Comparison of intraoperative and endoscopic manometry of the sphincter of Oddi.

Despite the potential utility of intraoperative manometry of the sphincter of Oddi, limited data are available validating its use. The current study was undertaken to validate the method of intraoperative sphincter of Oddi manometry by comparing the pressure tracings obtained at operation (transduodenal sphincteroplasty and transampullary septoplasty) and endoscopy (preoperative) in the same group of patients. Seventy-four patients with idiopathic pancreatitis or unexplained disabling pancreaticobiliary pain had sphincter of Oddi manometry performed endoscopically and intraoperatively within six weeks of each other. Thirty-five patients had manometric evaluation of the bile duct segment of the sphincter of Oddi. The mean basal sphincter pressure determined endoscopically and intraoperatively was 41.1 +/- 6.4 millimeters of mercury (mean plus or minus standard error of the mean) and 42.0 +/- 6.8 millimeters of mercury (not significantly different, p > 0.05), respectively. There was no significant difference between the biliary sphincter phasic pressure, phasic frequency and phasic duration, as recorded by the two techniques. Fifty-five patients had manometric evaluation of the pancreatic duct sphincter. The mean basal sphincter pressure determined endoscopically and intraoperatively (after biliary sphincteroplasty) was 111.9 +/- 9.9 millimeters of mercury and 102.7 +/- 8.7 millimeters of mercury, respectively (not significantly different, p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the pancreatic sphincter phasic duration and phasic frequency determined by the two techniques. However, the pancreatic sphincter phasic pressure was significantly higher when measured endoscopically (p < 0.001). Overall, 70 percent of patients benefited from surgical sphincter ablation therapy. Patients with an elevated basal sphincter pressure determined intraoperatively were more likely to improve than those with a normal basal sphincter pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)