Nondilated Ducts Research Articles

Toward improving outcomes of ERCP

Toward improving outcomes of ERCP

Outcome of lateral pancreaticojejunostomy in the management of chronic pancreatitis with nondilated pancreatic ducts

Lateral pancreaticojejunostomy has demonstrated variable success in the management of chronic pancreatitis associated with ductal dilation, but its role in patients with nondilated ducts is poorly defined. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of lateral pancreaticojejunostomy in chronic pancreatitis with nondilated pancreatic ducts. The records of all patients who underwent lateral pancreaticojejunostomy with a pancreatic duct measuring less than 7 mm in diameter were reviewed. Seventeen patients underwent lateral pancreaticojejunostomy for chronic pancreatitis and intractable pain between 1995 and 1996. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography demonstrated features of chronic pancreatitis that were mild in seven patients, moderate in five, and severe in four. Postoperative complications occurred in two patients (11.7%). There were no deaths. Mean length of follow-up was 10.3 months (range 3 to 16 months). Rehospitalization for recurrent pancreatitis or pain was necessary in 59% of patients. Emergency room visits were reported by 76%. Narcotic use continued in 88%, with 76% of the patients reporting their pain as the same or worse than before the operation, and 65% continuing to view their health status as poor. In chronic pancreatitis patients with a nondilated pancreatic duct, lateral pancreaticojejunostomy appears to be of little benefit with respect to pain relief, subsequent hospitalization, continued narcotic use, or overall health status.

Techniques to Facilitate the Difficult Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage

In most patients, percutaneous biliary drainage is a straightforward procedure. However, problems may be encountered and are usually due to difficulties in opacification of nondilated ducts, tight hilar lesions, or isolated biliary segments. Solutions to the first problem involve injection of ancillary tubes, the gallbladder, or the common bile duct. Retrograde catheterization of the segment with placement of stable radiopaque targets such as snares, wires, or catheters are helpful. Carbon dioxide may be useful as a contrast agent in nondependent ducts. Tight lesions and isolated segments can be approached after “through-and-through” access has been established. This article discusses and illustrates some of the concepts that have been developed to achieve biliary drainage in such patients.

Proximal migration of biliary stents: Attempted endoscopic retrieval in forty-one patients

Background: Proximal migration of a biliary stent is an uncommon event, but its management can present a technical challenge to the therapeutic endoscopist. Methods: We reviewed the methods that have been used for retrieval of proximally migrated biliary stents in a referral endoscopy center. Results: Forty-four cases were identified; 38 stents (86%) were extracted successfully. Half of the stents were retrieved after first passing a guide wire through the stent lumen. Various accessories were then used to withdraw the stents, the Soehendra device being the most popular. Nearly one third were retrieved by grasping the stents directly, usually with a wire basket or forceps. The remainder were recovered after using a stone retrieval balloon alongside the stents to provide traction indirectly. Interventional radiology techniques were needed in two cases, and surgery in one. Conclusions: Cannulating the stent lumen with a wire is often the best approach in patients with a biliary stricture or a nondilated duct. An over-the-wire accessory can then be used to secure the stent. In patients with a dilated duct, indirect traction with a balloon or direct grasping of the stent with a wire basket, snare, or forceps is usually successful. Using these techniques, most proximally migrated biliary stents can be retrieved endoscopically. (Gastrointest Endosc 1995;42:513-9.)

Evaluation of a non-breath-hold MR cholangiography technique.

To evaluate prospectively a non-breath-hold magnetic resonance (MR) cholangiographic technique. Twenty-nine non-breath-hold, heavily T2-weighted, turbo spin-echo MR cholangiograms were obtained in 28 patients and compared with 28 direct cholangiographic studies in 24 patients. MR cholangiography showed the intrahepatic ducts (IHDs) within the peripheral third of the liver and within the four hepatic segments in 100% of cases with dilated ducts. IHDs were seen in the peripheral third in 82% of cases with nondilated ducts and within the four hepatic segments in 91%. The extrahepatic duct (EHD), dilated and nondilated, was visualized in 90% of cases. Filling defects were identified in the EHD in 71% of cases and in the gallbladder in 100%. All obstructions were identified and their site and character accurately shown in most cases. The presence of IHD dilatation was accurately shown, and estimates of EHD and main pancreatic duct caliber correlated closely with those of direct cholangiography. Non-breath-hold MR cholangiography is a reliable method for depiction of the biliary system.

