Published online Jun 10, 2015. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v7.i6.665
Peer-review started: October 8, 2014
First decision: November 14, 2014
Revised: December 19, 2014
Accepted: March 16, 2015
Article in press: March 18, 2015
Published online: June 10, 2015
Processing time: 254 Days and 16.6 Hours
Progress in double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) has allowed for the diagnosis and treatment of disease in the postoperative bowel. For example, a short DBE, which has a 2.8 mm working channel and 152 cm working length, is useful for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in bowel disease patients. However, afferent loop and Roux-limb obstruction, though rare, is caused by postoperative recurrence of biliary tract cancer with intractable complications. Most of the clinical findings involving these complications are relatively nonspecific and include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and obstructive jaundice. Treatments by surgery, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, percutaneous enteral stent insertion, and endoscopic therapy have been reported. The general conditions of patients with these complications are poor due to cancer progression; therefore, a less invasive treatment is better. We report on the usefulness of metallic stent insertion using an overtube for afferent loop and Roux-limb obstruction caused by postoperative recurrence of biliary tract cancer under short DBE in two patients with complexly reconstructed intestines.
Core tip: Malignant afferent loop and Roux-limb obstruction are intractable complications caused by postoperative recurrence of biliary tract cancer. Metallic stent insertion using an overtube under double-balloon endoscopy is a safe and feasible treatment option in such cases.