Clinical Profiles and Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in a Tertiary Care Center

Introduction Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a lifesaving therapeutic procedure that carries its own complexities and risks. Clinicians use ERCP as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of biliary stones, malignant obstruction, and acute cholangitis. Aim In our study, we aimed to analyze the clinical profile and outcome of patients who underwent ERCP in the Department of Medical Gastroenterology from August 2021 to February 2023 at Government Medical College Kottayam in India. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective study using data from patients who underwent ERCP in the Department of Medical Gastroenterology from August 2021 to February 2023 at Government Medical College Kottayam. We used a semi-structured questionnaire, pro forma, laboratory investigation reports, and SPSS Statistics software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) for our data analysis. We included all patients older than 18 years. Results In our study 65% of the patients were female. The primary indication for ERCP was common bile duct stones. Of the 216 attempted ERCP cases, we performed successful cannulation in 201 patients, a success rate of 93%. The cannulation time was less than five minutes in the majority of the cases and more than five minutes in 30% of the cases. The commonest type of ampulla in our study was Type One. In our study patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had an increased risk of developing post-ERCP pancreatitis. The most common complication in our study was pancreatitis, which occurred in 29 cases (14%). Only three cases had moderate to severe pancreatitis requiring a prolonged hospital stay of more than three days. There was one fatality immediately following ERCP probably owing to sepsis-induced myocarditis. Of the 201 cases, 15 (7.5%) required precut sphincterotomy. Conclusion Analysis of data from patients who underwent ERCP in our department showed that the procedure is safe and effective in treating biliary disorders. The successful cannulation rate and complication rate with ERCP in our tertiary care center are at par with other published data.