Proximal migration of a 5 French pancreatic stent during bile stone extraction: a successful retrieval using mini-snare.

Pancreatic stents are used for a variety of conditions during therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography (ERCP). Pancreatic duct stenting reduces the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis and facilitate bilitary cannulation in difficult cases. Proximal migration of a pancreatic stent during bile duct stone extraction is an infrequent event, but its management can be technically challenging. We present a case that a double flanged pancreatic stent (5 French (Fr), 5 cm) was placed to facilitate the bilitary cannulation during the bile duct stone extraction. The pancreatic duct stent migrated into the proximal pancreas duct at the end of the bile duct stone clearance. After two unsuccessful attempts to remove the impacted stent with a balloon catheter and forceps, wire-guided endoscopic snare retrieval was conducted. Firstly, a guide wire was placed in the pancreatic duct and a soft mini-snare was passed over the guide wire. Then, the mini-snare was advanced into the proximal pancreatic duct over the guide wire and the proximally migrated stent was removed successfully with the mini-snare. Wire-guided endoscopic snare retrieval of proximally migrated pancreatic stents is safe and effective. The successful case of the retrieval with mini-snare provides another option for proximal migration retrieval of pancreatic stent retrieval. Further studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness and elucidate its associated complications.