Is Emergency ERCP Needed in All Patients of Gallstone Pancreatitis?

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatogrphy (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincterotomy are useful for both diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of emergency ERCP in patients with all gallstone pancreatitis.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 66 patients, who underwent ERCP with a diagnosis of acute gallstone pancreatitis between July 1994 and December 2002. Obstructive jaundice from gallstones is excluded, because it is a distinct indication of emergency ERCP. Patients were divided into the group A (emergency ERCP group : ERCP was performed within 72 hours after hospitalization, mean 37.0±16.4 hours, range 6-70 hours) and group B (elective ERCP group ; ERCP, over 72 hours after hospitalization, mean 124.0±49.3 hours, range 76-288 hours). Comparisons of the clinical characteristics and incidence of complications were made between these two groups.

There was no significant difference for biochemical measurements, severity of pancreatitis, complications of pancreatitis, characteristics of ampulla, and length of hospital stay between the two groups, Group A had more cases (40.9%) with macroscopic stones on ERCP than group B (24.2%).

Although ERCP was a very useful modality for the diagnosis and treatment of patients having acute gallstone pancreatitis, an emergency ERCP would not be necessary unless there is definite obstructive jaundice.