title: Does endoscopic sphincterotomy prevent recurrent biliary pancreatitis?
abstract: Endoscopic sphincterotomy was electively performed as the definitive procedure on 8 high-risk patients with biliary pancreatitis; the gallbladder was left in situ. After a mean follow-up of 21 months, 2 patients had biliary symptoms for which 1 required cholecystectomy and exploration of the common bile duct. No patient developed recurrent pancreatitis during the follow-up period. When the risk of elective surgery is high, endoscopic sphincterotomy appears to protect the patient against recurrent episodes of pancreatitis, and is the initial procedure of choice for the high-risk patient with biliary pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastro-enterology, Johannesburg Hospital.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lipschitz
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gecelter
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012008:Recurrence; D016717:Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic