Choledocholithiasis in pregnancy: When and how to perform ERCP?

Prevalence of cholelithiasis in pregnancy varies from 1 % to 12 % depending on the study population. Approximately 1 % of those with gallstone disease develop symptoms. The diagnosis is made by clinical signs, laboratory tests and transabdominal ultrasound (TUS) for evaluation of the gallbladder and bile ducts. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) should be considered for indeterminate cases. It allows to identify patients with clear ducts e. g. after spontaneous stone passage who do not need therapeutic interventions. On the other hand, in case of stones, it enables the number, size and location to be determined. This provides important information for therapy. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) can be considered as alternative for diagnosis. Its invasiveness is relative if the procedure is performed in the same session as ERCP that should be limited to proving existence of ductal stones [1].

Publication History

Article published online:
07 October 2020

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