Successful endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and bilateral stenting in a patient with situs inversus totalis

Association between types of abdominopelvic cancer in patients with situs inversus total: Systematic review

BACKGROUND

Situs inversus is a rare congenital anatomical variant that involves a group of anomalies regarding the arrangement of intrathoracic and intraabdominal organs. Being able to find in the abdominal region the liver, gallbladder, inferior vena cava, and head of the pancreas and ascending colon on the left side of the abdomen, while on the right side there is the spleen, the stomach, the body of the pancreas, the ligament of Treitz, descending colon among others. In this same way, the thoracic organs, lungs and heart, are changed in their position in a mirror translocation.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Scopus, and LILACS; the search strategy included a combination of the following terms: "Situs inversus," "Situs inversus totalis," "Cancer," "Neoplasm," "Abdominopelvic regions," and "clinical anatomy."

RESULTS

Within the 41 included studies, 46 patients with situs inversus who had cancer, in addition to being found in this organ and in these regions, we also found as a result that the majority of the studies in the research were in stage II; finally, no one study could assert the direct relationship between the situs inversus totalis and the cancer.

CONCLUSION

If our hallmarks could make us think that more exhaustive follow-up of the stomach and other organs should be carried out in these patients, there could also be other predisposing factors for cancer, which is why more studies are suggested to give future diagnostic and treatment guidelines treatment.

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration to treat choledocholithiasis in situs inversus patients: A technical review

Situs inversus (SI) is a rare congenital condition characterized by a mirror-image transposition of the major visceral organs. Since the 1990s, more than one hundred SI patients have been reported to have successfully undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In these cases, the major problem is to overcome is the left-right condition for right-handed surgeons. Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE), an alternative to treat patients with bile duct stones, has shown equivalent efficacy and is less likely to cause pancreatitis than endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Recent updated meta-analyses revealed that a shorter postoperative hospital stay, fewer procedural interventions, cost-effectiveness, a higher stone clearance rate, and fewer perioperative complications are additional advantages of LCBDE. However, the technique is technically demanding, even for skilled laparoscopic surgeons. Conducting LCBDE in patients with difficult situations, such as SI, is more complex than usual. We herein review published SI patients with choledocholithiasis treated by LCBDE, including our own experience, and this paper focuses on the technical aspects.

Efficacy and safety of ERCP in patients with situs inversus totalis: multicenter case series and literature review

Background

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with situs inversus totalis (SIT) is rarely understood due to its rarity. Patient position and endoscope manipulation were the main concerns in published case reports. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of ERCP in SIT patients.

Methods

Patients with SIT who underwent ERCP were enrolled in nine endoscopic centers in China. ERCP procedural details and complications in SIT patients were retrieved from electronic medical record. The data was retrospectively analyzed.

Results

From 2011 to 2021, totally 14 patients with SIT undergoing ERCP were identified. The mean age was 56.8 years old and the male–female ratio was 5:2. The main indication for ERCP was common bile duct stones (13/14, 92.9%). All procedure were performed by experienced endoscopists. 21.4% (3/14) of patients were under regular position (prone), while 78.6% under modified position (supine, left or right lateral). Difficult cannulation was occurred in 71.4% (10/14) of patients. The rate of successful cannulation was 85.7% (12/14). Complication occurred in 3 patients (3/14, 21.4%), including 1 bleeding, 1 pneumonia and 1 acute myocardial infarction. No post-pancreatitis or death happened. Compared to patients in modified position, those in prone position had numerically less successful cannulations (66.7% vs. 90.9%) and higher adverse events (33.3% vs. 18.2%).

Conclusions

ERCP in patient with SIT is challenging even for experienced endoscopists, modified patient positions might have potential benefits concerning more successful cannulations and less complications. More case experiences are need for comprehensive understanding of ERCP in patients with SIT.