Response:

We thank Dr Frazzoni et  al1 for their comments on our article.2 The majority of published studies on EUS-guided biliary drainage included patients with previously failed ERCPs who had locally advanced or metastatic disease. In the present study, we included all patients with pancreatic cancer, both operable and inoperabl e. Because the rate of procedure-related adverse events in this patient subset is unknown, we powered the study to demonstrate a difference of around 25%. Our study cohort comprised patients who had not previously undergone instrumentation, in whom the mean common bile duct diameter was modest at 12 .9 mm, and of whom 15% underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Source: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy - Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research