Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: 40 years of development

After 40 years the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remains as important diagnostic and therapeutic alternative for the diseases of the biliary tract and pancreas. A brief historical review of its development and elementary aspects of its utility in the illnesses treated by ERCP is made. Basic technical aspects related with their different levels of complexity, their effectiveness, their complications and risk factors related with these complications were analyzed. Demonstrate the competition of the ERCP in front of other alternatives of the technological development will depend in great measure of the ability of the gastroenterologists in developing this technique and demonstrate their results