Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided gallbladder drainage: actual technical presentations and review of the literature (with videos)

Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) has been developed as an alternative drainage method in patients with acute cholangitis. Here, we describe two successful EUS-GBD cases and review the literature on this topic. EUS-GBD was conducted using a curved linear array echoendoscope and a 19-gauge needle. A 7-Fr double pigtail stent was successfully placed transgastrically in one patient and transduodenally in the other patient, without any serious early adverse events in either patient. No late complications or relapse of acute cholecystitis have been seen during the 3- to 6-month follow-up period. EUS-GBD holds high potential as an alternative gallbladder decompression procedure. However, because current experience is limited, multicenter trials for the accurate evaluation of this procedure appear to be necessary in the near future.