Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction

Excerpt

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is a rare clinical entity, often forgotten in the typical differential. When identified, its treatment has the potential to improve a patient's quality of life significantly. A diagnosis of exclusion, the typical patient will present with recurrent biliary colic type symptoms, generally after undergoing cholecystectomy, often in concert with transaminitis, pancreatitis, or both. More severe cases can progress to clinically apparent obstructive jaundice and chronic pancreatitis, although rare. While several of these signs/symptoms are also present in more morbid disease processes, once ruled out, attention should be turned to Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction as a possible cause for the patient's complaints.