| Abstract: | Three thousand one hundred and thirty‐seven endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedures were carried out over a 10‐year period from 1993 to 2003. Two thousand three hundred and seventeen (73.9%) procedures were first attempt procedures, and 516 (22.2%) cases were performed for malignant biliary strictures. The majority of tumors were distally located (43.4%) followed by hilar or subhilar strictures (34.5%). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed in 35 patients with non‐malignant biliary strictures: 12 were due to chronic pancreatitis and 13 due to postoperative damage one, tuberculous stricture four were benign strictures with no obvious cause, four cases of primary sclerosing cholangitis, and one case of Caroli's disease. Of 936 patients with biliary stone disease, 63 (6.7%) patients had strictures of varying degree and extent. ERCP was performed in only 12 cases of benign pancreatic strictures. Biliary stricture due to tuberculosis was distinctly uncommon and only one case was reported. Pre‐cutting with needle‐knife was used successfully in 27.0% of first attempts at common bile duct (CBD) cannulation. Overall, the use of needle knife precutting facilitated cannulation of the CBD in 159/435 (36.6%) (first and second attempts combined). The overwhelming majority of stents placed were polyethylene stents. Metallic self‐expandable stents were used only in a limited number of patients. Cytology brushings of biliary strictures were infrequently carried out. Multiple polyethylene stents were placed across benign strictures as a dilatation device for up to 12 months. Our experience with long‐term follow‐up (mean 7.7 years) of nine patients following for postoperative benign strictures has demonstrated excellent results with this management approach. |
