ERCP Therapies
Biliary Stent
A mass in the pancreas can cause jaundice by obstructing the bile ducts causing them to become dilated.
The bile duct is the tube that takes bile from the liver to the duodenum (which is the first part of the small intestine).
Bile is a fluid which the liver makes to help you digest food.
Jaundice turns your skin or eyes yellow. It can also make you feel itchy and causes pale poo and dark urine.
A pancreatic stent can be inserted to unblock the bile ducts
Benefits
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The stent should open up the bile duct or duodenum and treat your symptoms.
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You should start feeling better quickly, normally within a couple of days of having the stent put in.
Risks
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The stent may get blocked and the symptoms you had before may come back.
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There is a chance of an infection after having a stent put in.
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There is a small chance of your stent moving after it has been put in. If this happens it may need to be replaced
Gallstones
The gallbladder is a very small organ that is found just underneath the liver, its main role is to store and concentrate bile. Bile is a fluid which the liver makes to help you digest food, it is passed from the liver into the gallbladder through the bile ducts. The bile is stored in the gallbladder and, over time, becomes more concentrated, which makes it better at digesting fats.The gallbladder releases bile into the digestive system when it's needed.
Gallstones develop because of an imbalance in the chemical make-up of bile inside the gallbladder.
Gallstones can be asymptomatic but treatment is necessary if they are causing symptoms (pain) or complications (jaundice or pancreatitis).
Gallstones can be removed from the bile duct using ERCP. The gallbladder isn't removed during this procedure, so any stones that are in the gallbladder will remain behind. in the gallbladder will remain unless they're removed using other surgical techniques.
During ERCP, the opening of the bile duct is widened with a small cut and the stones are removed. Stone removal occurs when a wire is inserted into the bile duct, following which a small balloon is inflated and the stones are pushed out.
Sometimes a stent is permanently placed in the bile duct to help the bile and stones pass.