Guidewire cannulation reduces risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis and facilitates bile duct cannulation.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate if using a soft-tipped guidewire to cannulate the common bile duct may ameliorate development of post-ERCP pancreatitis and facilitate cannulation of the CBD.

DESIGN AND

SETTING

A single-center, blinded, randomized trial of conventional cannulation technique using sphinctertome and contrast injection versus guidewire cannulation technique.

METHODS

We prospectively randomized 300 patients to conventional cannulation (group I) or guidewire cannulation (group II) technique.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measure was incidence of acute pancreatitis and secondary outcome measures were ease of cannulation of common bile duct (assessed by attempts required for common bile duct cannulation & rates of precut sphincterotomy) and overall complication rates.

RESULTS

Guidewire cannulation was associated with significantly lower likelihood of post-ERCP pancreatitis (adjusted OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.89, P= 0.02). Twenty-five patients (16.6%) in group I and thirteen patients (8.6%) in group II developed acute pancreatitis, P= 0.037. All instances of pancreatitis were mild. There were more women in group II; 41 in group I and 59 in group II, P= 0.028. Otherwise the two groups were comparable for age, age under 35 yr, indication for ERCP, diagnosis, and number of patients with SOD. The number of patients requiring 0-3, 4-6, and 7-10 attempts for successful cannulation of the common bile duct were 87, 48, and 15 in group I and 117, 24, and 9 in group II, respectively, P= 0.001. A total of 33 patients in group I and 13 patients in group II required precut sphincterotomy, P= 0.007. Rates of accidental pancreatic duct cannulation were 21 in group I and 27 in group II, P= 0.34. Rates of overall complication were not significantly different in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Guidewire technique for bile duct cannulation lowers likelihood of post-ERCP pancreatitis by facilitating cannulation and reducing need for precut sphincterotomy.