Management of biliary and pancreatic diseases using a new intraductal endoscope

We aimed to evaluate a new single-operator mini-endoscope for its performance, feasibility, and safety in the management of biliary and pancreatic diseases.

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 47 patients (19 men; mean age, 50.3 years) who underwent cholangioscopy with the Polydiagnost (Pfaffenhofen, Germany) Polyscope device via various approaches for diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases between January 2011 and July 2012.

Biliary pancreatic duct endoscopy was performed through a cystic duct, common bile duct, peroral, or sinus tract approach in 21, 9, 11, and 6 patients, respectively. Thirty-two cases with bile duct stones were treated by basket extraction or complete stone fragmentation, 3 cases with tumor were treated by tissue ablation, and 4 cases with stricture were treated by stenting. Seven patients who were diagnosed with suspected stones preoperatively were excluded. No complications and morbidity associated with the use of biliary and pancreatic endoscopy was observed in this study.

Cholangioscopy using the Polyscope system is a safe and effective technique for diagnosing or excluding biliary and pancreatic diseases (stone, strictures, or tumor).