Background and aims: High-dose rectal diclofenac suppository and epinephrine spray on duodenal papilla during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) may reduce the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis. We performed randomized trial to compare the effect of combination of rectal diclofenac and epinephrine spray on papilla (group A) vs. combination of rectal diclofenac with saline spray (group B) for prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis.
Methods: We performed a double-blind trial at tertiary care center from April 2018 to May 2020 on 882 patients with naive papilla undergoing ERCP. The patients were randomly assigned to groups, A (n=437) or B (n=445). All patients received a single dose of rectal diclofenac 100 mg within 30 minutes before ERCP; 20 mL of diluted epinephrine 0.02% (group A) or saline (group B) was then sprayed on the duodenal papilla at the end of ERCP. The primary outcome was to compare incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) in two groups.
Results: The groups had similar baseline characteristics. PEP developed in 28 patients in group A (6.4%) and 35 patients in group B (7.9%) (relative risk, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.87-1.39; p=0.401).
Conclusion: Our study showed that addition of epinephrine spray on duodenal papilla did not reduce the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis. There is need for further studies to evaluate the role of different concentrations of epinephrine spray on papilla for prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis.
Trial registration: Clinical Trials Registry- India (CTRI/2018/04/013396).
Keywords: Acute pancreatitis; Duodenal papilla; Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography; Epinephrine; Gastrointestinal bleeding.
© 2021. Indian Society of Gastroenterology.