EUS-Guided Gastroenterostomy for Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction: Morphological Classification to Prevent Stent Misdeployment.

OBJECTIVE

Stent misdeployment is the most critical adverse event (AE) during endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE). This study aimed to identify predictors of misdeployment in EUS-GE for malignant gastric outlet obstruction (mGOO).

METHODS

This multicenter observational study utilized a prospectively maintained registry of consecutive patients undergoing EUS-GE for mGOO at 13 tertiary centers in Taiwan, with mixed retrospective-prospective assessment of fluoroscopic morphology (FM) of the gastrointestinal tract near the ligament of Treitz (four types) and EUS morphology (EM) of the target bowel (three types). The primary outcome was the misdeployment. Multivariable analysis identified predictors of misdeployment and survival.

RESULTS

Between July 2020 and June 2025, 165 patients were enrolled. Technical and clinical success rates were 98.2% and 95.2%, respectively. Overall AE rate and misdeployment rates were 7.3% and 4.8%, respectively. Same-session endoscopic salvage succeeded in 87.5% of misdeployment cases. EM type C (cross-sectional bowel view) carried the highest misdeployment risk (33%) and was the sole independent predictor (adjusted odds ratio 16.9; p = 0.001). FM provided essential complementary risk stratification; FM type II was more common among misdeployment cases (25.0% vs. 3.8%; p = 0.030). Implementation of a stepwise strategy in 2023-prioritizing EM type A/B, avoiding type C, and minimizing stomach-bowel distance-resulted in zero misdeployment. Independent predictors of poor survival included pancreatic cancer, malnutrition, poor performance status, ascites, metastasis, and misdeployment.

CONCLUSION

Stent misdeployment is a significant complication adversely impacting survival. Utilizing integrated EM and FM risk stratification within a stepwise strategy can minimize misdeployment and optimize clinical outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT07230665.