title: Endoscopic balloon sphincteroplasty for benign papillary stenosis--an alternative to surgical or endoscopic papillotomy?
abstract: Benign papillary stenosis is an uncommon but well recognised cause of recurrent biliary pain usually in post-cholecystectomy patients characterised by biliary dilatation without bile duct calculi or malignancy. Endoscopic or surgical papillotomy is the recommended treatment but may be associated with a higher complication rate than when performed for bile duct stones. We report 2 cases of papillary stenosis treated by endoscopic balloon dilatation or "sphincteroplasty", as a less traumatic intervention which improved biliary drainage and provided symptomatic relief. Our preliminary experience suggests more widespread evaluation of balloon sphincteroplasty should be considered for papillary stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Unit, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mac Mathuna
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lennon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crowe
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D003137:Common Bile Duct Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009803:Sphincter of Oddi