Endoscopic management of acute gallstone pancreatitis

Urgent management of acute biliary pancreatitis has increasingly included early endoscopic intervention. Endoscopic intervention allows effective removal of the offending stone(s) and reestablishment of biliary drainage. Four randomized controlled trials involving more than 800 patients in Western and Asian countries have been completed. This article summarizes the findings of these studies and proposes a preferred approach to the management of acute biliary pancreatitis.