What is ERCP?
ERCP is the short name for the application called Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography and is an endoscopy technique used for endoscopic examination and treatment of bile and pancreatic ducts. Just like other endoscopy methods, this procedure, which is performed with the help of an endoscope device with a light and camera at its tip, is frequently used for diagnosis or treatment purposes.
What is ERCP?
ERCP is an endoscopy method that combines upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIS) and x-ray, thus helping to diagnose and treat health problems related to bile and pancreas. “What does ERCP mean?” or “What does ERCP stand for?” Questions such as these can also be answered with a shorter definition: bile and pancreatic duct endoscopy. Bile ducts are channels through which the bile secretion produced and stored in the gallbladder, located immediately adjacent to the liver, is transmitted to the small intestines. Pancreatic ducts are involved in the transmission of enzyme-containing digestive secretions produced in the pancreas to the intestine. Both the bile and pancreatic ducts open into the duodenum, or duodenum. During the ERCP procedure, physicians investigating or aiming to treat any disease related to these areas use an injectable dye to monitor the progress of the dye within the channels. This examination using x-rays is a typical x-ray imaging. A long, flexible and illuminated tube is used for endoscopy, as in other endoscopy techniques. With the help of this device, the inner parts of the channels in question can be viewed and therapeutic interventions can be performed when necessary.
Why is ERCP done?
Under normal circumstances, ERCP can be applied for both diagnosis and treatment purposes. However, as a result of the developing medical facilities today, non-invasive methods, in other words, which do not require physical entry into the body, are used instead of ERCP for diagnostic purposes. Tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) are examples of this. With the help of these applications, all kinds of health problems related to the pancreas and bile ducts can be diagnosed. ERCP application is generally used in the treatment of stenosis and obstructions in the bile and pancreatic ducts. At the same time, ERCP may be required for purposes such as investigating conditions such as unexplained abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and white parts of the eyes (jaundice), and examining bile and pancreatic cancers. Apart from these, some of the situations that require ERCP are as follows:
- Presence of gallstones in the gallbladder or stuck in the bile ducts, causing blockage
- Acute and chronic pancreatitis
- infections
- Problems in the bile or pancreatic ducts caused by trauma or surgery
- Pseudocysts found in the pancreas
- Pancreatic tumors and cancers
- Bile duct tumors and cancers
What Should Nutrition Be Like After ERCP?
After the ERCP procedure is completed, the patient is usually taken to a rest room and the necessary checks are performed. The patient’s blood pressure is measured, pulse and breathing are checked. If no problem is observed, the patient can go home. A few hours after the procedure, you can eat unless the doctor recommends otherwise. It is beneficial for the swallowing reflex to be completely normal before you start eating. You can eat normally during diagnostic procedures. However, if any intervention is made during ERCP, the physician may recommend feeding with liquid or soft foods for a certain period of time. Problems such as sore throat, bloating and nausea may occur for a while after the examination. Therefore, it is beneficial to avoid consuming very hard, spicy and acidic foods until these disorders pass. In addition, patients who complain of bloating and nausea will help alleviate these problems by avoiding consuming large amounts of food in a single meal and eating small and frequent meals. If there are medications recommended to be used after the operation, the use of medications can be started as recommended by the physician, with the start of nutrition.
Things to Consider After ERCP
Due to the risks of anesthesia-related complications, patients are generally kept under observation in hospital conditions for a few hours after ERCP. During the procedure, abdominal bloating may occur due to air pumped into the pancreas and bile ducts. “Is there pain after ERCP?” The question can be answered yes, although it varies from person to person. Abdominal and throat pain are among the symptoms that may be observed after the procedure. In addition, anesthesia-induced nausea can also be among the side effects of ERCP. Such complaints are usually short-term and temporary. After the ERCP procedure, which does not cause any physical problems, patients can return to their daily lives and work. However, it is beneficial to rest at home on the day of the procedure. Some individuals may develop allergic reactions to the dye used during the procedure. In this case, necessary interventions are carried out in the health institution. One of the most common complications due to ERCP is pancreatitis. This disorder, which can be explained as inflammation of the pancreas, is often mild and does not usually require surgical intervention or hospitalization. However, although rare, there are risks of complications such as serious pancreatitis, inflammation of the gallbladder and its ducts (Cholecystitis), perforation and bleeding in the intestinal wall, and tissue damage. For these reasons, the person is usually given a follow-up appointment. Apart from the follow-up appointment, if serious ERCP complications such as fever, chills, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, blood in the stool or black stools, severe abdominal pain, chest pain or shortness of breath are observed after the procedure, health institutions should be consulted without waiting for the appointment date. ERCP is a widely used and highly effective method in the screening and treatment of diseases related to the bile ducts and pancreas. Therefore, if ERCP has been recommended to you by your physician, you can have your ERCP procedure done by making your appointment and making the necessary preparations.
