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Abstract Background Prophylactic pancreatic stents after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can help prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis. However most of the pancreatic stents need to be removed by another ERCP. The aim of this observational study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of the modified pancreatic stent system for prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis. Methods From November 2013 to November 2015, a total of 230 patients who had prophylactic pancreatic stent placed for prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis at a single institution were identified and stratified. In this case-control design, 150 patients received an ordinary pancreatic stent, and 80 patients received the modified pancreatic stent. The main outcome measures were the difficulty level and complications of pancreatic stent placement and extraction between the two groups. Results In ordinary group, the average time of pancreatic stent and nasal biliary drainage placement was 3.5 ± 0.6 min. There were 13 cases of stent proximal migration (8.7%), 20 cases of stent spontaneous abscission (13.3%), 5 cases of acute pancreatitis (3.3%) (2 cases for stent abscission) and 7 cases of hyperamylasemia (4.7%) after ERCP. One hundred thirty patients received extra duodenoscope (86.7%) to remove the stent, and 4 cases had acute pancreatitis and 5 patients had hyperamylasemia after removing the proximal migratory stents. In modified group, the average time of pancreatic stent system placement was 4.9 ± 0.7 min, but there was only one case of stent abscission (1.3%), 2 cases of acute pancreatitis (2.5%) and 3 cases of hyperamylasemia (3.8%). The new pancreatic stents were removed directly under x-ray without complication. Conclusions The modified pancreatic stent system has the same effect of preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis, lower rate of stents proximal migration and spontaneous abscission, and the advantage of easier removed compared with ordinary pancreatic stent.

Background: Anastomotic stricture is a complex and substantial complication following Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Initially, endoscopic and percutaneous approaches are often attempted, but the gold standard remains surgical biliary reconstruction, especially for refractory stricture. However, this solution leaves much room for improvement, due to the challenging nature of the biliary reconstruction procedure, in which anastomotic stricture may still occur.Aims: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of choledochoscopic high-frequency needle-knife electrotomy as an intervention in the treatment of anastomotic strictures following Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.Methods: From February 2010 to October 2014, clinical data was collected and retrospectively compared for patients who underwent balloon dilation or/and choledochoscopic high-frequency needle-knife electrotomy for the treatment of anastomotic strictures after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.Results: A total of 38 patients underwent successful choledochoscopic treatment and all the anastomotic strictures were removed successfully, 19 of which were treated with electrotomy, 7 with balloon dilation, and 12 with both electrotomy and balloon dilation. Among these groups,the average operating times were 6.9 ± 2.4 min,10.1 ± 6.8 min, and 20.2 ± 13.5 min, respectively. The average stent supporting times were 6.3 ± 0.7 months, 6.5 ± 0.6 months, and 6.1 ± 0.4 respectively. The mean follow-up after stent removal was 42.1 ± 27.4 months, and in 26.3 % (5/19), 28.5 % (2/7) and 16.7 % (2/12) of cases, recurrent anastomotic stricture occurred. Of these 9 total patients with recurrent anastomotic, two patients were successfully rescued by full-covered self-expanding removable metal stents and 7 patients by electrotomy combined with balloon dilation.Conclusions: Choledochoscopic high-frequency needle-knife electrotomy is both feasible and safe in the treatment of anastomotic stricture after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy, with a similar long-term outcome to balloon dilation in treating anastomotic stricture after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. A combination of choledochoscopic electrotomy concurrent with balloon dilation should be recommended based on the low rate of recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]