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Sonographically guided puncture of the pancreas: incidence of complications, and risk factors

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Abstract

Purpose

Data yielded by transabdominal ultrasound-guided puncture techniques are valuable for determining the malignancy of inoperable mass lesions of the pancreas. In this study we analyzed the incidence of complications and the risk factors.

Methods

A total of 430 punctures of the pancreas were performed for 281 patients. Risk factors were prospectively assessed and complications were recorded. All punctures were sonographically guided.

Results

The 281 patients underwent a total of 351 puncture procedures including 430 punctures and 901 passes. The maximum diameter of the pancreatic mass lesion was documented; the mean diameter was 48.3 ± 29.1 mm. 75.8 % of punctures were performed with a needle diameter of 0.7–0.95 mm, and 23.0 % of punctures were performed as cutting biopsies producing a tissue sample 1.2 or 1.6 mm in diameter. In 77.8 % of punctures, one puncture was performed, and in 21.9 %, two punctures were performed. Three punctures were performed for one patient (0.3 %) only. The incidence of major complications was 0.3 %. None of the assessed risk factors was associated with an elevated incidence of complications.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate the safety of transabdominal percutaneous puncture of the pancreas but do not enable conclusions to be drawn with regard to individual risk factors.

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Conflict of interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Michael Mueller, Wolfgang Kratzer, Suemeyra Oeztuerk & Mark Martin Haenle

  2. Brecksville Division, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10000 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH, 44141, USA

    Richard Andrew Mason

Authors
  1. Michael Mueller
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  2. Richard Andrew Mason
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  3. Wolfgang Kratzer
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  4. Suemeyra Oeztuerk
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  5. Mark Martin Haenle
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wolfgang Kratzer.

Additional information

M. Mueller and R. A. Mason contributed equally to this work.

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Mueller, M., Mason, R.A., Kratzer, W. et al. Sonographically guided puncture of the pancreas: incidence of complications, and risk factors. J Med Ultrasonics 40, 19–26 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-012-0376-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-012-0376-5

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