[Endoscopic management in biliary problems. 4 years' experience]

We studied the clinical records of 81 patients referred for endoscopic sphincterotomy in the period of June 1985 to December 1989, 54 were females and 27 males. Indication for the procedure were stones in the choledochus in 68 (84%) patients, malignant neoplasm that affected the biliary tree in 9 (11.1%), "sump syndrome" in 2 (2.5%), intrahepatic papillary stenosis and stones in 1 case, respectively. In 13 of the 81 patients the procedure was accompanied by treatment with the use of biliary prosthesis. We used the endoscopic sphincterotomy in 73 of the 81 (90.1%) patients, observing acute complications in 6.2% due to bleeding at the point of tubal insertion, pancreatitis, or acute cholecystitis. In 10 (76%) of 13 patients, in which the biliary prosthesis was used, the procedure was successful; in only one, acute cholangitis. There was no mortality associated with the procedure.