Emergency digital cholangioscopy-assisted electrohydraulic lithotripsy for basket impaction with an entrapped bile duct stone

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-induced complications, once occurred, can lead to significant morbidity. Commonly 5% to 10% of patients experience procedure related complications such as post-ERCP pancreatitis, biliary hemorrhage, and cholangitis, in descending order. However, complications such as perforation, pneumothorax, air embolism, splenic injury, and basket impaction are rare but are associated with high mortality if occurred. Such unexpected unusual complications might extend the length of hospitalization, require urgent surgical intervention, and put the patient in miserable condition leading to permanent disability or mortality. Although these ERCP-induced complications can be minimized by a skilled operator using advanced techniques and devices, the occurrence of unusual complications are hard to expect and induce very difficult management condition. In this review, we will focus on the uncommon complications related to ERCP. This review is also aimed at suggesting optimal endoscopic treatment strategies for several complications based on our institutional experiences.

Background Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is now the exclusive endoscopic therapeutic modality for biliary as well as pancreatic diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate patient- and procedure-related risk factors for post-ERCP complications in a large-scale study of procedures performed by a single experienced endoscopist. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study which included a total of 2,715 therapeutic ERCPs enrolled in the final analysis. Potential important patient- and procedure-related risk factors for overall post-ERCP complications, pancreatitis and post-endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) bleeding were investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Following the first therapeutic ERCP, 327 patients suffered complications; pancreatitis was observed in 132 (4.9%) patients, hemorrhage in 122 (4.5%) patients, cholangitis in 63 (2.3%) patients, perforation in 3 (0.11%) patients, and basket impaction in 7 (0.26%) patients. History of acute pancreatitis was more common in patients with post-ERCP complications (P<0.001). Female gender, young age (<40 years), periampullary diverticulum, suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, metal stent placement, opacification of main pancreatic duct and suprapapillary fistulotomy were not found to be risk factors for overall post-ERCP complications and post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). Multivariate analysis showed a history of acute pancreatitis, difficult cannulation, needle-knife papillotomy, transpancreatic sphincterotomy, opacification of first and second class pancreatic ductules and acinarization as independent risk factors for overall complications and PEP, whereas antiplatelet and anticoagulation drug use were not found to be independent risk factors for post-ES bleeding. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that the endoscopist’s experience reduces patient- and procedure-related risk factors for post-ERCP complications.

The treatments for common bile duct (CBD) stones are being continually developed. Impaction of the lithotripsy basket during endoscopic removal of CBD stones was seen in 5.9% patients. We report the case of a 66-year-old woman who underwent surgery for the removal of an impacted biliary basket. She was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of right upper abdominal pain. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed a CBD stone (20 mm x 15 mm). We diagnosed her with choledocholithiasis and performed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to remove the stone. However, unfortunately, the retrievable basket around the stone became impacted. An endotriptor along with forceps could not be used owing to the entrapment of the basket, and thus we performed urgent surgery. The basket containing the stone was removed through a longitudinal choledochotomy. The wires leading to the basket were cut, and the basket containing the stone was removed via the incision. A T-tube was inserted, and the choledochotomy was closed. The postoperative course was uneventful. In conclusion, if the diameter of a CBD stone is more than 20 mm, then the risk of basket impaction increases, and surgery may be necessary as the initial treatment of the CBD stone.