Nursing implications after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

The development of therapeutic endoscopic procedures over the past 20 years has been phenomenal. From the visualization of bile and pancreatic ducts years ago, technology has progressed to complex sphincterotomies, stenting and removal of common duct stones. Nurses working with these patients after these procedures need physical assessment skills and a knowledge base of both the therapeutic endoscopic procedures and the complications associated with the procedures.