Endoscopic ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation of pancreatic cystic neoplasia

Abstract

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation/lavage of pancreatic cystic neoplasia is a new method of local ablative treatment, when highly concentrated ethylalcohol is injected into the cyst. The principle of the method is the chemical lysis of neo-plastic cells in inner lining of the cyst with subsequent regression of cystic neoplasia. Recently, the method has been used mostly in clinical trials, that have confirmed efficacy in 33-79%. The authors present a video-case report of an older patient with significant comorbidities and pancreatic cystic neoplasia, that was treated by ethanol ablation. The authors discuss hitherto published papers dealing with EUS-guided ethanol ablation of pancreatic cysts, especially the efficacy and safety of the method.