Endoscopic ultrasound gallbladder drainage: Patient selection, preparation, and performance

Acute cholecystitis is a common cause of hospital admissions and can result in critically ill patients. For those patients not amenable to cholecystectomy, endoscopic drainage via transpapillary cystic duct stenting or transmural drainage offers a temporizing method for urgent gallbladder decompression. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and the development of novel lumen apposing metal stents can allow for more permanent drainage with comparable outcomes to percutaneous transhepatic catheters. The merits of this approach including the technical and clinical advantages of EUS-guided drainage are discussed further in this review article.