Miniscopes in gastroenterological endoscopy--inspection of the gallbladder and the biliary and pancreatic duct systems in autopsy specimens.

This report describes a newly available endoscopic system, the purpose of which is to inspect the common bile duct, gallbladder, cystic duct and the pancreatic duct with the aid of retrograde endoscopy. A miniscope examination of the gallbladder was carried out in eight out of ten autopsy specimens, and the entire pancreatic duct was inspected in nine out of ten specimens after successful transpapillary catheterisation. The procedure described in this paper opens up a new diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the gallbladder, biliary tree and the pancreatic duct.