Hyperamylasaemia after duodenoscopy and retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

The salivary and pancreatic isoamylases of serum were determined separately in 234 cases of duodenoscopy and retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Successful pancreatic opacification was associated with pathologically high pancreatic serum amylase activities in 60% of the cases. Extensive opacification was associated with large increases of pancreatic serum isoamylases, the maximal rise recorded was 40 times the initial value. In spite of these striking chemical events only two patients developed clinical acute pancreatitis. There were some variations in pancreatic opacification and in the elevation of pancreatic serum amylase which seemed to depend upon the particular contrast material used. A rise of the salivary serum isoamylases caused pathologically high total serum amylase activities in 7% of the cases. High levels of pancreatic serum isoamylase activity before the time of examination did not result in any different pattern of hyperamylasaemia.