Covered Versus Uncovered Metal Stents for the Drainage of the Malignant Distal Biliary Obstruction With ERCP: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction And Aim: Unresectable malignant distal biliary obstruction is a condition that should be treated with drainage and clearance of the biliary duct. self-expanded metal stents (SEMS) are known to be better and more effective than plastic stents because the patency is longer. The actual evidence is insufficient to recommend if it is better the use of SEMSu over SEMSc or vice versa for the drainage of the malignant distal biliary obstruction during ERCP.

Intracystic Glucose Levels Appear Useful for Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cystic Lesions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the pancreatic cystic fluid is the most important biomarker for differentiating mucinous from non-mucinous pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs). However, recent studies have shown that glucose levels in pancreatic cystic fluid can discriminate mucinous from non-mucinous cysts.

Aims: To perform a meta-analysis to determine the utility of intracystic fluid glucose of pancreatic mucinous cysts compared with intracystic CEA.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided, through-the-needle forceps biopsy for diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions: a systematic review.

Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCL), are a heterogeneous group of cystic lesions. Some patients with PCLs have a significantly higher overall risk of pancreatic cancer and the only test that can differentiate benign and malignnat PCL is fine-needle aspiration plus cytological analysis, but its sensitivity is very low. Through-the-needle direct intracystic biopsy is a technique that allows acquisition of targeted tissue from PCLs and it may improve the diagnostic yield for them.