Endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts or pancreatic abscesses using a therapeutic echo endoscope.

STUDY AIMS: The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new drainage technique for pancreatic pseudocysts or pancreatic abscesses entirely guided by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and using an interventional echo endoscope with a linear curved array transducer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between July 1996 and September 1999, EUS-guided drainage of a pancreatic pseudocyst or pancreatic abscess was carried out in 35 patients (26 men, 9 women; mean age 56.7, range 29-69). The mean size of the 35 pancreatic cysts was 7.8 cm (4-12 cm). Pancreatic pseudocysts were located in the head of the pancreas in two cases, in the body in six cases and in the tail in seven cases. On the other hand, the pancreatic abscesses were located in the tail of the pancreas in 17 cases and in the gastric wall in three cases. The EUS instrument used was the FG 38X endoscope manufactured by Pentax-Hitachi.

RESULTS: No major complication occurred except in one case of a pneumoperitoneum, which was managed medically. Placement of the 7-F nasocystic drain was successful in 18/20 cases of pancreatic abscess. Surgery was performed in the two other patients. Concerning the pancreatic pseudocysts, placement of an 8.5-French stent was successful in 10 patients and of a nasopancreatic drain in five patients. In one case, only a puncture-aspiration was performed. One recurrence among the 15 pancreatic pseudocysts and two relapses of the 18 pancreatic abscesses have been observed, over a mean follow-up of 27 months (6-48 months). EUS-guided drainage was successful in 31/35 patients (88.5%); only four patients with pancreatic abscesses underwent surgery. No bleeding occurred during the time of this study.

CONCLUSION: Internal drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts and abscesses exclusively performed with an echo endoscope is a safe and efficient method which should be evaluated further in larger studies.