OBJECTIVE To compare success rate, length of hospital stay, clinical results, and costs of sequential treatment (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy) versus the laparoendoscopic Rendezvous in patients with cholecysto-choledocholithiasis. BACKGROUND The ideal management of common bile duct (CBD) stones in the era of laparoscopic cholecystecto...

Bile duct stenosis, in most cases, appears to be the consequence of pancreatic head, ampulla of Vater and bile duct tumours, cholangitis sclerosans, as well as iatrogenic damages, which may all be diagnosed during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In very rare cases the restriction may result from an atypically shaped wedged stone. This situation creates many diagnostic pro...

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography had been a treatment modality of choice for both benign and malignant biliary tract obstruction for more than half century, with a very high clinical success rate and low complications. But in certain circumstances, such as advanced and locally advanced pancreatobiliary malignancies (pancreatic cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, ampullary tumor) and tight...

Endoscopic treatment of pancreatic ductal malformations causing recurrent acute pancreatitis, such as pancreas divisum or ansa pancreatica, is mainly based on the sphincterotomy of the minor papilla. However, the technical complexity of conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is increased in patients presenting anatomical variants like these and it may be unsuccessful...

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis is a common complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and benefit of pharmacological treatment is unclear. Although prophylactic use of corticosteroid for reduction of pancreatic injury after ERCP has been evaluated, discrepancy about beneficial effect of corticosteroid on pancreatic injury still exists. The aim of current study is to evaluate ...

We report a case in which a patient with intractable pain secondary to post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) acute pancreatitis is successfully treated with a subanesthetic ketamine infusion. Shortly after ERCP, the patient reported severe stabbing epigastric pain. She exhibited voluntary guarding and tenderness without distension. Amylase and lipase levels were elevated. P...

Although endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an effective procedure for the diagnosis and treatment of the pancreatic and extrahepatic biliary tract diseases, it is still related with several complications. A female patient who underwent an ERCP with sphincterotomy developed massive subcutaneous emphysema along with pneumomediastinum and pneumoperitoneum. Although mild resp...

Background and aims: The role of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) and sphincter of Oddi manometry (SOM) in patients with post-cholecystectomy pain and idiopathic recurrent acute pancreatitis (IRAP) is controversial. We sought to survey the American Gastroenterology community to define current approaches. Methods: An electronic survey was sent to U.S. members of the American Society of Gastro...