Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, results and importance of a diagnostic and therapeutic biliary and pancreatic exploration associating endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography during the same anaesthesia session.
Methods: From November 1997 to October 1998, 179 patients (83 males, 96 females), mean age 62 years (range 22 to 95 years), were investigated in our gastroenterology unit for biliary or pancreatic disorders. Two hundred and sixty two examinations were performed by a single physician for patients under general anaesthesia. In 87 cases (42%), endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography was performed immediately without prior endoscopic ultrasonography; these patients were not included. When endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography followed endoscopic ultrasonography, it was performed during the same anaesthesia session.
Results: In 118 cases, endoscopic ultrasonography was performed first, followed by endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography 57 times (48%). The sensitivity of endoscopic ultrasonography was 96.5% and the success of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography was 100%. Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography was necessary for 83% of patients with angiocholitis, 60% with cholestasis, 45% with acute biliary pancreatitis and only 28% with common bile duct stone migration.
Conclusion: To decrease the number of anaesthesia sessions, endoscopic ultrasonography--endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography during same anaesthesia session appears to be particularly interesting for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic disorders, in terms of cost, accuracy, morbidity and patient comfort.