Primary endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy for biliary drainage prior to pancreatoduodenectomy: a retrospective study in Japan.

BACKGROUND

Malignant lesions of the pancreatic head can cause obstructive jaundice requiring biliary drainage. However, the effect of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis and metal stents on surgical resection remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of primary endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) performed prior to pancreatoduodenectomy, excluding patients with biliary duct cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy at our institution between January 2019 and December 2022. The patients were divided into three groups: without biliary drainage (n=130), endoscopic biliary stenting (EBS) (n=57), and primary EUS-HGS (n=20).

RESULTS

The positivity rate of the intraoperative bile juice culture was significantly higher in the EBS group (p<0.001). No significant difference was observed among the groups in terms of postoperative adverse events (Clavien-Dindo grade 3 or higher, p=0.784) or the positive rate of peritoneal lavage cytology (p=0.984). Seven patients in the EBS group (12.3%) experienced early adverse events related to biliary drainage (post-ERCP pancreatitis, n=3; acute cholecystitis, n=3; bile duct perforation, n=1), whereas none in the EUS-HGS group experienced adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary EUS-HGS is technically feasible as a preoperative procedure and has no short-term postoperative disadvantages.