Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure to check for problems within your pancreas, liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts. At Hampshire Gastroenterology Associates, LLC, in Florence, Massachusetts, the experienced board-certified gastroenterologists use state-of-the-art technology to perform testing and treatment that restores your health. Call the office to schedule an appointment now!
ERCP is a diagnostic and treatment procedure in which your Hampshire Gastroenterology, LLC provider views your liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts from the inside.
During an ERCP, your Hampshire Gastroenterology, LLC provider inserts a long bendable tube (the endoscope) into your mouth and through your esophagus until reaching the top of your small intestine.
The endoscope contains a tiny camera, so your provider can see the inside of your digestive tract on a monitor. Then, your provider injects a special dye through the endoscope. The dye highlights the organs they need to examine on X-ray images.
ERCP may also include treatments, like removing gallstones, tumors, or scar tissue. You’ll receive sedation or anesthesia before your ERCP, making it a pain-free process.
Your Hampshire Gastroenterology, LLC provider may recommend ERCP if you have symptoms like abdominal pain, yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice), or other issues that likely originate in the gallbladder, pancreas, bile ducts, or liver.
Some conditions that ERCP can diagnose and sometimes treat include:
The most common reason for ERCP is locating and removing gallstones lodged in the bile duct. There are other reasons to have ERCP as well, based on your unique needs.
The Hampshire Gastroenterology, LLC team, gives you ERCP prep instructions ahead of time. You’ll need to fast (no food or liquids) for eight hours. Let your provider know if you have any allergies, particularly to iodine (the dye used in an ERCP).
In most cases, you’ll be able to go home the day of your procedure, so arrange transportation with a loved one. You can’t drive until the sedative wears off completely.
After an ERCP, you’ll probably have a sore throat, so eating a soft diet for a few days can help. You may have some bloating and nausea, but these issues usually subside within a day. Most people return to work the next day.
Call Hampshire Gastroenterology Associates, LLC to schedule your appointment with a board-certified gastroenterologist now.