[Endoscopic papillotomy--analysis of complications]

Complications were observed in 19 out of 250 patients undergoing endoscopic papillotomy. In 215 patients in whom papillotomy was successful the frequency of complications was 2.8%, in contrast to 37% in 35 patients with failed therapy (p less than 0.0001). Furthermore, the complications of successful papillotomy were observed immediately, except in one patient with gallstone ileus. The following 19 complications were observed: cholangitis (5), pancreatitis (5), bleeding (5), perforation (2), impaction of the Dormia basket (1), and gallstone ileus (1). Three patients died, all as a result of cholangitis (mortality 1.2%). All patients with pancreatitis had previously had a precutting.