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) has shown potential in the treatment of patients with obstructive chronic calcifying pancreatitis (CCP). We aimed to prospectively investigate the efficacy and safety of EHL as first-line therapy in patients with CCP of the pancreatic duct (PD).

METHODS

A prospective single-center consecutive case series was performed including symptomatic CCP patients with obstructing stones >5 mm in the head or neck of the pancreas. Stone fragmentation was performed using EHL. Primary study outcome was technical success. Secondary outcomes were clinical success, adverse events, and number of interventions.

RESULTS

Thirty-four consecutive patients were included. Complete or partial stone clearance after EHL was achieved in 24 patients (70.6%). Pancreatoscopy was not performed because of failure to cannulate the PD (n = 5) or resolution of stones after stent placement at the index endoscopic retrograde pancreaticography (ERP) procedure (n = 3). After successful PD cannulation, pancreatoscopy was technically successful in 24 of 26 patients (92.3%). In 1 patient, the stone could not be visualized because of a resilient stricture. Complete stone clearance was achieved in 20 patients (80%) and partial clearance in 5 patients (20%), after a median of 2 ERP procedures (interquartile range, 2) and 1 EHL procedure (interquartile range, 1). In patients who underwent pancreatoscopy with EHL, mean Izbicki pain score at baseline was 62.3 ± 23.1 (25/25) and dropped significantly to 27.5 ± 35.0 (22/25) at the 6-month follow-up (P < .001). The most common adverse event was acute pancreatitis, all mild and treated conservatively (n = 7).

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatoscopy-guided EHL is a promising treatment for symptomatic CCP patients with obstructive PD stones. (Clinical trial registration number: NTR6853.).

Long-term outcome of endotherapy for pancreatic stones by using a dedicated pancreatic basket catheter

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Although endotherapy for pancreatic stones is less invasive compared with surgical interventions, its recurrence rate is high and residual pancreatic stones can be a cause of recurrence. We previously reported usefulness of a novel basket catheter with nitinol fine reticular structure for pancreatic stone retraction. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of endotherapy for pancreatic stones with and without the use of this dedicated basket catheter.

METHODS

We retrospectively compared patients with symptomatic pancreatic stones who underwent the initial endotherapy between 2008 and 2019. The primary outcome was the symptomatic recurrence after complete stone clearance. Secondary outcomes were the rate of complete stone clearance, complications, risk factors for recurrences, and the treatment cost.

RESULTS

A total of 101 patients who underwent endotherapy for pancreatic stones were analyzed: 41 patients by using the dedicated basket catheter and 60 patients by only the conventional devices. The complete stone clearance was achieved in 87.8% in the dedicated basket group and 88.3% in the conventional device group. Symptomatic recurrence was observed in 16.7% of the dedicated basket group and 47.2% of the conventional device group (P < 0.01). In the multivariate analysis, the use of the dedicated basket catheter was significantly associated with the reduced risk of symptomatic recurrence (hazard ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.92, P = 0.031). The complication rate and the cost were comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The use of this dedicated pancreatic basket catheter significantly reduced symptomatic recurrence after complete pancreatic stone removal.

Impact of physiologically shaped pancreatic stent for chronic pancreatitis

Endoscopic pancreatic stenting is used to prevent main pancreatic duct obstruction and relieve painful symptoms of chronic pancreatitis. However, the stent typically needs to be exchanged and the rate of adverse events is high. Few studies have evaluated the effect of stent shape on those outcomes. We evaluated the adverse events, stent patency, and total medical cost within 90 days of patients who received an 8.5 French (Fr) physiologically shaped pancreatic stent by comparing these features with those associated with a conventional straight-type stent for ≥ 90 days. The total stent-related adverse event rate was significantly lower for the physiologically shaped pancreatic stent (physiologically shaped, 6.7% [2/30]; straight-type, 50.6% [44/87]; P < 0.001). Stent occlusion was significantly less frequent (P < 0.001) and the total medical costs were significantly lower (P = 0.002) for the physiologically shaped stent. The stent-related adverse event rate was significantly higher for the 10 Fr straight type stent than for the 8.5 Fr physiologically shaped stent (10 Fr, straight-type vs. 8.5 Fr, physiologically shaped: 36.1% [13/36] vs. 6.7% [2/30]; P = 0.007). In conclusion, a physiologically shaped pancreatic stent was superior to a straight-type stent in terms of the patency rate and medical costs.

