The effect of adding gentamicin to contrast media for prevention of cholangitis after biliary stenting for non-calculous biliary obstruction, a randomized controlled trial.

Aim: Cholangitis is the most common infectious complication of ERCP. In vitro studies showed that addition of aminoglycosides to contrast medium was effective in reducing cholangitis but the results of clinical trials are conflicting. We studied the effect of adding gentamicin to contrast medium in reducing the rate of post-ERCP cholangitis in patients with non-calculous obstructive jaundice.

Methods: All patients with non-calculous obstructive jaundice who underwent endoscopic biliary stenting at the Shariati Hospital, Tehran, between December 2009 and October 2010 were enrolled in the study. Gentamicin (10 mg) or distilled water was added to each 10 cc contrast medium during ERCP. Intravenous antibiotics were administered before and after the procedure in all patients. After ERCP and stent deployment, patients were followed for 72 h for symptoms and signs of cholangitis.

Results: A total of 114 patients were eligible for the study. Of these, 57 patients were included in each group. Cholangiocarcinoma was the most prevalent diagnosis. The obstruction was relieved in all patients by stenting. Five patients in each group (8.8 %) developed cholangitis. There was no significant difference in the incidence of cholangitis between the two groups (p = 1.000).

Conclusions: With adequate drainage of the obstructed biliary tract by proper stenting, adding gentamicin to contrast media had no significant effect on incidence of post-ERCP cholangitis.