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Obesity and its related comorbidities is a major health problem worldwide. Sleeve gastrectomy is regarded to be one of the most effective bariatric surgeries with a relatively low risks of complications. Gastrobronchial fistula is an extremely rare and a serious complication after bariatric surgeries, it is associated with major morbidity. A 48-year-old obese lady with a BMI of 40 had underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy 7 years ago, she developed leak at the 10th postoperative day which was treated with drainage. After 4 years she presented with left subphrenic abscess which was treated with drainage, splenectomy and endoscopic stent. After one year she had repeated chest infections and was coughing-up recently ingested food items. CT-scan showed left subphrenic collection with abnormal fistulous tract between the bronchial tree and the subphrenic cavity. Left thoracotomy was performed, a complex fistula was found between the remnant parts of the gastric fundus, transverse colon and lung. Resection of the fistula was performed, the stomach and colon were closed in 2 layers, resection of the affected segment of lung was performed and the diaphragm was sutured. The BMI was 19 at the last admission. Gastro-colo-bronchial fistula is unreported after sleeve gastrectomy and the management is challenging. Surgeons may follow the same principles of management as in cases of gastrobronchial fistula, but we suggest earlier surgical intervention with the administration of broad spectrum antibiotics. Nutritional deficiencies must be corrected, and such patients must be treated with multidisciplinary team, with an extended duration of follow-up., Highlights • Sleeve gastrectomy is one of the most effective bariatric surgeries with a relatively low complication rates. • Gastro-colo-bronchial fistula is unreported after sleeve gastrectomy and the management is challenging. • Multidisciplinary team is required for the management of such patients.

The palliation of simultaneous biliary and duodenal obstruction in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer is a clinically and technically challenging scenario. Endoscopic procedures are a valid alternative to surgical or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. The availability of self-expanding metal stents (SEMSs) and lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) have expanded therapeutic options. We describe a case in which biliary and duodenal obstructions were treated successfully with the combined use of SEMS and LAMS devices. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage with the use of new LAMS and a duodenal SEMS can be a valid option in expert hands as a palliative and minimally invasive treatment for gastric outlet and biliary obstruction.

Anastomotic leaks and gastric fistulas are recognized complications after sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. They are, however, almost unheard of following a one-anastomosis gastric bypass. A gastrobronchial fistula, an exceedingly rare complication after bariatric surgery, has to date never been described following a one-anastomosis gastric bypass. Furthermore, there is no consensus regarding the management of this challenging complication. In our case, we present a patient who was discovered to have a gastrobronchial fistula 5 years after a one anastomosis gastric bypass. After 2 failed attempts at endoscopic stent placement, the patient was successfully managed with a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy over the fistula.

Endoscopic therapy holds an important role in the management of benign biliary strictures. This study compares the long-term outcome of stenting therapy depending on the underlying cause of the stricture.In a retrospective cohort study, 228 patients with benign biliary strictures were identified using an endoscopic database, hospital charts, and cholangiograms between January 1992 and December 2008. Long-term follow-up was evaluated with cholangiograms, transabdominal ultrasound, laboratory parameters, and physical examination. The median follow-up period was 44.7 months.Endoscopic management showed best long-term results in patients with stone-associated biliary stricture. In this subgroup, endoscopic therapy could be successfully completed in 92% (71/77) of the patients. Patients with postoperative biliary stricture had good outcome in 83% (53/64) of cases. Idiopathic strictures presented a successful outcome in 58% (15/26). Biliary strictures caused by chronic pancreatitis had a significantly poorer outcome compared with strictures of other origin. Therapeutic success of endoscopic therapy could only be observed in 31% of patients (19/61).Long-term outcome of endoscopic therapy for benign strictures was significantly dependent on the underlying cause of the stricture. In particular, patients with biliary strictures due to chronic pancreatitis benefit least from endoscopic therapy, whereas patients with stone-associated strictures had the highest therapeutic success rate.

Pancreatic fluid collections occur in 5%–15% of acute complicated pancreatitis cases. Endoscopic drainage using lumen-apposing metal stents has become the treatment of choice with less incidence of complications, shorter hospital stays, and less cost. The AXIOS stent has proven to be safe and effective in several studies. Despite a low complication rate, bleeding, perforation, and stent migration were still reported. In this case, a patient presented for delayed AXIOS stent removal and was found to have stent migration with embedment in the gastric wall. The transmural defect that resulted after endoscopic stent removal was observed to close spontaneously without further need for intervention.

BACKGROUND Endoscopic stenting is an effective method of relieving biliary obstruction in patients with unresectable malignancy. If this fails, optimal management is controversial. Percutaneous insertion of plastic or mesh metal stents has been advocated. AIM To review the outcome of percutaneous plastic stents and compare this with contemporary data from the literature on mesh metal stenting. PATIENTS AND METHODS Over a period of six years, 400 patients had attempted endoscopic stenting for distal malignant biliary obstruction which failed in 54 (13.5%). These 54 patients were treated with percutaneously placed plastic stents. RESULTS Percutaneous stenting was technically successful in 48 patients (89%). Early complications occurred in 13 patients (24%), the commonest being acute cholangitis in seven (12%). There was no procedure-related mortality but a 30-day mortality of 11 % (n = 6). Ten patients (18%) required re-admission after 30 days for stent block (mean period 4 months). Forty-seven patients (87%) were followed up until death. The median survival for the patients undergoing palliative stenting was 3 months (5 days to 17 months). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that percutaneous plastic stents can be used safely and effectively in patients who have failed endoscopic stenting.

Endoscopic stent placement is a well established treatment for biliary obstruction. The known disadvantage of plastic stents is their tendency to clog. This article describes another approach to treating biliary obstruction secondary to malignant neoplasms using the expandable metallic Wallstent endoprosthesis.

Biliary obstruction can prohibit therapeutic endoscopic stent placement. For patients with this condition, percutaneous transhepatic biliary catheters can provide an alternative method to drain the obstructed system. The biliary catheter presents nurses with several challenges: assessment of the patient for potential complications, home care teaching and supportive care.

The premise of self-expandable metal stent placement to restore luminal continuity in patients with acute left-sided malignant colonic obstruction is intuitively logical. However, the available body of literature addressing their benefit in this setting is contradictory. We sought to briefly critique the available literature and put the findings of Jiménez-Pérez et al. published in this current issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology in perspective.