EUS-Guided Gallbladder Drainage To The Rescue In A Patient That Recovered From Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly affected every country and overwhelmed many healthcare systems. Intensive care treatment may be needed for extended durations. Patients experience consequences of respiratory illness and post-intensive care illness (1,2).

Endoscopic procedures, such as endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder transmural drainage, can reduce surgical interventions, intensive-care admissions, and long-term complications (3).

EUS-guided gallbladder drainage is efficient and safe, with a low rate of adverse events.

A 54-year-old man, recently recovered from severe COVID-19+ pneumonia and still judged unfit for futhher intubation, was treated by EUS-guided gallbladder drainage for severe acute cholecistytis by a 10x15-mm electrocautery-enhanced lumen-apposing stent.

Fig. 1 Endoscopic ultrasound imaging showing acute cholecystitis.

Fig. 2 Lung CT-scan showing findings related to COVID-19: areas of bilateral ground-glass pattern associated with consolidation in the posterior parts of the lower lobes.

Fig. 3 Lung CT-scan:after 8 weeks residual fibrotic streaks and bronchiectasis in area of previous parenchimal consolidation are still evident.

Fig. 4 Internal flange of the lumen apposing metal stent in the gastric antrum.

Citation Armellini E, Rubertà F, Pezzoli I et al. eP425V EUS-GUIDED GALLBLADDER DRAINAGE TO THE RESCUE IN A PATIENT THAT RECOVERED FROM COVID-19. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S235.

Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021