Risk factors for ERCP-related complications in patients with pancreas divisum: a retrospective study.

Background: Limited data are available on complication rates of ERCP in patients with pancreas divisum (PD), and it is unclear whether traditional risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) apply.

Objectives: To describe the rates of ERCP complications in patients with PD and assess patient and procedure-related risk factors for PEP.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary care referral center.

Patients: A total of 2753 ERCPs performed in 1476 patients with PD from 1997 to 2010.

Main Outcome Measurements: Rates of PEP, hemorrhage, perforation, cholecystitis, and hospitalization directly attributable to ERCP.

Results: Early complications occurred after 7.8% of procedures, with PEP, hemorrhage, perforation, cholecystitis, and cardiorespiratory complications in 6.8%, 0.7%, 0.2%, 0.1%, and 0.1% of procedures, respectively. PEP was uncommon in patients who did not undergo attempted dorsal duct cannulation, occurring in 1.2% of procedures. With dorsal duct cannulation and cannulation with minor papilla sphincterotomy (MiS), the rates of PEP increased significantly to 8.2% and 10.6%, respectively (P<.01 for each comparison). Significant predictors of PEP after multivariate logistic regression included age younger than 40 (odds ratio [OR] 1.8; 95% CI, 1.27-2.59), female sex (OR 1.94; 95% CI, 1.25-3.01), previous PEP (OR 2.02; 95% CI, 1.32-3.1), attempted dorsal duct cannulation (OR 7.45; 95% CI, 3.25-17.07), and MiS (OR 1.62; 95% CI, 1.05-2.48). Presence of severe chronic pancreatitis was a protective factor (OR 0.46; 95% CI, 0.22-0.98).

Limitations: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.

Conclusions: Among patients with PD, the rate of PEP is low (1.2%) if dorsal duct cannulation is not attempted. However, patients with PD undergoing dorsal duct cannulation with or without MiS are at high risk of PEP (8.2% without and 10.6% with). Traditional PEP risk factors apply to patients with PD.