Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography at a leading cancer center

Abstract

Introduction: Endoscopy is one of the tools necessary to treat biliary and pancreatic diseases. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is one of the most technically demanding procedures with the highest risk of complications when treating hepato-pancreato-biliary disorders. Objective: To characterize the clinical outcomes of ERCP patients in a cancer patient center. Methodology: Observational, retrospective, descriptive case series study based on clinical data of patients brought to ERCP in a population diagnosed with cancer of different primary origins and in different stages of the disease from January 2010 to January 2017. Results: A total of 255 procedures were analyzed. The female sex was predominant with 140 cases (54.9%), and the average age was 62.9 years (SD 12.9 years). All procedures were done with therapeutic intent. The most frequent indication was pancreatic cancer (N=47; 18.43%), extrinsic compression of the common bile duct (N=42; 16.47%), biliary prosthesis dysfunction (N=36; 14.12%), cholecystocholedocholithiasis (N=32; 12. 55%), other causes (N=32; 12.55%), gallbladder cancer (N=24; 9.41%), extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (N=21; 8.24%), recurrent choledocholithiasis (N=9; 3.53%), residual choledocholithiasis (N=6; 2.35%), and Klatskin tumor (N=6; 2.35%). Successful cannulation was reported in 222 cases (87.06%). During the procedure, 10 patients presen-ted complications (4.3%), with pancreatitis and perforations being the most frequent (N=3; 1.18%), followed by bleeding, cholangitis (N=2; 0.78%), and post-ERCP pain (N=1; 0.39%). Conclusions: In the population studied, the principal reasons for performing the procedure were related to cancer. The frequency of successful cannula-tion and complications reported here are similar to other results in the general population.