EUS-Guided Gallbladder Drainage Safer Than Percutaneous Cholecystostomy in High-Risk Patients

In high-risk surgical patients with acute cholecystitis, a systematic review and meta-analysis compared two alternative treatments: endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage using lumen-apposing metal stents (EUS-GBD-LAMS) and percutaneous cholecystostomy (PTGBD). The study found that while the two groups had similar early adverse events, EUS-GBD-LAMS was associated with significantly lower rates of delayed and overall adverse events. Additionally, patients undergoing EUS-GBD-LAMS had shorter hospital stays compared to PTGBD, making it a safer and more efficient option for non-surgical candidates with acute cholecystitis.