Endoscopic ultrasound-guided injective ablative treatment of pancreatic cystic neoplasms

With the development of cross-sectional imaging modalities and the increasing attention being paid to physical examinations, the prevalence of pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs) has increased. PCNs comprise a broad differential spectrum with some PCNs having low or no malignant potential and others having high malignant potential. The morbidity and mortality rates related to major pancreatic surgical resection are high. Long-term surveillance may not only increase the financial burden and psychological stress for patients but also result in a missed malignancy. Minimally invasive endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided ethanol ablation was first reported in 2005. Several other agents, such as paclitaxel, lauromacrogol, and gemcitabine, were reported to be effective and safe for the treatment of PCNs. These ablative agents are injected through a needle inserted into the cyst via transgastric or transduodenal puncture. This treatment method has been substantially developed in the last 15 years and is regarded as a promising treatment to replace surgical resection for PCNs. While several reviews of EUS-guided ablation have been published, no systematic review has evaluated this method from patient preparation to follow-up in detail. In the present review, we systematically describe EUS-guided injective ablation with regard to the indications, contraindications, preoperative treatment, endoscopic procedure, postoperative care and follow-up, evaluation method, treatment efficiency, safety profile, tips and tricks, and current controversies and perspectives.