Published online Mar 25, 2016. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v8.i6.310
Peer-review started: November 25, 2015
First decision: December 22, 2015
Revised: January 2, 2016
Accepted: January 29, 2016
Article in press: January 31, 2016
Published online: March 25, 2016
Processing time: 118 Days and 21.4 Hours
AIM: To perform a systematic review comparing the outcomes of endoscopic, percutaneous and surgical pancreatic pseudocyst drainage.
METHODS: Comparative studies published between January 1980 and May 2014 were identified on PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane controlled trials register and assessed for suitability of inclusion. The primary outcome was the treatment success rate. Secondary outcomes included were the recurrence rates, re-interventions, length of hospital stay, adverse events and mortalities.
RESULTS: Ten comparative studies were identified and 3 were randomized controlled trials. Four studies reported on the outcomes of percutaneous and surgical drainage. Based on a large-scale national study, surgical drainage appeared to reduce mortality and adverse events rate as compared to the percutaneous approach. Three studies reported on the outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and surgical drainage. Clinical success and adverse events rates appeared to be comparable but the EUS approach reduced hospital stay, cost and improved quality of life. Three other studies compared EUS and esophagogastroduodenoscopy-guided drainage. Both approaches were feasible for pseudocyst drainage but the success rate of the EUS approach was better for non-bulging cyst and the approach conferred additional safety benefits.
CONCLUSION: EUS-guided drainage appeared to be advantageous in drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts located adjacent to the stomach or duodenum. In patients with unfavorable anatomy, surgical cystojejunostomy or percutaneous drainage could be considered. Large randomized studies with current definitions of pseudocysts and longer-term follow-up are needed to assess the efficacy of the various modalities.
Core tip: Pancreatic pseudocysts are traditionally managed by open surgical internal drainage. With continued improvements in medical technology, the uses of percutaneous, endoscopic and laparoscopic drainage were increasingly reported. Nevertheless, trials comparing these different approaches are lacking. In this systematic review, endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage appeared to be advantageous in drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts located adjacent to the stomach or duodenum. In patients with unfavorable anatomy, surgical cystojejunostomy or percutaneous drainage could be considered. Large randomized studies with current definitions of pseudocysts and longer-term follow-up are needed to assess the efficacy of the various modalities.