Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) provides a unique opportunity to administer prophylactic pharmacologic agents to reduce the frequency and severity of postprocedure pancreatitis, but reports of . . .
Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) provides a unique opportunity to administer prophylactic pharmacologic agents to reduce the frequency and severity of postprocedure pancreatitis, but reports of the results of prophylactic therapy have been contradictory. Italian investigators performed a meta-analysis of controlled studies (complete or abstract publications) to examine the effectsof somatostatin (12 studies), octreotide (10 studies), and gabexate mesilate(6 studies) in reducing the frequency of post-ERCP pain, amylase elevation, and pancreatitis.
Somatostatin and gabexate mesilate were associated significantly with improvement in all 3 parameters. Octreotide was associated with a reducedincidence of post-ERCP hyperamyla…