Small common bile duct - the risk factor for post-ERCP pancreatitis in patients with choledocholithiasis.

Objective: Aim: To investigate the risk factors for PEP in patients with choledocholithiasis.

Patients And Methods: Materials and Methods: We have retrospectively analyzed 253 cases with choledocholithiasis that underwent ERCP. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of PEP. A number of potential risk factors for PEP were taken into account: gender, age ( 10 mm); type of choledocholithiasis - microcholedocholithiasis, choledocholithiasis (1-2 stones), multiple choledocholithiasis (≥ 3 stones) and choledocholithiasis due to Mirizzi syndrome; periampullary diverticulum; papilla size (≤5 or >6 mm); ERCP success; selective biliary cannulation; pancreatic cannulation/injection; precut; papillotomy.

Results: Results: PEP was in 8 (3,2 %) cases. Univariate analysis identified two factors associated with PEP - common bile duct ≤10 mm (P=0.045) and papilla ≤5 mm (P=0.036). In multivariate analysis, among all variables only the common bile size ≤10 mm appeared to be significant (P=0.018).

Conclusion: Conclusions: In patients with choledocholithiasis the occurrence of PEP is related to common bile duct size less than 10 mm.