Diagnostic value of endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography in biliodigestive anastomoses

Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography performed in patients with bilodigestive anastomosis may furnish not only reliable radiograms revealing abnormal morphology of the two duct system but allows also endoscopic investigation of the stoma, which is often of equal diagnostic value in such patients. The size of the anastomosis is of crucial importance in such complications as cholangitis and secondary bile stone formation. In a significant portion of patients with biliodigestive anastomoses, i.e. in 75% of the present patient material, a morphologic abnormality could be demonstrated offering in many if not most cases the possibility of a surgical correction and eventual cure of the symptoms.