Endoscopic management of pancreatic diseases in patients with surgically altered anatomy: clinical outcomes of combination of double-balloon endoscopy- and endoscopic ultrasound-guided interventions

OBJECTIVES

In patients with surgically altered anatomy, endoscopic treatment of pancreatic diseases is technically challenging. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of an interchangeable combination of double-balloon endoscope-assisted ERP (DB-ERP) and endoscopic ultrasonography-guided pancreatic duct drainage (EUS-PD) in this clinical setting.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with surgically altered anatomy undergoing endoscopic treatment (DB-ERP, EUS-PD, or both) for pancreatic diseases were studied. The primary outcome was technical success; secondary outcomes were clinical success and adverse events.

RESULTS

Forty patients who underwent DB-ERP (38) and EUS-PD (2) as an initial intervention were retrospectively studied. Indications for intervention included 18 pancreaticojejunostomy anastomotic stricture (PJAS), four pancreatic duct stone (PDS), four pancreatic fistula (PF), 11 PJAS with PDS, and three PJAS with PF. Prior surgical reconstruction was 26 Billroth-II, 13 Roux-en-Y, and one Imanaga reconstruction. Along with salvage procedures including three DB-ERP and seven EUS-PD, the overall technical success rates of DB-ERP and EUS-PD were 70.7% (29/41) and 100% (9/9), respectively. Clinical success was achieved in 85.0% (34/40) by combination of DB-ERP and EUS-PD; successful drainage for PJAS, complete removal of PDS, and resolution of PF were achieved in 90.6%, 80.0%, and 71.4%, respectively. Adverse event rates were 12.2% (5/41; one perforation, and four pancreatitis) in DB-ERP and 55.6% (5/9; three pancreatic leakage, and two abdominal pain) in EUS-PD.

CONCLUSIONS

A combination of DB-ERP and EUS-PD can achieve high technical and clinical success for pancreatic diseases in surgically altered anatomy patients. A prospective multicenter study to investigate an appropriate treatment algorithm is warranted.

International consensus guidelines on interventional endoscopy in chronic pancreatitis. Recommendations from the working group for the international consensus guidelines for chronic pancreatitis in collaboration with the International Association of Pancreatology, the American Pancreatic Association, the Japan Pancreas Society, and European Pancreatic Club

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

This paper is part of the international consensus guidelines on chronic pancreatitis, presenting for interventional endoscopy.

METHODS

An international working group with experts on interventional endoscopy evaluated 26 statements generated from evidence on 9 clinically relevant questions. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to evaluate the level of evidence. To determine the level of agreement, a nine-point Likert scale was used for voting on the statements.

RESULTS

Strong consensus was obtained for 15 statements relating to nine questions including the recommendation that endoscopic intervention should be offered to patients with persistent severe pain but not to those without pain. Endoscopic decompression of the pancreatic duct could be used for immediate pain relief, and then offered surgery if this fails or needs repeated endoscopy. Endoscopic drainage is preferred for portal-splenic vein thrombosis and pancreatic fistula. A plastic stent should be placed and replaced 2-3 months later after insertion. Endoscopic extraction is indicated for stone fragments remaining after ESWL. Interventional treatment should be performed for symptomatic/complicated pancreatic pseudocysts. Endoscopic treatment is recommended for bile duct obstruction and afterwards surgery if this fails or needs repeated endoscopy. Surgery may be offered if there is significant calcification and/or mass of the pancreatic head. Percutaneous endovascular treatment is preferred for hemosuccus pancreaticus. Surgical treatment is recommended for duodenal stenosis due to chronic pancreatitis.

CONCLUSIONS

This international expert consensus guideline provides evidenced-based statements concerning indications and key aspects for interventional endoscopy in the management of patients with chronic pancreatitis.

