Biliary sequelae of endoscopic sphincterotomy

Abstract

Twenty five patients were reviewed a mean of 36 months after endoscopic sphincterotomy for the removal of bile duct stones. All the patients had Improved symptomatically but 20% had episodes of mild abdominal pain a similar numberr had elevated serum gamma glutamyltranspeptidase activities (up to 3 times normal ). In 12 patients (50%) biliary gas was demonstrated indicatig reflux of dyodenal contents cholangitis did not occur. Aspiration liver biopsy revealed mild portal tract fibrosis and inflamation in patients with billary reflux. Billiary reflux was significantly associated with mild upper abdominal in (P <0.05). This study has shown that mild abormalities of bilary functiom persist after endoscopic sphincterotomyy. The long term consequences of these changes is unclear. © The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine, 1985.