title: Endoscopic treatment of biliary-tract diseases. An international study.
abstract: Data on endoscopic sphincterotomy from 15 gastroenterology centres with very wide experience show that 3618 out of 3853 (93.%) attempts at the procedure were successful. The main indication for sphincterotomy was choledocholithiasis (3070, or 84.9% cases). After sphincterotomy the stones passed spontaneously or were removed in 2779 (90.5%) cases. Bleeding, cholangitis, pancreatitis, perforation, and stone impaction occurred in 254 (7.0%) cases; the mortality-rate was 1.4%. 83 (2.3%) cases required emergency surgery. Endoscopic sphincterotomy is increasingly replacing surgery in the treatment of choledocholithiasis.
mesh_terms: D014670:Ampulla of Vater / Q000601:surgery*; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000293:injuries; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000601:surgery; D004724:Endoscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery; D042882:Gallstones / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008722:Methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D009803:Sphincter of Oddi / Q000601:surgery*