Analysis of complications of endoscopic sphincterotomy for biliary stones in a consecutive series of 546 patients.
BACKGROUND
Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) plays an important role in treatment of biliary stones; however, there remain some controversies concerning complications of ES, which in most cases seem not to be predictable.


METHODS
The aim of this study was a retrospective analysis of complications in 546 consecutive patients (267 males, 279 females, average age 63.7 years) who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) for biliary stones from 1988 to 1995.


RESULTS
ES was performed in 535 patients (98%), and extraction of stones was successful in 493 (92%). In all, 29 complications (5.4%) were observed, including bleeding 13, cholangitis seven, cholecystitis four, pancreatitis three, retroduodenal perforation two; of these, four (14%) required an operation. Overall mortality was 0.3%.


CONCLUSIONS
While a significant decrease of the incidence of complications was observed in the course of the study, due to constantly improving experience, no correlation between risk factors and complications was identified.
Coppola
R
R
Department of General Surgery, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy. Largo A. Gemelli 8. Rome 00168, Italy.
Riccioni
M E
ME
Ciletti
S
S
Cosentino
L
L
Coco
C
C
Magistrelli
P
P
Picciocchi
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016717:Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects*