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Abstract
In cases where the papilla of Vater is unreachable because of pyloric/duodenal stenosis, or a catheter cannot be introduced into the papilla, or with recurrent tumor growth, or after previous gastrointestinal surgery, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD) is considered to be the therapeutic alternative in cholestasis. The purpose of this report was to demonstrate that endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transesophageal cholangiodrainage is a feasible alternative in patients who decline to undergo PTCD. A 67-year-old female patient with recurrent tumor growth at the hepaticojejunostomy 17 months after a formerly resected cholangiocarcinoma (pT3, pN0 (0/2), M0, G2, R0; extended right hemihepatectomy), cholangitis, and peritoneal carcinomatosis underwent an EUS-guided transesophageal procedure to obtain cholangiodrainage by (i) puncture of a branch of the biliary tree at the left hepatic site, (ii) insertion of a guide wire into the bile duct and the anastomosed jejunum using the rendezvous technique with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)/conventional endoscopy, (iii) transesophagohepatic placement of an 8.5-Fr. double pigtail catheter, and (iv) transhepatic placement of a Wallstent through the jejunal stenosis, resulting in complete alleviation of the biliary and jejunal obstruction. There were no severe complications such as perforation or bleeding and no stent occlusion within the patient's lifetime of more than 3 months. Death was related to progressive tumor growth. EUS-guided transesophageal cholangiodrainage, here described in combination with Wallstent placement, is a reasonable, feasible, and encouraging treatment alternative in selected patients where conventional ERCP or PTCD is not an option.