A Pilot Study on the Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics for EUS-guided Pancreatic Cyst Aspiration

With the increased use of cross sectional imaging, there appears to be an increasing prevalence of pancreatic cysts being incidentally discovered.

A critical step in the workup of pancreas cysts is to determine whether the cyst is mucinous or non-mucinous, through a procedure called endoscopic ultrasound - fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA).

Current guidelines suggest the use of antibiotics in cyst aspiration, usually 3 days after the procedure. However, these recommendations are based on limited data from over 15 years ago. More recent retrospective observations suggest equivalent safety when little, or even no antibiotics are given.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients between the age of 18-90 who present for an EUS / pancreas cyst evaluation

Exclusion criteria

• Patients outside the age range
• Patient-related factors (unable to provide consent, unable to understand English, allergic to cipro)
• High-risk patients for infective endocarditis
• Bacterial infection or use of antibiotics within 6 weeks of EUS
• Pancreatitis within the past 6 months
• Underlying immunosuppression (for example, uncontrolled diabetes - such as hemoglobin A1c above 7 or glucose > 180; renal failure; cirrhosis; pre-existing malignancy especially hematologic malignancy such as leukemia / lymphoma / multiple myeloma; HIV/AIDS)
• Currently taking immunosuppressive medications (for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, organ transplant)
• Radiographic or endosonographic evidence of cyst cavity debris / necrotic debris
• Severe systemic disease (for example, NYHA class III or IV heart failure, oxygen-dependent COPD)