Post-ERCP pancreatitis after self-expanding metal stent placement in patients with pancreatic versus non-pancreatic malignant biliary obstruction.

BACKGROUND

Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) are recommended for the endoscopic palliation of distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO). Placement of SEMS during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been associated with an increased risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP).

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to evaluate rates of PEP in patients who underwent SEMS placement for pancreatic versus non-pancreatic malignancy.

DESIGN

Retrospective Cohort Study.

METHODS

Patients who underwent SEMS placement for DMBO between June 2017 and May 2021 were identified retrospectively from a procedural billing database. PEP incidence was compared between pancreatic and non-pancreatic DMBO groups and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for PEP.

RESULTS

A total of 488 individuals were identified, with 395 (80.9%) cases of DMBO due to pancreatic and 93 (19.1%) due to non-pancreatic malignancy. Stent types included 124 (25.4%) fully covered (FCSEMS) and 364 (74.6%) uncovered metal stents (UCSEMS). The overall rate of PEP in the cohort was 6.3% with no significant difference between pancreatic and non-pancreatic etiologies (6.1% vs 7.5%, p = 0.606). When adjusted for age <50 years old, female sex, and pancreatic stent placement, a non-pancreatic malignancy was not associated with an increased risk of PEP (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.36-2.15).

CONCLUSION

No statistically significant difference in PEP rates was seen after biliary sphincterotomy and SEMS placement for palliation of DMBO in patients with pancreatic versus non-pancreatic malignancies.