Adenoma of the minor papilla associated with pancreas divisum

Tumors of the minor papilla of the duodenum are quite rare. We report the first documented case of an adenoma of the minor papilla complicating pancreas divisum. A 52-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for treatment of an asymptomatic duodenal tumor detected by computed tomography scan. Endoscopy showed an 18-mm, whitish-colored, sessile mass located in the descending duodenum proximal to a normal appearing major papilla. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography revealed divisum of the pancreas with dilatation of pancreatic duct ranged in the dorsal pancreas. Transduodenal minor papillectomy was performed because there is malignant potential of the tumor and the possibility of acute pancreatitis. The Santorini orifice was then re-approximated to the duodenal wall for protection against acute pancreatitis caused by scarring and stenosis of the duct orifice as a possible late complication. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and she has been asymptomatic without evidence of tumor recurrence or stenosis of the Santorini orifice on endoscopic examination for the last 4 years.     

Endoscopic botulinum toxin injection into the minor papilla for treatment of idiopathic recurrent pancreatitis in patients with pancreas divisum.

BACKGROUND: In some patients with pancreas divisum, obstruction to the flow of pancreatic juice into the duodenum is the presumptive cause of acute recurrent pancreatitis. However, identification of those patients who may benefit from minor papilla sphincterotomy or stent placement is difficult. METHODS: Five patients with acute recurrent pancreatitis and pancreas divisum were therefore treated by endoscopic injection of 50 units of botulinum toxin into the minor papilla in an outpatient setting. RESULTS: Botulinum toxin injection was successfully performed on six occasions in 5 patients and no adverse effects were noted. Two patients relapsed after 9 and 10 months, respectively, but had definite relief of symptoms after needle-knife sphincterotomy. One patient relapsed 7 months after botulinum toxin injection but became symptom free again after a second botulinum toxin injection. Another patient is still in clinical remission 4 months after botulinum toxin administration, and 1 patient did not respond to either botulinum toxin administration or to sphincterotomy and stent placement. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic injection of botulinum toxin into the minor papilla in patients with pancreas divisum and acute recurrent pancreatitis is a safe procedure that is easy to perform and provides short-term relief in some patients. Response to botulinum toxin injection may predict whether patients with pancreas divisum and acute recurrent pancreatitis will benefit from other forms of endoscopic therapy.     

Endoscopic papillectomy of minor papillar adenoma associated with pancreas divisum

Tumors of the minor papilla of the duodenum are quite rare. We successfully and safely treated an 18-mm adenoma of the minor papilla associated with pancreas divisum using endoscopic papillectomy. A 64-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for treatment of an asymptomatic mass in the minor papilla detected by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Endscopic analysis showed an 18-mm, whitish, sessile mass, located in the duodenum proximal to a normal-appearing major papilla. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography did not reveal the pancreatic duct. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed a lack of the ventral pancreatic duct. We suspected this case was associated with pancreatic divisum; therefore, we performed endoscopic papillectomy of the minor papilla tumor. Subsequently, endoscopic pancreatic stent placement in the minor papilla was done to prevent drainage disturbance. The patient has been asymptomatic without recurrence of tumor or stenosis of the Santorini orifice upon endoscopic examination for the past 2 years.     

Use of methylene blue to identify the minor papilla or its orifice in patients with pancreas divisum

BACKGROUND: In some patients with pancreas divisum, minor papilla cannulation is difficult because of uncertain identification of the papilla or its orifice, even after pancreatic secretory stimulation with secretin or cholecystokinin agonist. METHODS: Two techniques with methylene blue were used to identify the minor papilla and its orifice more clearly in a series of patients: spraying methylene blue over duodenal mucosa in the region suspected to contain the minor papilla with/without secretin or cholecystokinin agonist administration, and injection of contrast medium containing methylene blue into the ventral pancreatic duct by means of the major papilla in cases of incomplete pancreas divisum. Results were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: From January 2001 to May 2002, minor papilla cannulation with conventional methods initially failed in 38 of 305 patients with pancreas divisum because of an inconspicuous minor papilla orifice. Methylene blue was used to identity the minor papilla orifice in 14 of 38 patients (spraying, 13; injection, 1). Minor papilla cannulation was successful in 12 of 14 (86%) patients (spraying 11, injection 1). Mild pancreatitis developed in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Methylene blue spraying or injection appears to be a helpful technique for identification of the inconspicuous minor papilla orifice in patients with pancreas divisum.     

