Role of ERCP and endoscopic sphincterotomy in acute pancreatitis

When assessing the indications for interventional endoscopy, obstructive and non-obstructive causes of acute pancreatitis should be distinguished. In non-obstructive (e.g. alcoholic) pancreatitis, no data are available proving any benefit for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and sphincterotomy. In obstructive (e.g. biliary) pancreatitis, the pathogenetic role of gallstones is controversial. The vast majority of gallstones initiating biliary pancreatitis pass spontaneously through the papilla of Vater into the duodenum without causing cholangitis or obstructive jaundice. Three prospective randomized published studies have attempted to answer the question of whether urgent removal of the stone improves the prognosis of patients suffering from acute pancreatitis. From these studies it can be concluded that the use of ERCP in acute biliary pancreatitis should depend on biliary symptoms: in cases of obstructive jaundice or cholangitis, bile duct stones should be removed as soon as possible; in patients without biliary complications, emergency ERCP is neither beneficial nor cost-effective; if retained stones (without biliary complications) are suspected, they can be removed electively.