Reply to letter to the editor of Gut

Dear editor,

A systematic review of studies mostly evaluating the role of fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMS) for drainage of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs) reported a pooled adverse event rate of 23%.1 To overcome the limitations of FCSEMS and to minimise adverse events, a lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) was recently developed. The new stent is a single-step drainage device that is very different in design and mechanics from FCSEMS and hence warranted a change in the terminology, so that it is now referred to as LAMS (not a novel FCSEMS). The authors state that their observations2 are in variance with the high adverse event rate reported in our ongoing randomised trial3 and have cited retrospective or prospective registry data from other investigators. In one of the studies cited by the authors, major complications were encountered in 9% and minor complications in 25%...

http://ift.tt/2u54Tiw