ERCP

For patients with digestive conditions affecting the bile ducts, pancreatic ducts or gallbladder, Dr. J. Randall Newman provides endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures.

What is an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)?

An ERCP is a procedure used to diagnose and treat conditions affecting these areas, and is a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tool for various digestive conditions and can help guide treatment decisions while avoiding the need for more invasive procedures.

To see if an ERCP is right for you, give us a call or request an appointment with The Gastroenterology Center of EAMC.

What to expect before an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography:

Before the procedure, you may need to fast for several hours to empty your stomach. You may also receive sedation or anesthesia to help you relax or sleep during the procedure.

You will lie on your side or back, and an endoscope—a flexible tube with a light and camera at its tip—will be inserted through your mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine).

The endoscope is advanced to the papilla, which is the opening where the bile ducts and pancreatic duct join and empty into the duodenum. Once the papilla is located, a small catheter is passed through the endoscope and into the opening.

Once the procedure is complete, the endoscope is removed. You will be monitored until the sedation wears off, and in some cases, you may need to stay in the hospital for a few hours or overnight for observation.