[Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with a single-balloon enteroscope in patients with Roux-en-Y hepatico jejunal anastomosis].

AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate our experience with using a single-balloon enetroscope for diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) in patients with Roux-en-Y hepatico jejunal anastomosis (HJA). Due to the considerably changed anatomic circumstances after the surgery, ERC is, in comparison to the standard endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancraeaticography (ERCP), significantly more difficult to perform.

PATIENT SAMPLE AND METHODOLOGY: The sample was followed up from January 2009 to September 2011. The study retrospectively reviewed 14 patients with Roux-en-Y HJA with symptoms of biliary obstruction. A total of 21 ERCs were performed in these 14 Roux-en-Y HJA patients using the single-balloon videoenetroscope Olympus SIF Q 180.

RESULTS: Diagnostic ERC cannulation was successful in 11 of the 14 patients (79% success rate for the diagnostic ERC). One of the 11 patients had a normal finding on the ERC. The remaining 10 patients had a pathological finding on ERC that, in one patient (cystic dilatation of bile duct), was subsequently managed surgically. Endoscopic treatment was initiated in the remaining 9 patients (HJA stenosis in 4, choledocholithiasis in 2 and concurrent HJA stenosis and choledocholithiasis in 3) immediately after the diagnostic ERC; the surgery was successful in 8 of the 9 patients (89% success rate for the therapeutic ERC). The performed endoscopic therapeutic procedures included: balloon dilatation of HJA stenosis 9 times (6 patients), choledocholithiasis extraction - 5 times (5 patients), biliary plastic stent placement - 5 times (3 patients), removal of biliary stents placed by us - 5 times (3 patients). We did not observe any complications in our sample of 14 patients.

CONCLUSIONS: ERC using a single-balloon enteroscope in patients with Roux-Y HJA is significantly more difficult than the standard ERCP due to different post-surgical anatomy. In our sample of patients, we achieved 79% success rate for the diagnostic ERC and 89% success rate for the therapeutic ERC. Additional time should be allowed for the individual procedures. Furthermore, the presence of an anaesthesiologist during these operations (deep analgosedation) is essential. This is a technically very demanding technique that, however, is effective and safe and importantly extends the options available for the management of biliary pathologies in these patients.