A randomized-controlled trial of early endotherapy versus wait-and-see policy for mild symptomatic pancreatic stones in chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Although surgical or endoscopic treatment is effective for pain control in symptomatic calcified chronic pancreatitis, it is still unknown whether early intervention in mild symptomatic pancreatic stones would reduce the frequency of acute exacerbation and improve long-term outcomes. The aim of this randomized-controlled trial was to explore the efficacy of early endotherapy for mild symptomatic pancreatic stones in comparison with the wait-and-see policy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with mild symptoms because of pancreatic stones were assigned randomly to the endotherapy or the wait-and-see group. The wait-and-see group received endotherapy only when they developed refractory exacerbation or intractable pain. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of intolerable pain attacks and acute exacerbation. The secondary outcomes were the development of pancreatic insufficiency and the progression of pancreatic atrophy.

RESULTS

A total of 20 patients were enrolled between March 2008 and March 2011. The study was terminated prematurely because of the poor patient enrollment. Early endotherapy tended to reduce the cumulative incidence of pain attacks and exacerbation, (P=0.17) with the composite incidence of pain attacks and exacerbation of 30% in the endotherapy group and 60% in the wait-and-see group. There were no significant differences in terms of diabetic status and the presence of steatorrhea. The thickness of the pancreas decreased significantly in the wait-and-see group (9.2-6.8 mm, P=0.041), but not in the endotherapy group (8.7-9.0 mm, P=0.60).

CONCLUSION

In a small group of patients, early endotherapy in mild symptomatic chronic pancreatitis was associated with a trend toward a minor number of acute attacks and atrophy progression of the pancreas.

10 Fr S-Type Plastic Pancreatic Stents in Chronic Pancreatitis Are Effective for the Treatment of Pancreatic Duct Strictures and Pancreatic Stones

AIM

Endoscopic pancreatic stenting for refractory pancreatic duct strictures associated with impacted pancreatic stones in chronic pancreatitis cases has yielded conflicting results. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of endoscopic treatment in chronic pancreatitis patients with pancreatic duct strictures.

METHODS

Pancreatic sphincterotomy, dilatation procedures, pancreatic brush cytology, and pancreatic juice cytology were routinely performed, and malignant diseases were excluded. After gradual dilatation, a 10 Fr plastic pancreatic stent was inserted. The stents were replaced every 3 months and removed after the strictures were dilated. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the risk of main pancreatic duct restenosis.

RESULTS

Endoscopic pancreatic stents were successfully placed in 41 of a total of 59 patients (69.5%). The median duration of pancreatic stenting was 276 days. Pain relief was obtained in 37 of 41 patients (90.2%). Seventeen patients (41.5%) had recurrence of main pancreatic duct stricture, and restenting was performed in 16 patients (average placement period 260 days). During the follow-up period, pancreatic cancer developed in three patients (5.1%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of remnant stones after stenting treatment was significantly associated with a higher rate of main pancreatic duct restenosis (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

The use of 10 Fr S-type plastic pancreatic stents with routine exchange was effective for both short-term and long-term outcomes in chronic pancreatitis patients with benign pancreatic duct strictures and impacted pancreatic stones.

Groove Pancreatitis: Endoscopic Treatment via the Minor Papilla and Duct of Santorini Morphology

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Groove pancreatitis (GP) is an uncommon disease involving the pancreaticoduodenal area. Possible pathogenesis includes obstructive pancreatitis in the duct of Santorini and impaired communication with the duct of Wirsung, minor papilla stenosis, and leakage causing inflammation. Limited data regarding endoscopic treatment have been published.

METHODS

Seven patients with GP receiving endoscopic treatment were reviewed. The morphology of the pancreatic duct was evaluated by a pancreatogram. Endoscopic dilation of the minor papilla and drainage of the duct of Santorini were performed.

RESULTS

There were two pancreatic divisum cases, one ansa pancreatica case and four impaired connections between the duct of Santorini and the main pancreatic duct. Three to 31 sessions of endoscopy, with 2 to 24 sessions of transpapillary stenting and dilation, were performed. Interventions through the minor papilla were successfully performed in six of seven cases. The pancreatic stenting duration ranged from 2 to 87 months. Five patients with evidence of chronic pancreatitis (CP) tended to receive more endoscopic interventions than did the two patients without CP (2-24 vs 2, respectively) for GP and other complications associated with CP.

