Single-balloon Enteroscopy Effectively Enables Diagnostic and Therapeutic Retrograde Cholangiography in Patients with Surgically Altered Anatomy

Background: In patients with surgically altered anatomy, ERCP is often unsuccessful. Single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) enables deep intubation of the small bowel, permitting diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP in this subset of patients.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of SBE in performing endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) in patients with surgically altered anatomy.

Design: Case series.

Setting: Large quaternary-care center.

Patients: Thirteen patients (11 women) underwent 16 SBE procedures with ERCP. Patient anatomy consisted of Whipple (n = 3), hepaticojejunostomy (n = 3), Billroth II (n = 1), and Roux-en-Y (n = 9).

Interventions: Patients with surgically altered anatomy in whom standard ERCP techniques had failed or were not possible underwent ERC by using SBE with initial therapeutic intent.

Main Outcome Measurements: Success rates of diagnostic ERC and therapeutic ERC in those patients who required biliary intervention. Procedure-related complications were also assessed.

Results: Diagnostic ERC was successful 12 (92.3%) of 13 patients and in 13 (81.3%) of 16 cases. Therapeutic ERC was required in 10 patients in whom diagnostic ERC was first accomplished, and therapeutic ERC was successful in 9 (90%) of 10 patients. Biliary interventions included balloon dilation (n = 4), stone extraction (n = 2), sphincterotomy (n = 4), removal of a surgically placed stent (n = 3), and stenting (n = 2). Two patients developed pancreatitis after therapeutic ERC. Median follow-up was 53 days (range 22-522 days). Overall procedural success in an intent-to-treat analysis by case was 75%.

Limitation: Single-center experience.

Conclusion: SBE enables diagnostic and therapeutic ERC in most patients with altered anatomy. SBE-assisted therapeutic ERC may be associated with an increased risk of pancreatitis. Improvement of the available equipment is necessary to perform more efficient and effective biliary interventions.