Safety of therapeutic ERCP in pregnancy - an Indian experience.
BACKGROUND
Only limited data are available regarding the safety of therapeutic ERCP in pregnancy. We report our experience with therapeutic ERCP in pregnant women.


METHODS
Medical records of 18 pregnant women (first trimester 4, second 6, third 8) who underwent ERCP between July 1994 and December 2004 were reviewed. Patients and their families were contacted to assess the well being of mother and baby.


RESULTS
All the women underwent therapeutic ERCP and biliary sphincterotomy for common bile duct (CBD) stones. In 4 patients, 10-Fr CBD stents were inserted; three of these four cases required mechanical lithotripsy after delivery. Median procedure time was 17 min and median fluoroscopy time was 8 seconds. One patient each developed mild post ERCP pancreatitis and post sphincterotomy bleed. One woman had a preterm delivery. At follow up after a median of 6 years, all the babies were healthy.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapeutic ERCP can be performed safely in all the trimesters of pregnancy provided appropriate precautions are taken.
Gupta
Rajesh
R
Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, 6-3-661, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500 082, India.
Tandan
Manu
M
Lakhtakia
Sandeep
S
Santosh
D
D
Rao
G V
GV
Reddy
D N
DN
D000328:Adult; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D042883:Choledocholithiasis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012449:Safety