Last Updated on November 17, 2024 by Analgesia team
ERCP Medical Abbreviation
ERCP is a medical abbreviation for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. It is a procedure that examines the bile and pancreatic ducts:
- What it does
ERCP is a procedure that uses an endoscope, a long, flexible, lighted tube, to examine the bile and pancreatic ducts. It combines X-ray and a camera to provide images of these ducts. A dye may be injected through the scope to highlight the organs on X-ray.
- What it’s used for
ERCP can be used to diagnose and treat problems in the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. It can help find the cause of unexplained abdominal pain or yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice). It can also be used to evaluate stones, tumors, or narrowed areas of the ducts.
- How it’s performed
A healthcare provider guides the endoscope through the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The procedure usually lasts 30 minutes to an hour.
- Possible complications
Complications include inflammation of the pancreas, bleeding, and perforation of the intestine. Death is a very rare outcome