what is this operation called endonopric retrograde?

Answer 1

You may be referring to an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography, called ERCP for short. It's not a surgical procedure, it's an endoscopic diagnostic procedure. It's used to visualize (see) and diagnose problems with the liver, the bile ducts, the pancreas and the gallbladder.

This must be done on an empty stomach. You'll be NPO (nothing by mouth) after midnight the night before if the ERCP is to be done early in the morning. If it's scheduled for later in the day, you need to be NPO for at least 6 hours, usually 8. You'd be given a sedative and an anesthetic to numb the throat and prevent pain during the procedure. You lie on your left side and help the doctor (gastroenterologist) insert the endoscope through the esophagus by swallowing when asked to. The scope is guided through the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (first portion of the small intestine and is immediately after the stomach) until it reaches the spot where the bile ducts and pancreas open into the duodenum. The doctor will then inject a contrast iodine-based dye (if you have an allergy to iodine or seafoood, inform the GI doc well in advance of the procedure date) to make the biliary ducts stand out. X-rays will be taken right after this.

Some minor types of repair work can be done during this exam if needed and tissue biopsies can be taken as well. The exam takes anywhere from a half hour to 2 hours depending on what is found and what needs to be done in the way of repairs/biopsies. The doctor will inject both air and dye into the duodenum and this can be uncomfortable but the pain med will prevent any real discomfort or pain. Afterward, it takes 1 to 2 hours to recover from sedation and someone should be there to drive you home.

Possible complications from this procedure are pancreatitis, infection, bleeding and perforation of the duodenum. Pancreatitis is the most likely thing to happen. The other complications are unlikely. Before you leave, your doctor will check you for any sign of complications.

Answer 2

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a technique that combines the use of endoscopy and fluoroscopy to diagnose and treat certain problems of the biliary or pancreatic ductal systems. It is an x-ray examination of the bile ducts which is aided by a video endoscope. Through the endoscope, the physician can see the inside of the stomach and duodenum, and inject dyes into the ducts in the biliary tree and pancreas so they can be seen on x rays.

What is a therapeutic ERCP?
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP, is a study of the ducts that drain the liver and pancreas. Ducts are drainage routes into the bowel. The ones that drain the liver and gallbladder are called bile or biliary ducts. The one that drains the pancreas is called the pancreatic duct. The bile and pancreatic ducts join together just before they drain into the upper bowel, about 3 inches from the stomach. The drainage opening is called the papilla. The papilla is surrounded by a circular muscle, called the sphincter of Oddi.
Diagnostic ERCP is when X-ray contrast dye is injected into the bile duct, the pancreatic duct, or both. This contrast dye is squirted through a small tube called a catheter that fits through the ERCP endoscope. X-rays are taken during ERCP to get pictures of these ducts. That is called diagnostic ERCP. However, most ERCPs are actually done for treatment and not just picture taking. When an ERCP is done to allow treatment, it is called therapeutic ERCP.


What treatments can be done through an ERCP scope?

Sphincterotomy
Sphincterotomy is cutting the muscle that surrounds the opening of the ducts, or the papilla. This cut is made to enlarge the opening. The cut is made while your doctor looks through the ERCP scope at the papilla, or duct opening. A small wire on a specialized catheter uses electric current to cut the tissue. A sphincterotomy does not cause discomfort, you do not have nerve endings there. The actual cut is quite small, usually less than a 1/2 inch. This small cut, or sphincterotomy, allows various treatments in the ducts. Most commonly the cut is directed towards the bile duct, called a biliary sphincterotomy. Occasionally, the cutting is directed towards the pancreatic duct, depending on the type of treatment you need.

Stone Removal
The most common treatment through an ERCP scope is removal of bile duct stones. These stones may have formed in the gallbladder and traveled into the bile duct or may form in the duct itself years after your gallbladder has been removed. After a sphincterotomy is performed to enlarge the opening of the bile duct, stones can be pulled from the duct into the bowel. A variety of balloons and baskets attached to specialized catheters can be passed through the ERCP scope into the ducts allowing stone removal. Very large stones may require crushing in the duct with a specialized basket so the fragments can be pulled out through the sphincterotomy.

Stent Placement
Stents are placed into the bile or pancreatic ducts to bypass strictures, or narrowed parts of the duct. These narrowed areas of the bile or pancreatic duct are due to scar tissue or tumors that cause blockage of normal duct drainage. There are two types of stents that are commonly used. The first is made of plastic and looks like a small straw. A plastic stent can be pushed through the ERCP scope into a blocked duct to allow normal drainage. The second type of stent is made of metal wires that looks like the cross wires of a fence. The metal stent is flexible and springs open to a larger diameter than plastic stents. Both plastic and metal stents tend to clog up after several months and you may require another ERCP to place a new stent. Metal stents are permanent while plastic stents are easily removed at a repeat procedure. Your doctor will choose the best type of stent for your problem.

Balloon Dilation
There are ERCP catheters fitted with dilating balloons that can be placed across a narrowed area or stricture. The balloon is then inflated to stretch out the narrowing. Dilation with balloons is often performed when the cause of the narrowing is benign (not a cancer). After balloon dilation, a temporary stent may be placed for a few months to help maintain the dilation.

Tissue Sampling
One procedure that is commonly performed through the ERCP scope is to take samples of tissue from the papilla or from the bile or pancreatic ducts. There are several different sampling techniques although the most common is to brush the area with subsequent examination of the cells obtained. Tissue samples can help decide if a stricture, or narrowing, is due to a cancer. If the sample is positive for cancer it is very accurate. Unfortunately, a tissue sampling that does not show cancer may not be accurate.


What can you expect before, during, and after a therapeutic ERCP?
You should not eat for at least 6 hours before the procedure. You should tell your doctor about medications that you take regularly and whether you have any allergies to medications or contrast material.
You will have an intravenous needle placed in your arm so you can receive medicine during the procedure. You will be given sedatives that will make you comfortable during the ERCP. Some patients require antibiotics before the procedure. The procedure is performed on a X-ray table. After the ERCP is complete you will go to a recovery area until the sedation effects reside. Some patients are admitted to the hospital for a day but many go home from the recovery unit. You should not drive a car for the rest of the day although most patients can return to full activity the next day.

What are possible complications of therapeutic ERCP?
The overall ERCP complication rate requiring hospitalization is 6-10%. Depending on your age, your other medical problems, what therapy is performed, and the indication for your procedure, your complication rate may be higher or lower than the average. Your doctor will discuss your likelihood of complications before you undergo the test. The most common complication is pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. Other complications include bleeding, infection, an adverse reaction to the sedative medication, or bowel perforation. Most complications are managed without surgery but may require you to stay in the hospital for treatment.

Answer 3

Not sure if you mean Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or better yet ERCP. This is when they stick a catheter (tube) through your pancreatic duct to get to your bile duct or to check out your gall bladder. This is done to check for the cause of any obstruction.