Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Evaluation based on experience with 805 examinations.

ERCP was evaluated on the basis of 805 examinations. Visualization of the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct was possible in 44%, of the common bile duct in 22% and of the pancreatic duct alone in 24.6% of the cases. The ductal systems were not opacified in 9.4% but the failure rate decreased from 18.2% to 5.4% within increasing experience. Pathological changes were found in both ducts in 2%, in the common bile duct in 42.2% and the pancreatic duct in 11.4% of the cases. Diagnostic information was supplied by ERCP in 84.4% of the cases. Complications developed in four cases (acute pancreatitis in three and cholangitis in one). There was no mortality in the entire series. It is concluded that ERCP is a valuable diagnostic method that is frequently successful and reasonably safe.