Double guidewire technique vs transpancreatic precut sphincterotomy in difficult biliary cannulation

AIM:To compare the outcomes between doubleguidewire technique(DGT) and transpancreatic precut sphincterotomy(TPS) in patients with difficult biliary cannulation.METHODS:This was a prospective,randomized study conducted in single tertiary referral hospital in Korea.Between January 2005 and September 2010.A total of 71 patients,who bile duct cannulation was not possible and selective pancreatic duct cannulation was achieved,were randomized into DGT(n = 34) and TPS(n = 37) groups.DGT or TPS was done for selective biliary cannulation.We measured the technical success rates of biliary cannulation,median cannulation time,and procedure related complications.RESULTS:The distribution of patients after randomization was balanced,and both groups were comparable in baseline characteristics,except the higher percentage of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage in the DGT group(55.9% vs 13.5%,P < 0.001).Successful cannulation rate and mean cannulation times in DGT and TPS groups were 91.2% vs 91.9% and 14.1 ± 13.2 min vs 15.4 ± 17.9 min,P = 0.732,respectively.There was no significant difference between the two groups.The overall incidence of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) pancreatitis was 38.2% vs 10.8%,P < 0.011 in the DGT group and the TPS group;post-procedure pancreatitis was significantly higher in the DGT group.But the overall incidence of post-ERCP hyperamylasemia was no significant difference between the two groups;DGT group vs TPS group:14.7% vs 16.2%,P < 1.0.CONCLUSION:When free bile duct cannulation was difficult and selective pancreatic duct cannulation was achieved,DGT and TPS facilitated biliary cannulation and showed similar success rates.However,post-procedure pancreatitis was significantly higher in the DGT group.     

双导丝技术与经胰管预切开技术在困难胆管插管中的应用

目的 比较双导丝技术（DGT）与经胰管预切开技术（TPS）在困难胆管插管中的临床疗效及安全性。方法 回顾性纳入2014年1月至2016年1月在我院行经内镜逆行胰胆管造影术的连续患者,对于反复进入胰管的困难胆管插管患者,分别采用DGT或TPS辅助插管,比较两种技术的插管成功率、插管时间及并发症。结果 共237例困难胆管插管患者纳入研究,其中采用DGT插管者135例,TPS插管者102例。DGT与TPS的插管成功率分别为79.3%（107/135）和90.2%（92/102）（P=0.023）,插管时间分别为（8.8±2.7）min和（4.7±1.3）min（P=0.017）,总体并发症发生率分别为8.9%（12/135）和8.8%（9/102）（P=0.986）。结论 对于反复进入胰管的困难胆管插管患者,与DGT相比,TPS插管成功率高,耗时少且未增加并发症;对预切开操作技术熟练者,可首选TPS辅助插管。     

Need for pancreatic stenting after sphincterotomy in patients with difficult cannulation

AIM: To investigate the need for pancreatic stenting after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) in patients with difficult biliary cannulation.METHODS: Between April 2008 and August 2013, 2136 patients underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-related procedures. Among them, 55 patients with difficult biliary cannulation who underwent EST after bile duct cannulation using the pancreatic duct guidewire placement method (P-GW) were divided into two groups: a stent group (n = 24; pancreatic stent placed) and a no-stent group (n = 31; no pancreatic stenting). We retrospectively compared the two groups to examine the need for pancreatic stenting to prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) in patients undergoing EST after biliary cannulation by P-GW.RESULTS: No differences in patient characteristics or endoscopic procedures were observed between the two groups. The incidence of PEP was 4.2% (1/24) and 29.0% (9/31) in the Stent and no-stent groups, respectively, with the no-stent group having a significantly higher incidence (P = 0.031). The PEP severity was mild for all the patients in the stent group. In contrast, 8 had mild PEP and 1 had moderate PEP in the no-stent group. The mean serum amylase levels (means ± SD) 3 h after ERCP (183.1 ± 136.7 vs 463.6 ± 510.4 IU/L, P = 0.006) and on the day after ERCP (209.5 ± 208.7 vs 684.4 ± 759.3 IU/L, P = 0.002) were significantly higher in the no-stent group. A multivariate analysis identified the absence of pancreatic stenting (P = 0.045; odds ratio, 9.7; 95%CI: 1.1-90) as a significant risk factor for PEP.CONCLUSION: In patients with difficult cannulation in whom the bile duct is cannulated using P-GW, a pancreatic stent should be placed even if EST has been performed.     