Predicting pancreas divisum by inspection of the minor papilla: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Minor papilla (MP) cannulation remains difficult in some patients despite improved cannulation devices and techniques. Therefore, noninvasive methods to predict presence of pancreas divisum (Pdiv) are desired. If Pdiv could be recognized before any cannulation is attempted, appropriate attention could be focused on MP cannulation and prolonged major papilla attempt at pancreatogram can be avoided. AIM: To evaluate whether simple inspection of the MP during initial duodenal entry during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can predict the presence of Pdiv. METHODS: Patients undergoing ERCP with intended pancreatic duct cannulation were included in the study. Assessment of the MP was made during a 30 to 60-second period of inspection including aspiration of duodenal luminal air with the endoscope. The probability of Pdiv based on the appearance of the MP was then estimated by assessing the size of the MP, the diameter of MP orifice, and whether juice was seen draining through the MP orifice. RESULTS: Two hundred and twelve patients were prospectively analyzed. The most common indications for ERCP were suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (44.3%) and idiopathic pancreatitis (34.4%). Pancreatograms revealed Pdiv in 42 (19.8%). The MP appearance had 54.7% sensitivity and 90% specificity in detecting Pdiv (positive predictive value 57.5%, negative predicting value 88.9%). Seventy percent of the false positive patients had an obstructing pathology at the ventral duct that would explain the MP appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Certain features of the MP (enlarged papilla, open orifice) had a moderate predictive value for the presence of Pdiv or an obstruction at the major papilla. However, a significant number of patients with Pdiv did not have these features.     

An endoscopic sphincterotomy of the minor papilla in the management of symptomatic pancreas divisum

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The efficacy of endoscopic treatment in pancreas divisum remains controversial. This study evaluated the results of an endoscopic sphincterotomy of the minor papilla and temporary transpapillary pancreatic stenting in patients with pancreas divisum. METHODOLOGY: Pancreas divisum was diagnosed in four patients between 1994 and 2004. All patients demonstrated episodes of recurrent upper abdominal and back pain were with a median follow-up period of 14.5 months. One patient was treated by a sphincterotomy of the minor papilla alone, while three others also underwent transpapillary pancreatic stent insertion for seven days. RESULTS: A Sphincterotomy of the minor papilla could be successfully achieved in all patients. There was no instance of bleeding, perforation or sepsis after the procedure. The postoperative serum amylase level in the patients without stent insertion (1352 IU/L) was higher than that the patients with stents (mean level 515 IU/L, range 358 to 680). The dilatated dorsal pancreatic ducts were found to improve after a sphincterotomy in all patients. None of the patients had any further episodes of pancreatitis. In addition, all patients demonstrated a considerable improvement in their upper abdominal or back pain symptoms, which did not require either analgesic medication or hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: An endoscopic sphincterotomy and temporary transpapillary pancreatic stenting were therefore suggested to be a beneficial treatment modality for patients with pancreas divisum.     

Endoscopic ultrasound and pancreas divisum

Pancreas divisum is the most common congenital anatomic variation of the pancreatic ductal anatomy and in most of the individuals it is asymptomatic. However, in minority of individuals it is presumed to cause recurrent acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is the gold standard for its diagnosis, but is invasive and associated with significant adverse effects. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) allows the detailed evaluation of the pancreaticobiliary ductal system without injecting contrast in these ducts. Moreover, it provides detailed images of the parenchyma also. Therefore EUS, both radial and linear, has potential for being a minimally invasive diagnostic modality for pancreas divisum. A number of EUS criteria have been suggested for the diagnosis of pancreas divisum. These criteria have varying sensitivity and specificity and hence there is a need for objective and uniform criteria that have the best diagnostic accuracy. Secretin EUS has a potential for diagnosing minor papilla stenosis and thus help in planning appropriate therapy. EUS guided pancreatic duct interventions can help in draining dorsal duct in symptomatic patients with failed minor papilla cannulation. But these techniques are technically demanding and associated with potential severe complications.     

