Endoscopic papillotomy (EPT) in acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis

Eight high risk patients, median age 79 years, with a distal obstruction of the common bile duct and serious clinical symptoms of acute obstructive cholangitis were treated by EPT. In seven patients, impaction of a stone in the common bile duct was found and in one patient, an obstructing cancer. EPT was performed without immediate complications and followed by obvious drainage of purulent bile in all patients. Repapillotomy with stone extraction was necessary in three patients 5, 6, and 10 days after the first EPT. The papillotomy was followed by immediate symptom relief, normalization of body temperature, and a decrease in leukocytes and bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase values within the first several postoperative days. Average hospitalization time was 8 days, ranging from 4-17 days. The patient with pancreatic cancer died 3 months after the EPT. One other patient died in pseudomonas sepsis 17 days after an uncomplicated EPT. ERCP controls in the other six patients have been normal and they all remain symptom free. Since early decompression is mandatory in these patients and laparotomy with internal decompression is associated with a high morbidity and mortality, endoscopic decompression should probably be the recommended treatment in patients with obstructive, septic cholangitis prior to employing this therapeutic option.