New precut sphincterotomy for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in difficult biliary duct cannulation

AIM:To retrospectively investigate the effect and safety of various new type precut sphincterotomy techniques (VNTPST) in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreato-graphy (ERCP) due to difficult biliary duct cannulation (DBC). METHODS:A plough-like pull-type sphincterotome (PLPTS) or improved short nose sphincterotome or improved needle knife was applied. VNTPST was carried out in 30 of 280 patients,whose biliary tract could not be exposed well or deep cannulation was difficult to perform during ERCP with traditional methods. Patients were followed up for short-term complications and the therapeutic effect of VNTPS was observed and compared with that of traditional endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). RESULTS:A total 280 patients underwent ERCP,of which 3 failed in operation because of pathological features in stomch or duodenum,247 successfully underwent traditional ERCP (89.1%,247/277),30 failed (10.8%,30/277). VNTPS technique succeeded in 24 (80%,24/30) of 30 cases. The successful rate of deep biliary duct cannulation increased 8.6% (24/277),the total cannulation successful rate following precut was 97.7%. There was a significant difference between the two groups (97.7% vs 89.1%,χ2 = 17.1,P < 0.01). The incidence of complications was 9.3% (26/277) for traditional ERCP group and 13.3% (4/30) for VNTPS technique group. Guideline tip was broken in pancreatic duct (KPDGP) of one patient,and there was no pancreatitis,slight or moderate bleeding postoperatively occurred in 2 patients,1 patient had bleeding during operation (PDWN). There were no differences between VNTPS technique group and traditional ERCP (TRERCP)group (13.3% vs 9.3%,χ2 = 0.478,P > 0.05). CONCLUSION:VNTPS procedure and Deng's precut are highly effective methods to get biliary access during ERCP with DBC. With skillful techniques,it can increase the successful rate for deep cannulation of biliary duct and decrease complications. VNTPS technique,especially Deng's precut is as effective and safe as EST. This technique can be well performed in hospitals without particular equipments.     

Results of repeat endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography after initial biliary cannulation failure following needle-knife sphincterotomy

Background and Aim: After failed biliary cannulation with needle knife sphincterotomy (NKS), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is sometimes repeatedly performed in clinically stable patients; however, there are few reports about the results. This study assessed the results of repeated ERCPs after failure with NKS. Methods: After failed NKS, patients who underwent repeated ERCP for the same purpose within 3 days were retrospectively identified. Success was defined as deep placement of a catheter into the common bile duct. Results: Sixty‐nine patients underwent a second ERCP procedure and, of those, six underwent a third ERCP. Of the 69 patients, cannulation was successful in 76.8% (53/69): 46 of 58 patients without additional NKS and 7 of 11 with additional NKS. Success increased to 79.7% (55/69) after the results of the third ERCP were included. Common causes of failed NKS were biliary deep cannulation failure (78.3%) and blocking of the endoscopic view due to bleeding (13.0%). There was a significant difference in success rates between the one day (65.7%) and the combined 2–3 day (88.2%) cases (P = 0.027). Except for the interval between ERCPs, there were no other factors associated with success rates. Complications occurred in 8, 11, and one patient after initial, second, and third ERCP and there was no difference of complication rates between each ERCPs. Conclusions: In cases with biliary cannulation failure with NKS, it is more worthwhile repeating ERCP 2 or 3 days after such failure than one day after, if the patient's condition permits delay of procedure.     

乳头扩约肌预切开术在困难插管内镜逆行胰胆管造影术中的疗效分析

目的 探讨十二指肠乳头预切开术在内镜逆行胰胆管造影术( ERCP)中的应用,并评价其在ERCP中的作用和安全性.方法 自2008年1月至2011年6月我院肝胆胰外科共完成内镜下逆行胰胆管造影术930例,其中选择性插管困难者采用常规方法不能完成而采用乳头预切开术108例,占11.6％.纳入标准为常规插管失败或反复进入胰管4次判定为选择性插管困难,术中改行乳头预切开术,根据病情完成ERCP检查和内镜下治疗.观察终点为治疗成功率和并发症发生率,并与同期常规ERCP插管病例资料对比分析.统计学处理采用SPSS 13.0统计软件,率的比较采用x2检验,P＜0.05为差异有统计学意义.结果 本组乳头预切开术108例,ERCP成功103例,成功率95.4％.术后并发症7例,发生率6.5％,无十二指肠穿孔及死亡病例.同期822例常规ERCP诊治成功率97.7％,术后并发症63例,发生率7.7％.乳头预切开与常规选择性胆管插管两组患者的并发症发生率(x2=0.141,P=0.707)及成功率(x2=2.041,P=0.153)差异无统计学意义.结论 乳头预切开术与常规ERCP相比不增加发生并发症的风险,可提高困难ERCP的成功率,但要严格掌握适应证,由经验丰富的医师进行.     

