Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography is the most appropriate technique for treating common bile duct and pancreatic duct stenosis secondary to benign and malignant diseases. Even if the procedure is performed by skillful endoscopist, there are patients in whom endoscopic stent placement is not possible. Common causes of failure include complex peri-papillary diverticula, prior surgery procedures, tumor involvement of the papilla, biliary sphincter stenosis, and impacted stones. Percutaneous trans-hepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and surgical intervention carry morbidity and mortality. Recently endoscopic ultrasonography-guided biliary drainage has been reported as an alternative technique. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided biliary drainage using either direct access or a rendezvous technique has attracted attention as an alternative procedure to PTBD, with a technical success between 75%-100% and with low complication rate. We have reviewed published data on EUS guided biliary drainage procedures with the aim of summarizing the efficacy and safety of this promising method.

• Interventional endoscopic ultrasonography
• Endoscopic ultrasonography drainage
• Biliary drainage
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biliary drainage has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to percutaneous and surgical interventions for patients with biliary obstruction who had failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). EUS-guided biliary drainage has become feasible due to the development of large channel curvilinear therapeutic echo-endoscopes and the use of real-time ultrasound and fluoroscopy imaging in addition to standard ERCP devices and techniques. EUS-guided biliary drainage is an attractive option because of its minimally invasive, single step procedure which provides internal biliary decompression. Multiple investigators have reported high success and low complication rates. Unfortunately, high quality prospective data are still lacking. We provide detailed review of the use of EUS for biliary drainage from the perspective of practicing endoscopists with specific focus on the technical aspects of the procedure.

• Bile duct
• Biliary obstruction
• Biliary drainage
• Endoscopic ultrasound
• Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage