Management of pancreatic collections with a novel endoscopically placed fully covered self-expandable metal stent: a national experience (with videos)

Background: Recent medical literature on novel lumen-apposing stents for the treatment of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs) is limited by small numbers, solo operators, and single-center experience.

Objective: To evaluate a recently developed lumen-apposing, fully covered self-expandable metal stent (FCSEMS) in the management of PFCs.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Thirteen tertiary and private health care centers across Australia.

Patients: Forty-seven patients (median age 51 years) who underwent endoscopic management of PFCs.

Intervention: Insertion of FCSEMS after PFC puncture under EUS guidance. A subgroup of 9 patients underwent direct endoscopic necrosectomy.

Main outcome measurements: Technical and clinical success rate, adverse event rate.

Results: The technical success rate was 53 of 54 patients (98.1%), and the initial clinical success rate was 36 of 47 (76.6%), which was sustained for more than 6 months in 34 of 36 (94.4%). Early adverse events included 4 cases (7.4%) of stent migration during direct endoscopic necrosectomy, 4 cases (7.4%) of sepsis, 1 case (1.9%) of bleeding, and 1 case (1.9%) of stent migration into the fistula tract. Late adverse events were 6 (11.1%) spontaneous stent migrations, 3 (5.6%) recurrent stent occlusions, 3 (5.6%) tissue ingrowth/overgrowth, and 2 (3.7%) bleeding into PFC. The majority of stents inserted (48 of 54, 88.9%) and removed (31 of 35, 88.6%) in our study were described by the operator as superior to pigtail stents with regard to ease of use.

Limitations: Retrospective study.

Conclusion: Although FCSEMSs are technically easier to insert and remove compared with traditional pigtail stents, there are significant limitations to the widespread use of FCSEMSs in the management of PFCs. These include cost, adverse events, and lower-than-expected resolution rates.