Endoscopic (without endoscopic ultrasound guidance) drainage of pancreatic fluid collections

Pancreatic fluid collections (PFC) are common clinical sequelae of acute pancreatitis. Endoscopic treatment is less invasive than traditional surgical approaches for many PFCs while offering comparable safety and efficacy. Therefore, endoscopy is increasingly used as the first-line modality for PFC drainage as new techniques and equipment have evolved. Endoscopic therapy can be achieved using a transmural, with or without the aid of endoscopic ultrasound, or a transpapillary approach. In this article, we will focus on nonendoscopic ultrasound–guided transmural drainage of PFCs including indications, preprocedural assessment, procedural techniques, and postprocedural management.