CONCLUSIONS

Disconnection or impairment of communication between the ducts of Santorini and Wirsung was observed in all cases of GP. No surgery was required, and endoscopic minor papilla dilation and drainage of the duct of Santorini were feasible for the treatment of GP.

Chronic Pancreatitis: A Review

This is to incorporate the recent trends in chronic pancreatitis. Extensive literature search was done from Pubmed and Ovid SP. Full text articles and abstracts related to chronic pancreatitis were reviewed and the article was prepared. Chronic pancreatitis is evolving fast on its etiology and treatment areas. The main etiological factors are pointing towards genetic, alcohol, and smoking. Autoimmune has also been added as a cause. Endoscopic ultra sound (EUS) becoming the standard diagnostic procedure. Surgery is becoming the treatment of choice for pain and mechanical complications and not the endotherapy in the long-term follow-up. The numbers of surgeries are getting narrowed down. The two etiological groups of chronic pancreatitis namely alcohol + smoking and genetic getting clearer, where the later group present at an early age. Endoscopic ultrasound and imaging with secretin is diagnostic of chronic pancreatitis before the structural changes. Endotherapy is found to be inferior to surgery in long-term pain relief. Diagnostic criteria for autoimmune pancreatitis are established. Pancreaticogenic diabetes (Type3c) and its problem associated with fat malabsorption are being understood.

Argon Plasma Coagulation for Extraction of an Impacted Trapezoid Basket in the Pancreatic Duct

We performed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with sphincterotomy for pancreatic stent placement on a 55-year-old woman with a dilated pancreatic duct, pancreatic duct stone, and chronic pancreatitis. During follow-up ERCP, the lithotripter traction wire fractured during electrohydraulic lithotripsy and mechanical lithotripsy. Multiple attempts using standard techniques to clear the lithotripter and stone failed. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) was used to ablate 2 of the lithotripter wires, and the lithotripter was disengaged from the stone and removed.

Endoscopic therapy in chronic pancreatitis: current perspectives

Endoscopic therapy in chronic pancreatitis (CP) aims to provide pain relief and to treat local complications, by using the decompression of the pancreatic duct and the drainage of pseudocysts and biliary strictures, respectively. This is the reason for using it as first-line therapy for painful uncomplicated CP. The clinical response has to be evaluated at 6-8 weeks, when surgery may be chosen. This article reviews the main possibilities of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) therapies. Endotherapy for pancreatic ductal stones uses ultrasound wave lithotripsy and sometimes additional stone extractions. The treatment of pancreatic duct strictures consists of a single large stenting for 1 year. If the stricture persists, simultaneous multiple stents are applied. In case of unsuccessful ERCP, the EUS-guided drainage of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) or a rendezvous technique can solve the ductal strictures. EUS-guided celiac plexus block has limited efficiency in CP. The drainage of symptomatic or complicated pancreatic pseudocysts can be performed transpapillarily or transgastrically/transduodenally, preferably by EUS guidance. When the biliary stricture is symptomatic or progressive, multiple plastic stents are indicated. In conclusion, as in many fields of symptomatic treatment, endoscopy remains the first choice, either by using ERCP or EUS-guided procedures, after consideration of a multidisciplinary team with endoscopists, surgeons, and radiologists. However, what is crucial is establishing the right timing for surgery.

Efficacy of pancreatic stenting prior to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for pancreatic stones

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is the first-line therapy for large pancreatic duct stones; however, it requires a long duration of therapy.

AIMS

To clarify the effect of pancreatic stenting prior to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy on shortening the duration of therapy and reducing complications.

METHODS

We retrospectively compared 45 patients who underwent pancreatic stenting prior to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (stenting group) and 35 patients who did not undergo stenting prior to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (non-stenting group) with regard to the cumulative number of shock waves required for stone fragmentation (stone size <3mm) and the rate of complications.

