Sp698 EUS-Guided Sutured Gastroplexy for ERCP in Patients with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Novel Single-Setting Minimally Invasive Approach to Post-Bariatric ERCP

Abstract

ERCP in patients with Roux en Y gastric bypass anatomy is a technical challenge. The various options available to access major papilla include deep enteroscopy and surgically or radiologically placed gastrostomy tube. Deep enteroscopy is not successful in reaching papilla in all patients and does not allow the use of a side viewing duodenoscope with an elevator making biliary and pancreatic cannulation difficult. Surgically or radiologically placed gastrostomy tube have their own associated risks and invasiveness. Also, one has to wait for a period of few weeks after gastrostomy tube placement to allow the gastric wall to adhere to the abdominal wall before proceeding with ERCP. At our institution we have developed a novel way of EUS guided, fluoroscopic assisted access of gastric remnant followed by sutured gastropexy and subsequent ERCP, all in one session. We describe a series of three such cases. The echo-endoscope was inserted trans-orally and advanced to the gastric pouch or the Roux limb. The remnant stomach was identified using sonographic features and was punctured across the pouch or roux limb wall using a 19G needle pre-loaded with 0.025 guidewire. Radio-opaque contrast injection and fluoroscopy were used to confirm needle position. After advancing guidewire the remnant stomach was maximally inflated with air injection through the needle and the best point of percutaneous entry on the abdominal wall was chosen. An 18-gauge introducer needle was inserted into the lumen of the gastric remnant and a 0.035 wire advanced. The wire track was serially dilated and a gastroscope inserted into the remnant. The gastric wall was now secured to the anterior abdominal wall using full thickness sutures. The gastroscope was removed and a 15mm laproscopy port inserted for duodenoscope access. This novel, one setting minimally invasive approach allows access to remnant stomach and upper GI tract for the purposes of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy/ERCP. It allows the use of duodenoscope for difficult cannulation and precise therapeutic ERCP manouvers such as bliary and pancreatic sphioncterotomy. As the gastric wall is secured to anterior abdominal wall with full thickness sutures, one does not run into the risk of dehisence and intra-peritoneal leakage of gastric contents. The use of EUS to access gastric remnant and maximal insufflation alllows for identification of the best point of per cutaneous puncture for gastrostomy tube thus reducing post operative complications and pain. This technique allows the gastrostomy placement and ERCP to be done in the same setting thus reducing health care costs and patient visits.