Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage for acute cholecystitis

With technological advances in endoscopic ultrasonography, endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) was introduced as a treatment option for acute cholecystitis. Recently, new studies have emerged, suggesting that EUS-GBD has a lower adverse event rate and reintervention rate, when compared to percutaneous drainage and endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage. There is growing interest in the different technical aspects of EUS-GBD, such as the puncture approach, choice of stents, and long-term management. There are also cohorts on performing EUS-GBD in potential surgical candidates. This review article gathers the latest evidence on EUS-GBD, including its indications, procedural techniques, choice of equipment, outcomes, postprocedural care, and the controversial extended indications.