Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided drainage is an effective and relatively safe treatment for peripancreatic fluid collections in a cohort of 108 symptomatic patients.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Endoscopic drainage [i.e. conventional, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-assisted, or EUS-guided] is an accepted treatment modality for symptomatic peripancreatic fluid collections (PFC), but data on the efficacy and safety of EUS-guided drainage performed in a large patient cohort are not widely available. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical success and complication rate of EUS-guided drainage of PFCs and to identify prognostic factors for complications and recurrence of PFCs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out of consecutive patients undergoing EUS-guided drainage of a symptomatic PFC in the period 2004-2011. Technical success was defined as the ability to enter and drain a PFC by the placement of one or more double-pigtail stents, whereas clinical success was defined as complete resolution of a PFC on follow-up computed tomography.

RESULTS: In total, 108 patients [56% men, mean age 55 (SD 14) years], underwent EUS-guided drainage of a symptomatic PFC. The procedure was technically successful in 105/108 (97%) patients and a median of 2 (range 1-3) pigtail stents were placed. Clinical success was observed in 87/104 (84%) patients after a median follow-up of 53 (interquartile range 21-130) weeks, whereas PFC recurrence was noted in 15/83 (18%) patients. Complications occurred in 21/105 (20%) patients and procedure-related mortality was not observed. Prognostic factors for complications and recurrence of PFCs could not be identified.

CONCLUSION: EUS-guided drainage of PFCs is effective in the majority of patients. Although the complication rate of the procedure is not negligible (20%), they could be managed in almost all patients by conservative and/or endoscopic means and did not result in mortality.