Endoscopic Treatment for Severe Acute Biliary Pancreatitis / 中国微创外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the value of endoscopic treatment for severe acute biliary pancreatitis (SABP). Methods A total of 36 patients with SABP, who received emergency operation were enrolled into this study. Among the patients, 16 received endoscopic naso-biliary drainage (ENBD) because of acute cholecystitis or cholecystolithiasis; 11 underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) and ENBD due to stenotic papillitis or choledocholithiasis; 4 were treated with EST using needle knife and ENBD due to difficulties in inserting bow knife and cannula catheter into the common bile duct; and 2 experienced the guide wire entering into the wirsung’s duct for over 3 times, when the cannula catheter was inserted into the common bile duct. Thus, the sphincter of Oddi was incised by bow knife to expose the opening of the cystic duct, and then ENBD was performed. Open surgery was performed in 3 cases because of failure of ENBD. In all the patients, systemic medical treatment was carried out after the operations.Results ENBD was completed in 33 cases, among which 29 (81%) patients were cured and 4 (11%) patients died. The operation failed in 3 cases. After the operation, 3 patients developed peripancreatic infection. No hemorrhage of the duodenum papilla, duodenal perforation, or cholangitis occurred in this series. The mean hospital stay was 22 d (15-75 d). 26 of the cured patients were followed up for 12-36 months (mean, 18 months), no recurrence of the symptoms of pancreatitis was found. Conclusions Endoscopic treatment combined with systemic medical therapy may reduce the course of disease and increase the cure rate for patients with SABP.