What is ERCP?
ERCP is a procedure to diagnose and treat problems in the pancreatic and bile ducts. The procedure combines endoscopy with X-rays to create images of the ducts.
Your provider at Interventional Endoscopy Associates PLLC uses the images to determine the cause of your symptoms and, when possible, to treat the underlying problem.
What structures does an ERCP target?
ERCP targets the common bile duct. Your gallbladder releases bile into this duct when the fluid is needed to digest fats.
The pancreas produces digestive enzymes that go through the pancreatic ducts and drain through a common opening shared with the bile duct. The enzymes are released along with bile into the small intestine.
When would I need an ERCP?
Your provider at Interventional Endoscopy Associates PLLC performs an ERCP to diagnose conditions such as:
- Bile duct stones
- Bile duct tumors
- Bile duct cysts
- Pancreatic cancer
- Bile duct infection
- Pancreatitis
These conditions often block the bile duct. As a result, bile and enzymes build up in the bile ducts or gallbladder.
What symptoms indicate I might need an ERCP?
When you have a blocked bile duct, you’ll experience symptoms such as jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) and abdominal pain. You may also have a fever, itchy skin, and nausea and vomiting. Many people notice that they have dark urine and clay-colored stools.
What happens during an ERCP?
When you have an ERCP, you receive IV sedation to help you relax. Your provider at Interventional Endoscopy Associates PLLC also applies a local anesthetic to your throat.
After inserting an endoscope — a long, flexible tube containing lighting and a camera — through your mouth, your provider advances it down your esophagus, through your stomach, and into your small intestine. They stop the endoscope, where the bile duct drains into the small intestine.
Next, your provider threads a catheter through the endoscope and into the bile duct, then injects a dye that highlights the duct, allowing fluoroscopy, a type of real-time X-ray imaging, to reveal blockages.
What treatment might I receive during ERCP?
Your provider at Interventional Endoscopy Associates PLLC can send small tools through the endoscope to:
- Insert a stent
- Open blocked ducts
- Break up and remove stones
- Perform a biopsy
When you receive treatment, your ERCP takes about 1-2 hours.
If you develop abdominal pain or jaundice, schedule an appointment online or call one of the Interventional Endoscopy Associates PLLC offices right away.
