Cost-Effectiveness in Alternative Treatment Options for Pancreatic Pseudocysts

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)

Background:

• Pancreatic pseudocysts are complications of pancreatitis requiring management.
• Traditional surgical drainage is invasive; modern techniques are efficient but costly.

Observation:

• Four patients with pancreatic pseudocysts underwent EUS-guided transgastric drainage with plastic stents and a nasocystic catheter lavage protocol.
• This approach was investigated for its cost-effectiveness compared to lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMSs).

Findings:

• All four patients achieved successful outcomes with no pseudocyst recurrence or significant long-term complications at 6-month follow-up.
• One acute complication (arterial bleeding) and one late complication (stent migration) were noted.
• The plastic stent method demonstrated significant cost advantages over LAMSs.

Implications:

• EUS-guided drainage with plastic stents offers a cost-effective and effective alternative for managing pancreatic pseudocysts.
• This approach may improve accessibility to advanced treatments in resource-limited settings.