Percutaneous Transhepatic Drainage of the Nondilated Biliary System

The authors sought to develop a safe, efficacious technique for percutaneous transhepatic drainage of nondilated biliary systems. Twenty-three drainage procedures were performed on 14 consecutive patients with nondilated ducts. Fourteen procedures were carried out for primary placement of a transhepatic biliary drain, eight for placement of a second drain, and one for placement of a third drain. Drainage catheter access into the biliary tree was gained via direct puncture of a peripheral duct (fourth order or smaller branch) in four procedures. In the remaining 19 procedures, peripheral duct punctures were facilitated by retrograde passage of a 5-F catheter from a previous, remote percutaneous access site into the fourth-order duct to be punctured. Nine of these 19 duct punctures were facilitated by the use of a nitinol Goose Neck snare passed through the intraductal catheter. Of the access methods used, the nitinol snare technique was the fastest. Successful peripheral access was achieved in all patients without bleeding complications. One patient developed symptoms of bacteremia, which resolved within 12 hours with antibiotic therapy and external biliary drainage. Percutaneous peripheral access can be achieved safely in the nondilated biliary tree and can obviate surgery for some patients and facilitate future interventions.

Assessment of the biliary tract by antegrade cholecystography after percutaneous cholecystostomy in patients with acute cholecystitis

The diagnostic value of formal antegrade cholecystography in a consecutive series of 44 patients with scintigraphically confirmed acute cholecystitis, treated by percutaneous transperitoneal cholecystostomy, has been evaluated. A total of six patients did not have antegrade cholecystography (catheter migration in five patients and gangrenous gallbladder perforation in one). Antegrade cholecystography was performed in the remaining 38: 10 patients with persisting cystic duct obstruction and 28 patients with patent cystic ducts. In the persisting cystic duct obstruction group, antegrade cholecystography confirmed the cause of gallbladder outflow obstruction as impacted calculi in either the gallbladder neck or cystic duct in all patients. In the patent cystic duct group, antegrade cholecystography demonstrated the common ducts well in all but two patients, and common duct calculi in eight of nine patients. Three patients had common duct calculi in non-dilated ducts. Antegrade cholecystography is an easy and safe method of clarifying gallbladder pathology in all patients, and can be used to evaluate the common duct for associated common duct calculi in most patients.

BALLOON DILATATION OF BILIARY STRICTURES: EXPERIENCE AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Patients who develop strictures after repeated biliary surgery are a complex management problem. Reoperation in these patients, who may also have cirrhosis, portal hypertension and non-dilated ducts, is hazardous even in experienced centres. The new technique of percutaneous balloon dilatation has been used increasingly in such cases. A review of the literature and the experience with this technique in five patients with recurrent biliary strictures is presented. Its use is recommended in patients who present with recurrent problems when a previous biliary-intestinal anastomosis has failed as well as in those who develop stricture following multiple procedures involving the biliary system.

Ultrasound detection of choledocholithiasis: Prospective comparison with ERCP in the postcholecystectomy patient

The role of ultrasound as a screening test for choledocholithiasis was prospectively assessed by comparing the results of upper abdominal ultrasound with direct cholangiography in 59 unselected symptomatic postcholecystectomy patients. Ultrasound detected duct stones in 13 of 29 patients (sensitivity, 45%) and their absence in 29 of 30 (specificity, 97%). A positive ultrasound diagnosis of choledocholithiasis was correct 13 times out of 14 (predictive value, 93%) whereas a negative diagnosis was correct on only 29 of 45 occasions (predictive value, 64%). No significant learning effect was seen. Intestinal gas obscuring the distal common duct was the most important factor limiting the ability of ultrasound to detect duct stones. Duct stones were present in 25 of 35 patients shown to have a dilated common duct on ultrasound, and in 4 of 24 with nondilated ducts; the predictive value of duct dilatation at ultrasound for duct stones was therefore 71% and that of nondilatation in excluding stones was 83%. Dilated intrahepatic bile ducts were demonstrated at ultrasound in only 17% of patients with choledocholithiasis. We conclude that ultrasound cannot reliably diagnose or exclude bile duct stones and is an inadequate screening test for the symptomatic postcholecystectomy patient.

