Can endoscopic ultrasound help to drain the gallbladder?

Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) is a less invasive standard procedure to decompress the inflamed gallbladder in patients who are at high risk for emergency cholecystectomy. Recently, endoscopic ultrasonography-guided transmural gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) has been proposed as an alternative effective treatment modality for the management of acute cholecystitis in high-risk patients. EUS-GBD includes EUS-guided nasogallbladder drainage, gallbladder aspiration, and gallbladder stenting via a transmural endoscopic approach. Several investigators have reported high technical success with acceptable complication rates. Further prospective evaluation of the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of EUS-GBD will help identify the most suitable indications for this procedure. This article is a detailed review of the use of EUS for gallbladder drainage, with an emphasis on its technical aspects.