Biliary cannulation facilitated by endoscopic clip assistance in the setting of intra-diverticular papilla

Endoscopic cannulation of the biliary tract may be challenging in cases with juxtapapillary, duodenal diverticula. A 70-year old woman admitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis and acute cholangitis. She was placed on antibiotic treatment and parenteral fluid resuscitation. On endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, the papilla could not be cannulated because of the duodenal diverticulum. Various attempts at biliary cannulation failed. Endoscopic clips were used for evertion and fixation of a partially everted papilla from the diverticulum and for securing it in an orientation that allowed direct cannulation of the biliary tree. Cholangiography demonstrated multiple calculi within the choledochus. She was discharged from the hospital on the 9th day following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in good condition. With this report, we aimed to remind physicians that the clip assisted method is a safe and effective technique for pancreatic and/or biliary cannulation, and should be preferred in patients in whom cannulation is extremely difficult due to large periampullary diverticula..