Elective Operations in Chronic Alcohol Induced Pancreatitis

The role of surgical treatment in the management of chronic pancreatitis has increased, mainly because of improved diagnostic methods. In the present study, 83 consecutive patients who were operated upon for chronic alcohol induced pancreatitis between 1970 and 1980 are reviewed. The results indicate that the best results with regard to pain relief were achieved with lateral drainage operation in patients with dilated pancreatic ducts. A sufficient pancreatic resection gives satisfactory results in patients with nondilated ducts. Patients with severe pancreatic changes and a long history of alcoholism are best treated by extended pancreatic resections with regard to pain relief; however, most of the patients are still unable to work after the operation. A constant follow-up and active surgical attitude at the early stage of the disease before the circulus vitiosus of pain, drugs, inability to work and disturbances in social life are of paramount importance.

Grey-scale ultrasonography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography in biliary tract disease.

Fifty-one patients with suspected obstructive jaundice and 14 without jaundice in whom disease of the biliary tract was suspected but infusion cholangiography had been unhelpful were examined by grey-scale ultrasonography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and the findings analysed retrospectively. Grey-scale ultrasonography distinguished between obstructive and hepatocellular jaundice in 35 out of 46 patients (76%) and indicated the site of the obstruction in 27 (58%) and the cause of the obstruction in 13 (28%). Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography distinguished between obstructive and hepatocellular jaundice in 42 of the patients (91%) and indicated the site of the obstruction in 42 (91%) and the cause in 29 (63%). In the 14 patients without jaundice percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography showed bile-duct stones in one an ampullary stenosis in three. It is concluded that grey-scale ultrasonography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography are complementary examinations and that ultrasonography should always be undertaken first as it is a non-invasive procedure that may provide the surgeon with all the diagnostic information he requires. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography should be performed when grey-scale ultrasonography has shown dilated bile ducts but failed to provide adequate diagnostic information. Cholangiography is also required when preoperative percutaneous drainage of the bile duct is contemplated. In those patients in whom grey-scale ultrasonography shows non-dilated ducts endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is probably the contract examination of choice.

The failed transhepatic cholangiogram.

A study of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiograms in 94 consecutive patients revealed that success is largely determined by the number of passes attempted. Two of 43 patients with dilated intrahepatic ducts had unsuccessful cholangiograms, but in these patients only two and three passes were attempted. In the remaining 41 patients fewer than seven passes were required. In patients with nondilated ducts, the success rate bears an almost linear relationship to the number of attempted passes beyond the fourth pass. Since patient tolerance often limits the number of passes, careful technique is important; one such technique is described. In the cholangiogram failures with nondilated ducts, subsequent liver biopsy had a high diagnostic yield.

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with the Chiba needle

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography using the Chiba needle has been performed on 102 patients. There was an overall success rate of 86 out of 102 cases (84%). Dilated bile ducts were successfully demonstrated in 61 out of 65 patients (94%) and non-dilated ducts in 25 out of 37 patients (70%). Gallbladder filling was achieved in 40 out of 70 cases (67%). The hepatic lymphatics were filled in 32 cases but dilated lymphatics were mainly seen in patients with biliary cirrhosis, inflammatory liver disease or lymphoma. It is suggested that an excessive radiation dose may be given to the radiologist's fingers unless the fluoroscopy diaphrams are kept well coned down. Complications requiring active medical intervention occurred in three cases and emergency surgery in one case.

Experience with percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography using the Japanese needle.

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography using a very thin needle has been performed in 885 patients with a variety of underlying hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic disorders. The procedure was successful in 99% of the patients with dilated intrahepatic bile ducts and in 85% of those with non-dilated ducts. Complications which required surgical intervention occurred only in two cases (0.2%). In patients with obstructive jaundice, external bile drainage was performed immediately after visualization of the bile duct. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography is an extremely useful and safe method for investigating disorders of the biliary tract, for localizing the cause of obstructive jaundice, and for reducing the degree of jaundice and improving the general status of patients with obstructive jaundice.

Cholangiography in the jaundiced patient.

Though local practice will reflect the previously acquired expertise of the operators, it seems reasonable to employ a minimum of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, and, ideally, this in combination with ERCP for preoperative cholangiography in patients with cholestatic jaundice. Few cases will defy both techniques. The morbidity is well known and if properly anticipated can be reduced to a minimum by judicious use of antibacterial agents and early surgical intervention when appropriate. Grey-scale ultrasonography by indicating the diameter of the bile ducts enables one to select percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography for dilated ducts and ERCP for non-dilated ducts with an almost 100% success rate for the former and only slightly less for the latter in experienced hands.