Diagnosis of choledocholithiasis and its therapeutic results with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

A descriptive, prospective study was carried out on 451 patients that were attended for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography at CIMEQ's Hospital from January 2004-March 2006. The sample was constituted by 353 patients with choledocholithiasis suspicion. The information was search in the reports of ERCP and the variables were analyzed with the objective of evaluating the diagnostic possibilities and the therapy for choledocholithiasis by ERCP. Choledocholithiasis was detected in 1/4 of the patients with indication of ERCP, and was more frequent in patients of the female sex and in patients older than 40 years. The jaundice was the main clinical condition that motivated the ERCP in the patients with choledocholithiasis. The diagnostic effectiveness of the alkaline phosphatase and the ultrasound was not high. The treatment of the choledocholithiasis by means of ERCP showed good results and low morbidity