RESULTS

The stenting group was associated with a significantly lower cumulative number of shock waves in univariate analysis (log-rank, p=0.046) and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis (hazard ratio, 1.88; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-3.14; p=0.015) than the non-stenting group. The frequency of pancreatitis tends to be lower in the stenting group than the non-stenting group (2.2% [1/45] vs 11.4% [4/35]; p=0.162).

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatic stenting prior to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy reduced the cumulative number of shock waves required for pancreatic stone fragmentation, and could be useful to shorten the duration of therapy.

Endoscopic versus surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis: A systematic review

AIM: To compare the long-term clinical outcomes and complications between endoscopic and surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis.

METHODS: An electronic search of Medline, EMBASE, Science Direct, Springer link, CBM, CNKI, Wan fang and VIP databases (before December 21, 2013) was performed to retrieve the articles reporting endoscopic versus surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis. The quality of the included trials was assessed according to the inclusive and exclusive criteria, and the data were extracted and analyzed using RevMan 5.2.7 software.

RESULTS: A total of 5 articles involving 393 chronic pancreatitis patients were included in the analysis, including 4 English articles and 1 Chinese article. The meta-analysis showed that the patients undergoing surgical treatment had higher rates of pain relief and complete pain relief (P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences in the rate of partial relief, incidence of diabetes at 1, 3, and 5 years after treatment, the incidence of complications, or endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment is associated with better quality of life than endoscopic treatment. Due to the traumatic risk of surgery, endoscopic treatment is safe, and can be the first choice for treatment of chronic pancreatitis.

New developments in diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis is progressive and irreversible, leading to digestive and absorptive disorders by destruction of the exocrine pancreas and to diabetes mellitus by destruction of the endocrine pancreas. When complications such as pancreatolithiasis and pseudocyst occur, elevated pancreatic ductal pressure exacerbates pain and induces other complications, worsening the patient's general condition. Combined treatment with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy and endoscopic lithotripsy is a useful, minimally invasive, first-line treatment approach that can preserve pancreatic exocrine function. Pancreatic duct stenosis elevates intraductal pressure and favor both pancreatolithiasis and pseudocyst formation, making effective treatment vitally important. Endoscopic treatment of benign pancreatic duct stenosis stenting frequently decreases pain in chronic pancreatitis. Importantly, stenosis of the main pancreatic duct increases risk of stone recurrence after treatment of pancreatolithiasis. Recently, good results were reported in treating pancreatic duct stricture with a fully covered self-expandable metallic stent, which shows promise for preventing stone recurrence after lithotripsy in patients with pancreatic stricture. Chronic pancreatitis has many complications including pancreatic carcinoma, pancreatic atrophy, and loss of exocrine and endocrine function, as well as frequent recurrence of stones after treatment of pancreatolithiasis. As early treatment of chronic pancreatitis is essential, the new concept of early chronic pancreatitis, including characteristics findings in endoscopic ultrasonograms, is presented.

A novel basket catheter to facilitate endoscopic removal of pancreatic stones (with video)

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic removal of pancreatic stones in patients with chronic pancreatitis is still challenging. With a conventional basket catheter, introduction to the target area or catching pancreatic stones is sometimes difficult.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a novel double-lumen basket catheter composed of nitinol wires with fine reticular structures in the distal end and loose mesh in the proximal part.

DESIGN

A prospective feasibility study.

SETTING

Tertiary-care center.

PATIENTS

This study involved 10 patients with main pancreatic duct stones of 5 mm or less in the shorter diameter of the largest stone.

INTERVENTION

In the first 5 cases, a nitinol basket catheter was used as salvage after stone extraction with a conventional basket catheter and retrieval balloon (salvage group). In the following 5 cases, stones were initially removed by using a nitinol basket catheter, and the presence of residual stones was evaluated by pancreatogram along with balloon sweep (initial group).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Success rate of removal of the target stones and procedure-related adverse events.

RESULTS

A nitinol basket catheter was easily introduced to the target stone in all patients. In the salvage group, additional stones were retrieved with a nitinol basket catheter in 3 of 5 patients. In the initial group, stone extraction by a nitinol basket catheter was successful, and no residual stones were extracted by additional balloon cleaning in any patients. Basket impaction or after-ERCP pancreatitis was not observed.

