How is ercp performed

Tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of bleeding disorders or if you are taking any blood-thinning medicines anticoagulants , aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other medicines that affect blood clotting. You may be told to stop these medicines before the procedure.

If you have heart valve disease, your healthcare provider may give you antibiotics before the procedure. You will be awake during the procedure, but a sedative will be given before the procedure. Depending on the anesthesia used, you may be completely asleep and not feel anything. You will need someone to drive you home. Follow any other instructions your provider gives you to get ready.

What happens during ERCP? Generally, an ERCP follows this process: You will need to remove any clothing, jewelry, or other objects that may interfere with the procedure. You will need to remove clothes and put on a hospital gown.

An intravenous IV line will be put in your arm or hand. You may get oxygen through a tube in your nose during the procedure. You will be positioned on your left side or, more often, on your belly, on the X-ray table. Numbing medicine may be sprayed into the back of your throat. This helps prevent gagging as the endoscope is passed down your throat. You will not be able to swallow the saliva that collects in your mouth during the procedure.

It will be suctioned from your mouth as needed. A mouth guard will be put in your mouth to keep you from biting down on the endoscope and to protect your teeth. Once your throat is numbed and you are relaxed from the sedative.

Your provider will guide the endoscope down the esophagus into the stomach and through the duodenum until it reaches the ducts of the biliary tree. The Department of Surgery is an academic program that combines the latest clinical advances in patient care, teaching, and research. An Expert Academic Program. The Laboratory performs over 1. Testing, Outreach, and More. Search for:. Skip to content. ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Equipment The flexible endoscope is a remarkable piece of equipment that can be directed and moved around the many bends in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Reasons for the Exam Due to factors related to diet, environment and heredity, the bile ducts, gallbladder and pancreas are the seat of numerous disorders.

ERCP is used for therapeutic treatment of: Gallstones, which are trapped in the main bile duct. Blockage of the bile duct, a symptom of which is yellow jaundice skin and dark urine. Cancer of the bile ducts or pancreas. Pancreatitis inflammation of the pancreas Preparation for the Test The only preparation needed before an ERCP is not to eat or drink for eight hours prior to the procedure.

Results After the exam, the physician explains the results. Side Effects and Risks A temporary, mild sore throat sometimes occurs after the exam. Summary ERCP is an outpatient exam that is performed with the patient sedated. After the child is sent home, they will return for a follow-up appointment. In some cases, another ERCP procedure is needed to achieve the desired outcome. All rights reserved. Health Library. ERCP can be done on children of any age, including newborns and infants, and is typically offered for patients with: Acute recurrent pancreatitis Chronic pancreatitis Injuries to the duct Gallstone disease causing pancreatitis Inflammatory disorders affecting the pancreas Stones blocking the pancreatic duct Narrowing strictures within the duct Abnormal anatomy of the pancreas or duct What Is Involved in ERCP?

What Is the Recovery Period Like? ERCP may be used to help in the diagnosis of upper abdominal pain, pancreatitis and cancer of the pancreas. If the X-rays show a gallstone in the common bile duct, the doctor can remove the stone by inserting a tiny instrument down the endoscope and making a cut through the muscle surrounding the opening of the duct sphincterotomy. The stone is removed through the cut and collected in a tiny basket or left to pass through the intestine.

The basket is removed by pulling it out through the endoscope. A sphincterotomy will also allow the bile duct to drain more freely, or is done to insert a drainage tube called a stent.

You will probably have to stay in hospital for a couple of days if you have a sphincterotomy. The X-rays may show a narrowing called a stricture or blockage of a duct that is preventing the free flow of bile. In these cases the doctor may be able to insert a device called a stent, via the endoscope. A stent is a narrow plastic tube that is inserted into the duct to hold it open and allow the passage of bile through the duct and into the intestine in the normal way.

The doctor will also be able to take a small sample of tissue biopsy or fluid for analysis by the pathology lab, through the endoscope if necessary. ERCP is a common procedure which is generally safe when conducted by trained doctors. There is a small risk of complications such as pancreatitis inflammation of the pancreas , infection, bleeding and perforation of the bowel.

Some people may react to the sedative. Your doctor will discuss the risks of ERCP with you before the procedure. If you experience any complictions after the procedure, contact your doctor or the hospital immediately. Pancreatitis, which causes severe abdominal and back pain, may occur up to 2 days after the procedure and you should contact the hospital if you have this pain. Information about ERCP [published ].

NHS Choices. Reviewed Nov