Background: The therapeutic role of EUS is evolving. We report our experience with EUS-guided transesophageal, transgastric, and transcolonic drainage of various intra-abdominal fluid collections.
Objective: To determine the technical feasibility and clinical outcomes of EUS-guided drainage.
Design: Prospective case series.
Setting: Academic tertiary referral center.
Patients: Patients referred for endoscopic drainage of intra-abdominal fluid collections; pancreatic pseudocysts amenable to conventional transgastric or transduodenal drainage were excluded.
Interventions: Single-step EUS-guided drainage of fluid collections by using a therapeutic linear-array echoendoscope with fluoroscopic guidance.
Main outcome measurements: Technical success, relief of symptoms, and procedural complications.
Results: Nine consecutive patients deemed appropriate for EUS-guided drainage of intra-abdominal fluid collections included transesophageal drainage of pseudocysts (n = 2), transgastric drainage of biloma (n = 2) and upper intra-abdominal abscesses (n = 2), transcolonic drainage of diverticular abscess (n = 1), Crohn's abscess (n = 1), and postoperative hematoma (n = 1). Endoscopic drainage was successful in all patients. Confirmation of complete resolution of the target fluid collection and symptom relief was achieved in 8 (89%) of 9 patients. Pneumothorax and mediastinitis developed in 1 patient after transesophageal drainage, which resolved with chest tube and medical therapy. During multiple stent placement, one of the stents was fully deployed into the abscess cavity in 2 patients; both were successfully retrieved either endoscopically (Crohn's abscess) or at the time of primary colonic resection (diverticular abscess).
Limitation: Limited number of patients.
Conclusions: EUS-guided transenteric drainage of bilomas, hematomas, abscesses, and inflammatory fluid collections is technically feasible and generally results in complete drainage and symptom relief. Procedural complications may be minimized with more experience.