LIMITATIONS

A small sample size without a control group.

CONCLUSION

This novel nitinol basket catheter is useful for the extraction of small pancreatic stones. A randomized, controlled trial is warranted to confirm its efficacy.

Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography for noninvasive assessment of chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic ultrasonography or real-time elastography has been applied for the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is another tissue strain imaging technology, and recent technological advances have enabled quantification of the stiffness of some tissues by measuring the shear wave velocity (SWV) during routine B-mode ultrasonography.

METHODS

ARFI elastography was performed in 52 healthy volunteers and 46 patients with chronic pancreatitis. SWV was measured in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas. The diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS

SWV in patients with chronic pancreatitis was significantly higher than that in healthy volunteers in each part of the pancreas, although the measurement was difficult in the tail of the pancreas. The area under the ROC curve was 0.78 in the body of the pancreas, with an optimal cut-off value of 1.40 m/s, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 75, 72, 69, and 78%, respectively. In the patients with chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic etiology and decreased body mass index (BMI) were associated with high SWV.

CONCLUSIONS

ARFI elastography of the pancreas showed high elasticity in chronic pancreatitis compared to findings in the normal pancreas. This modality is feasible to use for the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis.

Endoscopic Versus Surgical Treatment of Downstream Pancreatic Duct Stones in Chronic Pancreatitis

Pancreatic duct stone is thought not only to be the cause of abdominal pain but also to be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Several treatment options have been implemented in the treatment of pancreatic duct stones. Stone location is a critical factor in selecting treatment. We present the results of 27 endoscopic treatments and 35 surgical treatments performed in three hospitals at a single university between January 2000 and January 2005. The results were compared retrospectively in terms of success rate of stone removal, length of hospital stay, complications, pain relief, and changes of pancreatic functions. In our study, endoscopy resulted in a similar success rate of stone removal and short-term pain relief rate as the surgical approach and with a shorter length of hospital stay. However, the surgical group had a more favorable long-term clinical result, as well as a lower number of hospital readmissions at the 5-year follow-up point. Based on long-term results, surgical treatment is more effective than endoscopy.

Endoscopic pancreatic duct and biliary duct stenting in treatment of chronic pancreatitis with distal benign biliary stricture: a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

The development of endoscopic techniques such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) and stenting are relatively new alternatives to surgery for the treatment of benign lesions in the biliary duct and pancreas. The objective of this study was to assess the value of stenting in the endoscopic pancreatic duct and biliary duct in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis with distal benign biliary stricture.

METHODS

Twenty-two patients diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis with distal benign biliary stricture underwent endoscopic treatment in our center, with ERCP, EST, endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD) and endoscopic retrograde pancreatic drainage (ERPD) with stents. A numeric rating scale was used to assess pain intensity. The clinical data on endoscopic therapies and recovery of the patients were recorded and compared.

RESULTS

ERCPs were successfully performed in 21 patients and 1 (4.5%) failed because of pancreatic ductal variation. A total of 68 ERCPs were performed with 47 pancreatic duct stents and 39 biliary duct stents. The rate of complications was 13.2% (9/68). The abdominal pain score after endoscopic treatment was significantly reduced. The levels of bilirubin and alanine transaminase in all 21 patients were improved compared to those before endoscopic treatment.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic stent drainage of the pancreatic duct and biliary duct for chronic pancreatitis with distal biliary benign stricture can be selected as a safe, effective and minimally invasive therapeutic method.

What is the role of endotherapy in chronic pancreatitis?

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) can have debilitating clinical course due to chronic abdominal pain, malnutrition and related complications. Medical, endoscopic and surgical treatment of CP should aim at control of symptoms, prevention of progression of the disease and correction of complications. Endoscopic management plays a specific role in carefully selected patients as primary interventional therapy when medical measures fail or in high-risk surgical candidates. Endotherapy for CP is utilized also as a bridge to surgery or to assess potential response to pancreatic surgery. In this review we address the role of endotherapy for the relief of obstruction of the pancreatic duct (PD) and bile duct, closure of PD leaks and drainage of pseudocysts in the setting of CP. In addition, endotherapy for relief of pancreatic pain by endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block for CP is discussed.