Endoscopic approach to pancreas divisum

Pancreas divisum has been claimed to be a harmless congenital variant or to occasionally cause acute relapsing pancreatitis (ARP), chronic pancreatitis (CP), or a chronic abdominal pain (CAP) syndrome. Both surgical and endoscopic approaches to accessory papilla decompression have been promulgated and widely disparate results reported in the literature. We retrospectively reviewed a five-year experience with dorsal pancreatic duct decompression at our institution utilizing a variety of endotherapeutic techniques. Data collected included procedural complications; patient interpretation of pre- and posttherapy pain, frequency, and intensity graded on an analog pain scale; frequency of hospitalization; and patient perception of global improvement to endotherapy. At a mean follow-up of 20 months, there was a statistically significant decrease in pancreatitis incidence in 15 patients with ARP (P=0.016) and 19 patients with CP (P=0.025). The frequency and intensity of chronic pain was also significantly improved (P<0.001) in the latter group. In contrast, only one of five patients with CAP and normal dorsal pancreatography and secretin tests experienced global improvement, and there was no improvement utilizing an analog pain scale (P=0.262) in the group as a whole. There was a 20% incidence of mild procedure or subsequent stent-related pancreatitis and an 11.5% accessory papilla restenosis rate. It is concluded that a subset of carefully selected patients with pancreas divisum may respond to endotherapy but that long-term follow-up will be required to define its ultimate place in the management of symptomatic patients with this anomaly.     

Minor papilla cannulation and dorsal ductography in pancreas divisum

Until recently, pancreas divisum represented a major technical barrier to a complete evaluation of pancreatic ductal anatomy. Technical refinements have now made it possible to achieve minor papilla cannulation and dorsal ductography in more than 90% of attempts. In 120 consecutive dorsal ductograms, structural pathology was demonstrated in 36 subjects (30%): chronic pancreatitis in 23, pancreatic stones in 10, pseudocyst(s) in 4, ductal "cut-off" in 7, pancreatic cancer in 3, and partial agenesis in 1 (some patients had more than one finding). For patients in whom alcohol abuse was excluded, ductal pathology was present in 25%. Abnormal ventral ductograms were present in only 8% of cases, demonstrating that dorsal ductography has an appreciable additional diagnostic yield. When the clinical situation indicates the need for pancreatography, minor papilla cannulation should be performed if major papilla cannulation fails or reveals only the ventral pancreatogram of pancreas divisum.     

An improved technique for accessory papilla cannulation in pancreas divisum

Cannulation of the accessory papilla with dorsal pancreas ductography was accomplished in 13 of 15 consecutive cases of pancreas divisum. When routine cannulation of the main pancreatic papilla fails to produce a pancreatogram or yields only a ventral pancreas, the use of intravenous secretin and a 23-gauge needle catheter is recommended to facilitate accessory duct cannulation.     

Pancreas divisum and recurrent pancreatitis: long-term results of minor papilla sphincterotomy

Background and aims: Pancreas divisum (PD) is the most common congenital variant of the pancreatic ductal system and a potential cause of acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP). Endoscopic therapy is a therapeutic option for symptomatic PD, but there is limited data on long-term results. We aimed to assess the effect of minor papilla endoscopic sphincterotomy (MiES) in the setting of ARP in patients with PD.

Methods: Consecutive patients treated by MiES were included. Clinical data, including gender, age, smoking and drinking habits, number of episodes of acute pancreatitis (AP) as well as technical data pertaining to the endoscopic therapy were reviewed. Patients available for follow-up were contacted to assess the long-term impact of MiES using the Patient’s Global Impression of Change (PGIC) questionnaire.

Results: A total of 138 patients with PD including 77 patients with ARP underwent MiES; 48 patients were available for long-term follow-up using the PGIC score, with a mean follow-up period of 9.7 years. Procedure-related adverse events developed in 10 cases (12.9%): 5 post-MiES delayed bleeding and 5 mild pancreatitis. MiES was clinically successful in 35 patients (72.9%) who did not experience any more episodes of AP. Improvement in quality of life (PGIC ≥6) occurred in 41/48 patients (85.4%). On multivariate analysis, stenosis of the MiES was the only predictive factor for increased risk of recurrent pancreatitis after initial therapy.

Conclusion: MiES resulted an efficient treatment for ARP in patients with PD with clinical benefit, patient satisfaction and improved quality of life even at long-term follow-up.