Emergency versus early acute ERCP in patients (pts) with clinical signs of acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) – it the therapeutic window is really critical?

Introduction: Biliary pancreatitis caused by gallstones involve up to 60% of all cases of acute pancreatitis. In this subtype of acute pancreatitis the ERCP and endoscopic decompression with EST is superior to conventional therapy. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively assess the incidence of ABP and to survey the effect of emergency vs. early acute ERCP and/or EST in pts admitted to our hospital during of the years 2002 and 2007. Methods: Non-alcoholic pts with acute pancreatitis associated with biliary abnormalities on US (gallbladder stones or sludge or dilated CBD) and concomitant early elevati…