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Patients > Pancreas test
> UPMC Pancreas Clinic > ERCP
ERCP of chronic pancreatitis. Click on the
image above for a larger image
ERCP is an acronym for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
This powerful tool, which combines the use of endoscopy and radiology,
plays a central role not only in the diagnosis but also in the treatment
of many disorders of the pancreas, bile ducts, gall bladder, and
liver. In skillful hands, ERCP can provide the best possible images
to detect abnormalities of the pancreatic duct and bile duct, and
also has the potential'during the same procedure'to deliver the
necessary treatment for many disorders that affect the pancreas
and biliary systems. Disorders that can be diagnosed and treated
by ERCP include, but are not limited to: acute and chronic pancreatitis,
tumors and cancer of the pancreas, bile ducts, gall bladder, and
liver; bile duct and pancreatic stones, and gall bladder sludge;
strictures (blockages) of the bile duct and pancreas; obstructive
jaundice; pancreatic pseudocysts and biliary cysts; pancreatic and
bile duct disruptions (duct leaks); and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction
(sometimes referred to as SOD or biliary dyskinesia, a disorder
of the outlet of the bile duct or pancreas duct which may cause
abdominal pain and other pancreas and bile duct symptoms). Thus,
ERCP provides minimally-invasive treatment options, largely on an
outpatient basis, for conditions that would otherwise require major
surgery.
Technique
Equipment
Personnel
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