[Diagnosis of extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction and constriction via direct cholangiography]

The diagnostic potentialities in cholestasis and cholangitis could be considerably improved by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and percutaneous transhepatal cholangiography (PTC) with a thin needle (0.7 mm). First ERCP was performed, enabling us to establish pathological findings in 62 per cent of the 233 examinations in the period 1975--1977. Gallstones were most often found-in 65 cases (28%). Second to be found was the suptapapillary stenosis of the bile ducts and obstruction of the bile ducts--42 cases (18% of the examined), caused by surgical interventions, tumours of the bile ducts and processes in the region of the head of the pancreas. When ERCP fails to provide sufficient data or is ineffective - PTC is performed. Correct diagnosis was made in 15 cases out of 23 examinations, in six - partial data were obtained and in two - the examination failed.