ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography): Who needs it and who doesn’t?

ERCP is essentially a therapeutic procedure for the management of mainly biliary and to a lesser extent pancreatic disorders. ERCP mostly involves a sphincterotomy ( a cut ) to open the duodenal ampulla to remove stones from the bile duct, stenting of bile duct to relieve obstruction from inoperable cholangiocarcinoma , pancreatic cancer or metastatic tumour, removal of pancreatic duct stone, obtain brush cytology from probable malignant stricture of the bile duct and pancreatic duct stenting following sphincterotomy for type 2 sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.

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