Failed biliary cannulation: clinical and technical outcomes after tertiary referral endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

AIM: Prospective evaluation of repeat endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for failed Schutz grade 1 biliary cannulation in a high-volume center. METHODS: Prospective intention-to-treat analysis of patients referred for biliary cannulation following recent unsuccessful ERCP. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients (35 female; mean age: 62.5 years; age range: 40-87 years) with previous failed biliary cannulation were referred for repeat ERCP. The indication for ERCP was primarily choledocholithiasis (45...     

Application of needle-knife in difficult biliary cannulation for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Introduction Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary disorders. Getting directly into the common bile duct (CBD) is the most important step for successful therapeutic endoscopy. The cannulation success rate depends on patient selection, the utilization of specialized catheters, and the skill and experience of the endoscopist. This improved significantly when the clever-cut knife with guidewire was introduced. However, i…     

New role of the dual knife for precut papillotomy in difficult bile duct cannulation

The dual knife is usually used for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). To date, however, there have been no clinical trials of the safety and effectiveness of precut papillotomy using the dual knife for biliary access in patients failing conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) cannulation. We herein report 18 patients who underwent precut papillotomy with the dual knife. All had intact papilla, and had failed deep cannulation of the bile ducts. After successful biliary cannulation and standard endoscopic sphincterotomy, if necessary, stone removal or plastic or metal stent insertion was attempted. Selective bile‐duct cannulation was achieved in all 18 patients (100%), at an average time of 4.2 min (range, 3–6 min). Of these 18 patients, six had malignant bile duct obstruction and 12 had common bile duct stones. One patient developed post‐ERCP pancreatitis, which resolved after conservative management. There were no deaths related to the procedure.     

Impact of introduction of wire-guided cannulation in therapeutic biliary endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Background and Aim: Wire‐guided cannulation (WGC) might increase the biliary cannulation rate and decrease the risk of post‐endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP). We assessed the learning curve for WGC in therapeutic biliary ERCP (study 1) and compared WGC and conventional contrast‐assisted cannulation (CC) by a matched case‐control study (study 2). Methods: Prospectively collected data of 500 therapeutic biliary ERCP cases (250 consecutive cases of WGC and 250 matched controls of CC) were retrospectively studied. Rate and time of biliary cannulation, total procedure time, PEP, and hyperamylasemia were analyzed. Results: In study 1, biliary cannulation by WGC was successful in 96% of the first 50 cases, with a median time to cannulation of 3 min. Rates of hyperamylasemia were within 10% after 100 WGC. In study 2, there were no significant differences in the overall cannulation rate and PEP between WGC and CC, but the total procedure time was shorter in WGC (30 vs 35 min, P = 0.059). Rates of hyperamylasemia and the change in serum amylase levels was lower (9% vs 14%, P = 0.069, and + 62.8 U/L vs+ 169.5 U/L, P = 0.043) in WGC, which was more prominent in experienced endoscopists (9% vs 17%, P = 0.025, and + 68.9 U/L vs+ 229.3 U/L, P = 0.014). Conclusions: The introduction of WGC was effective in the first 50 cases and did not increase the rate of PEP in biliary therapeutic ERCP.     

Repeat endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography after failed initial precut sphincterotomy for biliary cannulation

AIM: To investigate the outcome of repeating endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP) after initially failed precut sphincterotomy to achieve biliary cannulation.METHODS: In this retrospective study, consecutive ERCPs performed between January 2009 and September 2012 were included. Data from our endoscopy and radiology reporting databases were analysed for use of precut sphincterotomy, biliary access rate, repeat ERCP rate and complications. Patients with initially failed precut sphincterotomy were identified.RESULTS: From 1839 consecutive ERCPs, 187 (10%) patients underwent a precut sphincterotomy during the initial ERCP in attempts to cannulate a native papilla. The initial precut was successful in 79/187 (42%). ERCP was repeated in 89/108 (82%) of patients with failed initial precut sphincterotomy after a median interval of 4 d, leading to successful biliary cannulation in 69/89 (78%). In 5 patients a third ERCP was attempted (successful in 4 cases). Overall, repeat ERCP after failed precut at the index ERCP was successful in 73/89 patients (82%). Complications after precut-sphincterotomy were observed in 32/187 (17%) patients including pancreatitis (13%), retroperitoneal perforations (1%), biliary sepsis (0.5%) and haemorrhage (3%).CONCLUSION: The high success rate of biliary cannulation in a second attempt ERCP justifies repeating ERCP within 2-7 d after unsuccessful precut sphincterotomy before more invasive approaches should be considered.     

