Septic complications following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: the experience in Tel Aviv Medical Center.

At the Tel-Aviv Medical Center, five of 720 (0.69%) patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) subsequently developed septicaemia. One of these patients (0.14%) died as a direct result and three other septicaemic patients died from other complications. The most important risk factor associated with infectious complications was obstructive jaundice. Retrospective analysis of our data revealed that no cases of septicaemia developed in patients given prophylactic antibiotics, whereas 4.3% of patients who received no prophylactics developed infectious complications. Prophylactic antibiotics are therefore recommended for patients undergoing ERCP who have biliary obstruction.