Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided pancreatic cyst ablation (with video)

Pancreatic cystic lesions are being diagnosed with increasing frequency owing to the widespread use of cross-sectional imaging. Although most pancreatic cysts are detected incidentally, they represent a wide spectrum of histopathology, and neoplastic cysts appear to be more prevalent than previously estimated. Some histologic types have malignant potential. Considering the perioperative morbidity associated with surgical resection, deciding whether to operate or observe an indeterminate pancreatic cyst is challenging, and there is a strong clinical need to develop a minimally invasive approach. EUS-guided pancreatic cyst ablation has been investigated in several clinical trials, and may represent a viable alternative to surgical resection.