Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in Little Rock, AR

You will be asked to arrive at the endoscopy center in Little Rock, AR 1 – 1.5 hours prior to your exam. This will provide you with time to fill out paperwork and prepare for the assessment. You will be asked to put on a medical gown. Our team will place an intravenous (IV) catheter in your arm so sedation can be given. Special equipment will also be used that will allow the doctor and our team to monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, pulse, electrocardiogram, breathing, and oxygen levels throughout the course of, and after, the test.

When you enter the treatment room, you will then position yourself on your abdomen on the table. The sedation solution will then be administered. A small amount will be administered to make certain that you do not have any reaction to the sedative solution and to limit it to only the amount you need on an individual basis. In comparison with other types of endoscopic tests, it is not unusual for general anesthesia to be utilized for an ERCP procedure. After a sufficient sedation level is established, the endoscope will be gently placed into the mouth. The scope will be gently advanced through the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine to the location where the pancreatic and bile ducts empty into the small bowel. A small amount of air is injected via the scope into the digestive system to help the specialist see. In this procedure, an iodine-based contrast dye is placed into the biliary and pancreatic ducts. An x-ray machine is utilized to take pictures of the bile duct and pancreatic duct to see if there are any concerns or abnormalities. Any fluid remaining in the upper digestive tract can be suctioned out through the endoscope. Based on what the procedure reveals, several things might be carried out during the course of the ERCP, such as tissue biopsies, removal of gallstones from the bile ducts or stones from the pancreatic ducts, stent placement (plastic/metal tubes) into the bile duct or pancreatic duct, and sphincterotomy (opening the bile duct or pancreatic duct). At the end of the ERCP, as much of the residual fluid and air as possible will be removed through the endoscope. In general, the procedure takes around 30 – 90 minutes to perform.

When the assessment has concluded, you will be escorted to the post-treatment room to be evaluated while the sedative effects begin to wane. The extent of sedation used throughout, and how you respond to it, will determine how fast you wake up, though most people are alert enough for discharge within 45 – 60 minutes. You cannot operate any vehicles for the rest of the day and should, therefore, plan to have a friend or relative take you home. You will also be directed not to work, perform strenuous activities, or sign important papers for the rest of the day. The majority of the time, people can eat and drink as usual after being released from the endoscopy unit, however, important instructions involving eating, medications, and activity will be given prior to dismissal. There may be times when ERCP patients may be admitted to stay in the hospital overnight for evaluation.

When the ERCP is complete, the specialist and/or nursing staff will discuss the findings of the test with you. Many individuals do not remember the information provided in the wake of the procedure as a result of the effects of the sedation. Our GastroArkansas staff advises you to bring someone with you with whom the ERCP findings can also be discussed, when possible. You will also be provided with a typed synopsis and will be contacted with any test or biopsy results often within a week.