USEFULNESS OF WIRE-GUIDED ULTRASONIC PROBE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF SILIARY AND PANCREATIC DISEASES

Abstract

To improve the maneuverability and safety of ultrasonic probes for intraductal ultrasono-graphy in biliary and pancreatic diseases, we designed a new wire-guided ultrasonic probe(XUM-G20…29R)in corporation with Olympus Corp. Ltd. and assessed its usefulness in compari-son with those of ordinary type probes. To assess the maneuverability and safety of the newprobe compared with those of the ordinary ones, the following factors were evaluated:(1)therate of successful insertion into the target ducts, (2)the rate of passage through stenosis causedby bile duct cancer, (3)elevation of the serum amylase level after-DUS, and(4)complications.In the group which underwent-DUS with the new probe(Guidwire group), the successful rateof insertion into the bile duct and the pancreatic duct was 100%in each, and 86%and 96%, respectively, in the group which underwent-DUS with the ordinary probes(Ordinary group).The rate of passage through stenosis in bile duct cancer patients was better in the Guidwiregroup than in the Ordinary group with statistical significance.The elevation of the serumamylase was not different between the two groups. No serious complications occured amongthe two groups;however, acute pancreatitis was seen in 5.3%of the Guidwire group and 4.1%of the Ordinary group. This new probe is considered to be useful for IDUS because of itsimproved maneuverability and safety.