Backgrounds: Stent migration following endoscopic ultrasonography-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) may sometimes be fatal because there are no adhesions between the biliary tract and stomach. To prevent stent migration and minimize the stent length in the abdominal cavity, we recently performed EUS-HGS using the technique of releasing the stent within the scope channel.
Aims: To examine the technical feasibility of the intra-scope channel stent release technique.
Methods: Forty-one consecutive patients who underwent EUS-HGS were enrolled. Between October 2015 and December 2015, EUS-HGS was performed using the extra-scope channel release technique, while the intra-scope channel release technique was performed between January 2016 and March 2016.
Results: The distance between the hepatic parenchyma and the stomach wall after EUS-HGS in the intra-scope channel stent release group was significantly shorter than that in the extra-scope channel release group (0.66 ± 1.25 vs 2.52 ± 0.97, P < 0.05). Adverse events, such as biloma or stent migration, were seen in only the extra-scope channel release group.
Conclusion: In conclusion, although additional cases and randomized controlled studies using metal stents of various lengths are needed, our technique is likely to be clinically useful for the prevention of early and late stent migration.
Keywords: Biliary drainage; EUS; EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy; Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage; Stent migration.