Guidewire cannulation increases the success rate of needle‐knife fistulotomy for difficult bile duct access

Background and Aim: Selective bile duct cannulation is a prerequisite for performing therapeutic endoscopic biliary intervention. This study aimed to evaluate if using a soft‐tipped guidewire to cannulate the bile duct would increase the success rate of needle‐knife fistulotomy for difficult bile duct access. Methods: We reviewed sixty 60 patients with difficult bile duct access who underwent conventional cannulation with radiocontrast dye (29) or guidewire cannulation (31) after needle‐knife fistulotomy. Results: There were no significant differences in the demographic data between the two groups. The initial success rate of selective bile duct cannulation was significantly higher in the guidewire cannulation group compared with the conventional cannulation group: 100% versus 79.3%, P = 0.009. The success rate of selective biliary cannulation in the patients with non‐dilated common bile duct (< 8 mm) was significantly higher in the guidewire cannulation group compared with the conventional cannulation group: 100% versus 68.4%, P = 0.003. The incidence of post‐endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis was not significantly different between the two groups. No serious complications occurred in either group. Conclusions: In this retrospective and small case series, guidewire cannulation after needle‐knife fistulotomy increased the success rate of selective bile duct cannulation in patients with difficult bile duct access.     

内镜下十二指肠乳头预切术在恶性胆道梗阻诊治中的应用

目的 探讨内镜下十二指肠乳头预切术在恶性胆道梗阻诊治中的应用价值.方法 对46例插管困难的恶性胆道梗阻患者,根据十二指肠乳头及其周围结构、插管情况等采用不同预切方法对乳头括约肌施行内镜下预切术,观察ERCP诊治的完成情况,以及并发症发生情况.结果 应用弓形刀切开法4例、针状刀切开法24例、经胰管胆管切开法12例、联合方法6例,其中35例预切术后胆管插管成功,成功率达76.1%（35/46）.发生术后黏膜渗血3例、胰腺炎1例、高淀粉酶血症2例、胆管炎1例,未见穿孔发生.结论 内镜下乳头预切术可提高恶性胆道梗阻患者ERCP诊治的成功率,且适时、正确地应用可以降低并发症的发生率.     

Difficult biliary cannulation: Historical perspective,practical updates,and guide for the endoscopist

Despite improvements in endoscopic technologies and accessories, development of advanced endoscopy fellowship programs, and advances in ancillary imaging techniques, biliary cannulation in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) can still be unsuccessful in up to 20% of patients, even in referral centers. Once cannulation has been deemed to be difficult, the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis and technical failure inherently increases. A number of factors, including endoscopist experience and patient anatomy, have been associated with difficult biliary cannulation, but predicting a case of difficult cannulation a priori is often not possible. Numerous techniques such as pancreatic guidewire and stenting, early pre-cut, and rendezvous may be employed when standard approaches fail. Data regarding the rate of success and adverse events of these techniques have been variable, though most studies suggest that pancreatic duct stenting generally reduces the rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis in instances of difficult biliary cannulation. Here we provide a review on difficult biliary cannulation and discuss how the choice of which techniques to employ and how to best employ them should be individualized and take into account the skill of the endoscopist, the disorder being treated, the anatomy of the patient, and the available biomedical literature.     

经胰管预切开联合胰管支架置入法在困难胆管插管中的应用

目的 探讨经胰管预切开联合胰管支架置入法在经内镜逆行性胰胆管造影术(endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography,ERCP)乳头困难插管中的应用价值。方法 纳入2017年1月—2019年12月在海军医科大学第三附属医院行ERCP治疗的169例乳头插管困难病例,其中137例采用双导丝法,32例患者采用经胰管预切开联合胰管支架置入法,观察两组的插管成功率、插管时间以及术后并发症等。结果 双导丝组和经胰管预切开联合胰管支架置入组的插管成功率分别为98.54％(135／137)和100.00％(32／32)(P>0.05);两组的插管时间分别为(15.69±9.07)min 和(17.06±5.79)min(P>0.05);术后并发症发生率分别是25.55％(35／137)和 9.38％(3／32)(P<0.05),其中胰腺炎发生率分别是5.8％(8／137)和0。结论 ERCP乳头插管困难时采用经胰预切开联合胰管支架置入法,具有与双导丝技术相似的成功率,同时更加安全,值得临床推广应用。