Duodenoscopic sphincterotomy in the treatment of the "sump syndrome"

The "sump syndrome" is recognized as a complication of a choledochoenterostomy (choledochoduodenostomy or choledochojejunostomy) performed for recurrent stone disease. A sump (a pit or well) develops in the distal, nonfunctioning limb of the common bile duct where lithogenic bile, gastrointestinal contents, and debris accumulate. This results in obstruction of the enterostomy stoma producing either cholangitis, pancreatitis pain, and/or cholestasis. It is thought that dysfunction of the sphincter mechanism contributes to the development of this syndrome. Filling defects in the bile duct are appreciated on gastrointestinal series when barium reflexes into the biliary tree through the patent stoma. Treatment has largely been surgical, but, more recently, the availability of ERCP has enabled the endoscopist to make a major contribution to the management of this syndrome. A nonsurgical alternative to treatment is duodenoscopic sphincterotomy which has been performed in 11 patients presenting with the sump syndrome. There have been no recurrences of stones in 10 patients while stones were found in one patient with an open sphincterotomy. In follow-ups of 3-30 months, there was satisfactory relief of symptoms in all patients. Because of these results, duodenoscopic sphincterotomy is recommended as a primary treatment modality in the sump syndrome.