PROceeding With Advanced Techniques in Case of Distal Malignant Biliary Obstruction and Difficult Biliary Cannulation comparEd With Therapeutic-EUS: the PROMETHEUS Trial

Overview

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) stands as the primary approach for addressing jaundice in individuals with distal malignant biliary obstruction. A premise element in achieving success during therapeutic ERCP is selective biliary cannulation (SBC). Nevertheless, SBC doesn't consistently yield favorable outcomes, even among expert endoscopists, failing in around 25% to 50% of cases with standard ERCP approach (sphincterotome and guidewire). In such situations, depending on the endoscopist's experience and preference, various advanced techniques come into play. These encompass the double guidewire cannulation approach, needle-knife precut papillotomy or fistulotomy, and transpancreatic sphincterotomy, serving as potential rescue methods. In recent times, the EUS-guided approach has been gaining increasing significance. Initially, it was viewed as a rescue option in cases where advanced ERCP techniques failed (5-15% of cases). More recently, it has proved its feasibility as a first line alternative to ERCP in scenarios involving malignant biliary obstruction.

Rationale of the study Patients with distal malignant biliary obstruction have a higher risk of ERCP failure, related to the difficulty of bile duct cannulation. These patients after standard ERCP strategies failure, undergo advanced ERCP rescue strategies and in case of failure to EUS guided biliary drainage. HoweverEUS guided biliary drainage performed following the attempted advanced ERCP strategies, it may carry the risk of adverse events of advance ERCP strategies. We hypothesize that, in this setting of patients, early EUS guided biliary drainage in case of difficult biliary cannulation has a lower risk of post-procedural adverse events, as well as better overall safety and efficacy profiles. This could imply better outcomes such as for those patients who are planned to receive a chemotherapy before surgery in which a complication, such as acute pancreatitis, could delay the treatment.