Safety of extension of a previous endoscopic sphincterotomy: a prospective study.

Objectives: Data in the literature regarding complication risks after the extension of a previous endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy (repeat endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy) are limited and controversial. To explore this issue, we prospectively studied complications after repeat sphincterotomy and compared them with those of biliary endoscopic sphincterotomy in consecutive patients with choledocholithiasis.

Methods: A total of 250 patients underwent endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy and 81 underwent extension of a previous one.