Background and study aims Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transmural (TM) deployment of lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) is considered relatively safe in non-cirrhotic patients and is cautiously offered to cirrhotic patients.

Patients and methods This was a retrospective, multicenter, international matched case-control study to study the safety of EUS-guided TM deployment of LAMS in cirrhotic patients.

Results Forty-three cirrhotic patients with model for end-stage liver disease score 12.5 ± 5, with 23 having ascites and 16 with varices underwent EUS-guided TM LAMS deployment, including 19 for pancreatic fluid collection (PFC) drainage, 13 gallbladder drainage, six for endoscopic ultrasound-directed transgastric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), three for EDGI, one for endoscopic ultrasound-directed transenteric ERCP, and one postsurgical collection drainage. Technical failure occurred in one LAMS for PFC drainage. Clinical failure was encountered in another PFC. Nine adverse events (AEs) occurred. The most common AE was LAMS migration (3), followed by non-bleeding mucosal erosion (2), delayed bleeding (2), sepsis (1), and anesthesia-related complication (pulseless electrical activity) (1). Most AEs were graded as mild (6), followed by severe (2), and moderate (1); the majority were managed conservatively. On univariable comparison, risk of AE was higher when using a 20 × 10 mm LAMS and the absence of through-the-LAMS plastic stent(s). Conditional logistic regression of matched case-control patients did not show any association between potential predicting factors and occurrence of AEs.

Conclusions Our study demonstrated that mainly in patients with Child-Pugh scores A and B cirrhosis and despite the presence of mild-to-moderate ascites in over half of cases, the majority of AEs were mild and could be managed conservatively. Further studies are warranted to verify the safety of LAMS in cirrhotic patients.

Received: 13 November 2023

Accepted after revision: 16 April 2024

Article published online:
06 June 2024

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