As fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures gain popularity, the associated health threats from radiation exposure to interventionalists during these procedures are increasing. Therefore, an understanding of the potential risks of radiation and careful consideration on minimizing exposure to radiation during the procedures are of paramount importance. The Korean Pancreatobiliary Association has developed a clinical practice guideline to minimize radiation exposure during fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures. This guideline provides recommendations to deal with the risk of radiation exposure to interventionalists who perform fluoroscopy-guided procedures, and emphasizes the importance of proper and practical approaches to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that requires significant experiences and skills and has various procedure-related complications, some of which can be severe and even result in the death of patients. Expanding ERCP availability has the advantage of increasing accessibility for patients. However, ERCP poses a substantial risk if performed without proper quality management. ERCP quality management is essential for both ensuring safe and successful procedures and meeting the social demands for enhanced healthcare competitiveness and quality assurance. To address these concerns, the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association established a task force to develop ERCP quality indicators (QIs) tailored to the Korean medical environment. Key questions for five pre-procedure, three intra-procedure, and four post-procedure measures were formulated based on a literature search related to ERCP QIs and a comprehensive clinical review conducted by experts. The statements and recommendations regarding each QI item were selected through peer review. The developed ERCP QIs were reviewed by external experts based on the latest available evidence at the time of development.These domestically tailored ERCP QIs are expected to contribute considerably to improving ERCP quality in Korea.

Background/Aims: Peroral cholangioscopy (POC) has been used to assess intrahepatic duct (IHD) lesions but with a limited role. A new multibending (MB) ultraslim endoscope has been designed to improve POC performance. We evaluated the usefulness of POC using the MB ultraslim endoscope for the management of IHD lesions. Methods: Between March 2017 and March 2020, 22 patients underwent direct POC using the MB ultraslim endoscope for IHD lesions documented by previous imaging or cholangiopancreatography. The primary outcome was technical success of POC, and secondary outcomes were technical success of POC-guided interventions, median procedure time, and POC-related adverse events. Results: The technical success rate for POC using the MB ultraslim endoscope for IHD lesions was 95.5% (21/22). Free-hand insertion was successful in 95.2% (20/21). The overall technical success rate for POC-guided intervention was 100% (21/21), including nine diagnostic and 12 therapeutic procedures (eight direct stone removal and four intraductal lithotripsies). The median procedure time was 29 minutes (range, 9 to 79 minutes). There were no procedure-related adverse events. Conclusions Direct POC using the MB ultraslim endoscope allows direct visualization of IHD lesions and may be useful for diagnosis and therapeutic management in selected patients.

As fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures gain popularity, the associated health threats from radiation exposure to interventionalists during these procedures are increasing. Therefore, an understanding of the potential risks of radiation and careful consideration on minimizing exposure to radiation during the procedures are of paramount importance. The Korean Pancreatobiliary Association has developed a clinical practice guideline to minimize radiation exposure during fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures. This guideline provides recommendations to deal with the risk of radiation exposure to interventionalists who perform fluoroscopy-guided procedures, and emphasizes the importance of proper and practical approaches to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.

As fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures gain popularity, the associated health threats from radiation exposure to interventionalists during these procedures are increasing. Therefore, an understanding of the potential risks of radiation and careful consideration on minimizing exposure to radiation during the procedures are of paramount importance. The Korean Pancreatobiliary Association has developed a clinical practice guideline to minimize radiation exposure during fluoroscopy-guided interventional procedures. This guideline provides recommendations to deal with the risk of radiation exposure to interventionalists who perform fluoroscopy-guided procedures, and emphasizes the importance of proper and practical approaches to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.