[Status determination in discussion of benign stenosis of Vater's papilla]

Inflammatory and cicatrical alterations are the morphological basis of papillary stenosis in most cases due to canalicular or lymphatic spreading of bacterial infection in gallstone disease. The consequences of papillary stenosis are elevated pressure in the ducts and reduced bile flow. At surgery you find dilatation of the bile ducts, increase of residual pressure, decrease of outflow, and--in cicatrical stenosis--stop for the probe. Only the inflammatory stenosis is reversible, but permanent alteration is not to determine. Therefore therapy is necessary, at first instrumental dilation to 4-6 mm. Impossibility of dilatation indicates transduodenal sphincterotomy. Recurrencies are best treated by endoscopic sphincterotomy and exceptionally by choledochoduodenostomy.