[The use of glucagon in cholangiography]

Certainty of interpretation can be hindered by spasms of the sphincter of Oddi during cholangiography, since these impair the opaqueness of the image of the distal common duct and reduce the bile flow in the duodenum. Recently, especially in the English-speaking world, glucagon has been used to relax the bile ducts. The authors, following this line of experimentation, report on the use of glucagon in intravenous cholangiographic examination (15 cases), in postoperatory cholangiography (3) and in intra-operatory cholangiography (7), for a total of 25 patients, 13 of whom affected with pathological bile-duct conditions. In each type of examination, after the contrast material had been administered, X-rays were taken in the same position before and three or four minutes after the endovenous injection of glucagon. In every case glucagon revealed its intense hypotoning action, a consistent and rapid effect of short duration, the absence of side effects, the possibility of its use in every type of cholangiographic examination and its effectiveness in controlling the degree of diagnostic uncertainty.