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Background and Aims: Annular pancreas is a congenital anomaly whereby pancreatic tissue encircles the duodenum. Current knowledge of endoscopic findings of annular pancreas is limited to small case series. The aim of this study was to describe the endoscopic and pancreatographic findings of patients with annular pancreas at a large tertiary care ERCP center., Methods: This is a retrospective observational study. Our Institutional Review Board-approved, prospectively collected ERCP database was queried for cases of annular pancreas. The electronic medical records were searched for patient and procedure-related data., Results: From January 1, 1994, to December 31, 2016, 46 patients with annular pancreas underwent ERCP at our institution. Index ERCP was technically successful in 42 patients (91.3%), and technical success was achieved in all 46 patients (100%) after 2 attempts, when required. A duodenal narrowing or ring was found in most patients (n = 39, 84.8%), yet only 2 (4.3%) had retained gastric contents. Pancreas divisum was found in 21 patients (45.7%), 18 of which were complete divisum. Pancreatobiliary neoplasia was the indication for ERCP in 7 patients (15.2%). Pancreatographic findings consistent with chronic pancreatitis were noted in 15 patients (32.6%) at the index ERCP., Conclusion: This is the largest series describing the endoscopic and pancreatographic findings of patients with annular pancreas. We found that 45.7% of patients had concurrent pancreas divisum. Endoscopic therapy was successful in most patients at our institution after 1 ERCP, and in all patients after a second ERCP. Nearly one-third of patients had findings consistent with chronic pancreatitis at the time of index ERCP. It is unclear whether this may be a feature of the natural history of annular pancreas., (Copyright © 2019 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Study Aims: In plastic stent insertion for treatment of post-cholecystectomy bile leak, stent migration may be more common due to the absence of a shelf to anchor the stent. We evaluated how adding a flap to straight plastic stents for this indication might influence the rate of stent migration when compared to use of conventional plastic stents., Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study including patients referred for ERCP for treatment of post-cholecystectomy bile leak. Patients with a customized anti-migration flap stent had the additional flap created on the distal end of straight plastic stents, intended to aid in anchoring in the distal supra-sphincteric biliary duct. The primary endpoint is stent migration events. The secondary endpoint is bile leak resolution after first ERCP session., Results: Thirty-two patients were treated with the experimental additional flap stents and 225 patients were treated with standard straight biliary stents. The total failure rate of bile leak resolution after a single endoscopic treatment for all treated was 10.5 % (27/257) and the total stent migration rate for all enrolled was 15.2 % (39/257). Stent migration rate was lower in the additional flap stent group than in the conventional group (3.1 % vs. 16.9 %, respectively, P  = 0.04). Furthermore, significantly more patients had resolution of their bile leak after the first ERCP session in the group with the additional flap (100 % vs. 88 %, respectively, P  = 0.03)., Conclusion: A plastic biliary stent with an extra flap may have improved performance with regard to stent migration and resolution of bile leak over standard plastic biliary stents.

Background and study aims  Complete stone removal from the main pancreatic duct might not be achieved in all patients with obstructive chronic calcific pancreatitis. We report our results for endoscopic dorsal pancreatic duct (DPD) bypass of obstructing stones in the ventral pancreatic duct (VPD). Patients and methods  16 patients with obstructive chronic calcific pancreatitis were treated with a DPD bypass. Clinical success was defined as significant pain relief and no hospital admissions for pain management during the ongoing treatment period. Results  Among 16 patients meeting entry criteria, 10 (62.5 %) had a history of unsuccessful endoscopic therapy, and 8 had failed extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL). Clinical success was achieved in 12 patients (75 %). Among these responders, 10 patients (83.3 %) had markedly improved or complete pain relief after the first stent placement, which persisted throughout the follow-up period; 11 patients (91.7 %) were able to discontinue their daily analgesics. Conclusions  In selected patients with obstructive chronic calcific pancreatitis, the DPD bypass may be considered as a rescue endoscopic therapy, potentially obviating the need for surgery when standard endoscopic methods and ESWL fail., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background and Aims: Multiple factors can affect the occlusion of plastic stents. Previous data demonstrate that side holes may induce more biofilm formation probably via microturbulence and bile flow disturbances that could lead to occlusion. These results, however, have not been replicated in subsequent clinical studies with different methods. The objective of this study is to evaluate the physical characteristics of plastic stent occlusion over time., Methods: This is a plastic stent sequential analysis study. Biliary stents removed via ERCP from February 24, 2015, to June 2, 2015, were included. One hundred and forty-eight retrieved straight-type plastic stents were longitudinally cut by a custom-made cutting device. These dissected stents were then evaluated in detail with regard to the location of stent occlusion and the stent patency period. Location of stent occlusive debris was the primary outcome in this study., Results: Biofilm formations and occlusions by debris were sequentially but separately tallied. Biofilm formations were initially seen around the side hole areas within 30 days and spread to the entire stent by 60 days. Then, occlusion process by debris was mainly initiated by 80 days and progressed to full occlusion by median of 90 days. Although some occlusions were also observed around the side hole areas within 30 days, affected areas were more widely observed after biofilm formation., Conclusions: This study is the first to attempt to describe the distribution of stent occlusions over time. These observations may help guide future stent development.

Background and Study Aims: Pancreatic duct (PD) disruptions occur as a result of different etiologies and can be managed medically, endoscopically, or surgically. The aim of this study was to provide an evaluation on the efficacy of endotherapy for treatment of PD disruption in a large cohort of patients and identify factors that predict successful treatment outcome., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) for transpapillary pancreatic stent placement for PD disruption from 2008 to 2013 at two tertiary referral institutions. PD disruption was defined as extravasation of contrast from the pancreatic duct as seen on ERP. Therapeutic success was defined by resolution of PD leak on ERP, clinical, and/or imaging evaluation., Results: We evaluated 107 patients (58% male, mean age 53 years) with PD disruption. Etiologies of PD disruption were acute pancreatitis (36%), post-operative (31%), chronic pancreatitis (29%), and trauma (4%). PD disruption was successfully bridged by a stent in 45 (44%) patients. Two patients developed post-sphincterotomy bleeding, two had stent migration, and two patients died as a result of post-ERP related complications. Placement of a PD stent was successful in 103/107 (96%) patients. Therapeutic success was achieved in 80/107 (75%) patients. Non-acute pancreatitis etiologies and absence of complete duct disruption were independent predictors of therapeutic success., Conclusions: Endoscopic therapy using a transpapillary stent for PD disruption is safe and effective. Absence of complete duct disruption and non-AP etiologies determine a favorable endoscopic outcome., (Published by Elsevier India Pvt Ltd.)

Biliary disease is a common cause of acute pancreatitis. Risk stratification for persistent pancreatobiliary obstruction is important for selecting a treatment approach. Most common bile duct stones are extracted with standard endoscopic techniques. However, prior foregut surgery, stones with extreme morphologic attributes, and at difficult positions within the biliary system are technically challenging and predict a need for advanced biliary endoscopic techniques. Surgical common bile duct exploration at the time of cholecystectomy is appropriate in centers with experience. We outline the options and approach for the clinician to successfully identify and manage patients with symptomatic choledocholithiasis with or without biliary pancreatitis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)