Biliary Tract Dysmotility

Biliary pain resulting from motility disorders is common and may be overlooked due to the difficulty of diagnosing the presence of these disorders. A sound, logical approach to the evaluation and treatment of these specific groups of disorders is essential. In patients who have a gallbladder, we initially exclude the presence of gallstones by use of transcutaneous ultrasonography. If a patient's symptoms are atypical, we initiate therapy (eg, antispasmodics) for irritable bowel syndrome. Subsequently, we perform a quantitative cholescintigraphy with a low-dose infusion of cholecystokinin in patients with typical symptoms and in those with persistent atypical symptoms. Those patients who have abnormally low gallbladder ejection fractions are subsequently referred for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In postcholecystectomy patients, a standard approach should include obtaining serum liver associated laboratory chemistries, amylase and lipase levels, and a transcutaneous ultrasound to measure bile duct size. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is done to measure bile duct size, assess biliary duct emptying, and exclude other etiologies for pain. In patients with more than two abnormal findings on these tests (type I sphincter of Oddi dyskinesia), we recommend performing an empiric endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy. In patients with no objective abnormalities (type III sphincter of Oddi dyskinesia), it is appropriate to begin medical therapy with antispasmodics and calcium-channel antagonists. In individuals who have one or two abnormalities (type II sphincter of Oddi dyskinesia) we prefer endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy; however, these individuals are offered the opportunity to have endoscopic biliary manometry performed in order to establish a clear diagnosis. If patients refuse this procedure, after careful explanation of risks, alternatives, and possible benefits of the procedure, empiric endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy is performed.