Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and stent placement via gastrostomy: technical aspects and clinical application

Abstract

Significant advances in the field of enteral nutrition (1), combined with technical advances in percutaneous access, have increased the indications for, and safety of, enteral alimentation (2). A mature gastrostomy stoma not only provides access to the gastrointestinal lumen for nutrition, but in selected cases, provides access for the diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopist. In 1971, Wiendl first reported diagnostic fiberoptic stomal endoscopy (3). This has since been followed by reports of diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (4), and more recently, the first case of therapeutic ERCP by Gray et al. (5). We report here on the second case of therapeutic ERCP in a patient with metastatic squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck, with liver metastasis. We discuss the technical aspects, indications, and future of therapeutic stomal endoscopy.