Malignant hilar biliary obstruction (MHO), an aggressive perihilar biliary obstruction caused by cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancer, or other metastatic malignancies, has a poor prognosis. Surgical resection is the only curative treatment for biliary malignancies. However, the majority of patients with MHO cannot undergo surgery on presentation because of an advanced inoperable state or a poor performance state due to old age or comorbid diseases. Therefore, palliative biliary drainage is mandatory to improve symptomatic jaundice and the quality of life. Among the drainage methods, endoscopic biliary drainage is the current standard for palliation of unresectable advanced MHO. In addition, combined with endoscopic drainage, additional local ablation therapies, such as photodynamic therapy or radiofrequency ablation (RFA), have been introduced to prolong stent patency and survival. Currently, RFA is commonly used as palliative therapy, even for advanced MHO. This literature review summarizes recent studies on RFA for advanced MHO.

Drainage therapy for malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) includes trans-papillary endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD), percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), and transgastrointestinal endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD). With the development of chemotherapy, many MBO cases end up needing endoscopic reintervention (E-RI) for recurrent biliary obstruction. To achieve a successful E-RI, it is necessary to understand the various findings regarding E-RI in MBO cases reported to date. Therefore, in this review, we focus on E-RI for ERBD of distal MBO, ERBD of hilar MBO, and EUS-BD. To plan an appropriate E-RI strategy for biliary stent occlusion for MBO, the following must be considered on a case-by-case basis: the urgency of the drainage, the cause of the occlusion, the original route of drainage (PTBD/ERBD/EUS-BD), the initial stent used (plastic stent or self-expandable metallic stent), and in the case of self-expandable metallic stents, the type used (fully covered or uncovered). Regardless of the original method of stent placement, if the inflammation caused by obstructive cholangitis is severe and/or the patient is in shock, PTBD should be considered as the first choice. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that in many cases, performing E-RI will be difficult.

The double-guidewire method has been increasingly used in endoscopic procedures for biliary and pancreatic diseases in recent years, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasonography-related procedures. In addition, double-lumen catheters with uneven distal and proximal lumen openings have been introduced, making it possible to easily create a double-guidewire situation, and the usefulness of the double-guidewire technique using uneven double-lumen cannulas has been widely reported. Although the advantages of using two guidewires depend on the particular situation and the appropriate use of the two guidewires, deepening the knowledge of the double-guidewire method will contribute greatly to troubleshooting in daily practice. In this review, the usefulness of the double-guidewire technique is discussed with respect to two main areas: selective insertion of guidewires and devices and biliary cannulation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with its 2 subtypes, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a complex chronic condition. A precise definition of disease activity and appropriate drug management greatly improve the clinical course while minimizing the risk or cost. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used in several medical diseases or situations. Herein, we provide an overview of AI for endoscopy in IBD. We discuss how AI can improve clinical practice and how some components have already begun to shape our knowledge. There may be a time when we can use AI in clinical practice. As AI systems contribute to the exact diagnosis and treatment of human disease, we should continue to learn best practices in health care in the field of IBD.

No abstract available.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatic Neoplasms

An 89-year-old woman presented to the hospital with a chief complaint of fever and hematuria. Computed tomography revealed left hydronephrosis due to bladder cancer, along with common bile duct stones and marked dilation of the bile duct. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochoduodenostomy was attempted, but the common bile duct could not be visualized in close proximity to the duodenum. Instead, due to the gastroduodenal deformity, the common bile duct was in close proximity with the gastric antrum; therefore, the common bile duct was selected for puncture from the gastric antrum using a 19-gauge needle. However, the gastric wall and scope became separated during the dilation maneuver, making it difficult to dilate the fistula using a 6-Fr dilator and a 4-mm-diameter balloon dilation catheter, although it was possible to insert a tapered catheter with a 3.5-Fr tip under a 0.025-inch guidewire into the bile duct. The use of a stiff 0.035-inch guidewire allowed blunt dilation up to 9-Fr with a dilator, while simultaneously maintaining the distance between the gastric wall and the scope. Using this method, a 10-mm-diameter, 12-cm-long, partially covered metal stent was deployed successfully between the common bile duct and the posterior wall of the gastric antrum. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochogastrostomy (EUS-CGS) risks separating the gastrointestinal and biliary tracts during or after the procedure. In this case, the stiff guidewire enabled successful completion of the biliary procedures; thus, this guidewire can be used to safely manage difficult cases of EUS-CGS involving dilation of the fistula and stent deployment.

An 89-year-old woman presented to the hospital with a chief complaint of fever and hematuria. Computed tomography revealed left hydronephrosis due to bladder cancer, along with common bile duct stones and marked dilation of the bile duct. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochoduodenostomy was attempted, but the common bile duct could not be visualized in close proximity to the duodenum. Instead, due to the gastroduodenal deformity, the common bile duct was in close proximity with the gastric antrum; therefore, the common bile duct was selected for puncture from the gastric antrum using a 19-gauge needle. However, the gastric wall and scope became separated during the dilation maneuver, making it difficult to dilate the fistula using a 6-Fr dilator and a 4-mm-diameter balloon dilation catheter, although it was possible to insert a tapered catheter with a 3.5-Fr tip under a 0.025-inch guidewire into the bile duct. The use of a stiff 0.035-inch guidewire allowed blunt dilation up to 9-Fr with a dilator, while simultaneously maintaining the distance between the gastric wall and the scope. Using this method, a 10-mm-diameter, 12-cm-long, partially covered metal stent was deployed successfully between the common bile duct and the posterior wall of the gastric antrum. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochogastrostomy (EUS-CGS) risks separating the gastrointestinal and biliary tracts during or after the procedure. In this case, the stiff guidewire enabled successful completion of the biliary procedures; thus, this guidewire can be used to safely manage difficult cases of EUS-CGS involving dilation of the fistula and stent deployment.

An 89-year-old woman presented to the hospital with a chief complaint of fever and hematuria. Computed tomography revealed left hydronephrosis due to bladder cancer, along with common bile duct stones and marked dilation of the bile duct. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochoduodenostomy was attempted, but the common bile duct could not be visualized in close proximity to the duodenum. Instead, due to the gastroduodenal deformity, the common bile duct was in close proximity with the gastric antrum; therefore, the common bile duct was selected for puncture from the gastric antrum using a 19-gauge needle. However, the gastric wall and scope became separated during the dilation maneuver, making it difficult to dilate the fistula using a 6-Fr dilator and a 4-mm-diameter balloon dilation catheter, although it was possible to insert a tapered catheter with a 3.5-Fr tip under a 0.025-inch guidewire into the bile duct. The use of a stiff 0.035-inch guidewire allowed blunt dilation up to 9-Fr with a dilator, while simultaneously maintaining the distance between the gastric wall and the scope. Using this method, a 10-mm-diameter, 12-cm-long, partially covered metal stent was deployed successfully between the common bile duct and the posterior wall of the gastric antrum. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided choledochogastrostomy (EUS-CGS) risks separating the gastrointestinal and biliary tracts during or after the procedure. In this case, the stiff guidewire enabled successful completion of the biliary procedures; thus, this guidewire can be used to safely manage difficult cases of EUS-CGS involving dilation of the fistula and stent deployment.