Endoscopic treatment of chronic pancreatitis with benign biliary stricture: an analysis of 22 cases

AIM: To explore the value of endoscopy in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis with benign biliary stricture.

METHODS: The clinical data of 22 patients with chronic pancreatitis and benign biliary stricture who underwent endoscopic treatment were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS: A total of 35 endoscopic treatments were performed in 22 patients. The rates of technical success and complications were 95.5% and 22.7%, respectively. Abdominal pain completely disappeared or was partially improved in 14 patients. Hepatic function recovered in all patients.

CONCLUSION: Endoscopic treatment is a safe, effective and mini-invasive method for chronic pancreatitis with benign biliary stricture.

Endoscopic therapy for chronic pancreatitis: technical success, clinical outcomes, and complications

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) can cause failure of both the exocrine and endocrine portions of the gland. Pain is the most recalcitrant clinical complaint in CP. Generally, conservative measures are first attempted to manage pain. These include cessation of alcohol use and smoking, enzyme replacement therapy, and finally, opioid analgesia. Endoscopy can be employed to treat the pain and complications due to CP. The results of the only two prospective randomized controlled trials suggest that surgery has a more durable effect than endoscopic therapy in controlling pain. Both trials suffer from severe limitations, however, and endoscopy remains the preferred approach for many patients because of its minimally invasive nature. Endoscopic ultrasound celiac plexus block has limited value in helping to control pain. More randomized trials are needed, along with further technologic innovation to improve the current treatment modalities. When considering interventional therapy for a patient with CP, a tailored and multidisciplinary therapeutic approach should be taken.

Pancreatic duct evaluation: accuracy of portal venous phase 64 MDCT

BACKGROUND

Many patients presenting with nonspecific signs and symptoms often receive CT scans using general protocols, not optimized to evaluate for pancreatic pathology. Therefore the purpose of this study was to evaluate portal venous phase 64 multi-row detector CT (MDCT) scans for detecting pancreatic duct strictures, stones, pancreas divisum, and communication between pancreatic ducts and cystic pancreatic lesions.

METHODS

Institutional review board approval with waived informed consent was obtained for this HIPAA-compliant study. We included all patients that underwent abdominal, portal venous phase, intravenous contrast-enhanced 64 MDCT scans between 6/7/05 and 5/01/07 and MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) or endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERCP) within 2 months of the CT. This yielded 93 patients (42 males, 51 females) with a mean age of 59 years. In addition to CT, 75 patients underwent MRCP and 37 patients underwent ERCP. Two radiologists independently evaluated the CT images, including multiplanar and minimum intensity pixel projection reformations, for pancreatic duct strictures, stones, pancreas divisum, or cystic pancreatic lesions. The latter were classified as communicating or not communicating with the pancreatic ducts. Findings on ERCP or MRCP were used to calculate diagnostic performance parameters.

RESULTS

On standard of reference examinations, 15 (16%) of the 93 patients had a pancreatic duct stricture. The sensitivity and the specificity for Observer 1 were 87% and 100%, respectively; for Observer 2, 100% and 100%, respectively. Six (6%) of the 93 patients had main pancreatic duct stones. The sensitivity and the specificity for Observer 1 were 83% and 100%, respectively; for Observer 2, 100% and 99%, respectively. Five (5%) patients had pancreas divisum; Observer 1 correctly identified four and Observer 2 correctly identified three cases. Eleven (12%) patients had cystic pancreatic lesions. Observer 1 correctly determined whether or not there was communication between the cystic pancreatic lesion and the pancreatic duct in ten cases; Observer 2 correctly made this determination in nine cases.

CONCLUSION

Portal venous phase 64 MDCT images are moderately sensitive and highly specific for detecting pancreatic duct stricture, stones, and pancreas divisum and moderately accurate for detecting communication between pancreatic ducts and cystic pancreatic lesions.