Pancreatography) is used primarily to diagnose and treat conditions of the bile ducts, including gallstones, inflammatory strictures (scars), leaks (from trauma and surgery), and cancer. | ERCP ERCP Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography is used primarily to diagnose and treat conditions of the bile ducts including gallstones inflammatory strictures scars leaks from trauma and surgery and cancer. Preparation Your stomach and duodenum must be empty for the procedure to be accurate and safe. You will not be able to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the procedure or for 6 to 8 hours beforehand depending on the time of your procedure. Also the physician will need to know whether you have any allergies especially to iodine which is in the dye. You must also arrange for someone to take you home you will not be allowed to drive because of the sedatives. The physician may give you other special instructions. Procedure you will lie on your left side on an examining table in an x-ray room. You will be given medication to help numb the back of your throat and a sedative to help you relax during the exam. You will swallow the endoscope and the physician will then guide the scope through your esophagus stomach and duodenum until it reaches the spot where the ducts of the biliary tree and pancreas open into the duodenum. Endoscope is inserted into the mouth then passed through the esophagus and stomach into the duodenum Duodenum Pancreatic duct Adam At this time you will be turned to lie flat on your stomach and the physician will pass a small plastic tube through the scope. Through the tube the physician will inject a dye into the ducts to make them show up clearly on x rays. X rays are taken as soon as the dye is injected. Dye is injected through a catheter Into the pancreatic or biliary .
