Re: Sphincter of Oddi?

[Guest guest]

I have had it done 3 times by ERCP. It has always caused attacks. One of

them gave me relief for about 4 days. I wouldn't do it again. They thought

about doing it as a surgery and go from the outside in, but it wasn't

possible b/c my ducts were to small and I had cyst in the way.

Jenise

Mansfield, OH

[Guest guest]

Ken,

I haven't been on this site for several months due to 2 deaths in the family. It

has been a very rough year and I will be glad when 12-31-2002 comes !

To help you with your questions. I have SOD (after my GB surgery). I have been

to see Dr. Lehman in Indianoplis twice. Very smart guy. However I am very

conservatitive and asked him a ton of questions. Also as a RN, I have a tendency

to want allot of detail. I learned from Dr. lehamn that there can be up to a 20

% chance of getting pancreatitis after a ERCP, sphincterotomy. Ususally they cut

the sphincter of Odi and the pancreatic ducts, along with putting a stent in the

pancreatic duct that ususally passes on it's own in 2 weeks. MOst people

especially women , in their 40's , are more prone to the pancreatic attack after

an ERCP. In general the people with the healthy or more healthy pancreas are

more prone to get pancreatitis than persons with a bad or weakend pancreas. The

theory behind that is that once the pancreas has started it's disease process it

kinda injuries itself therefore is not so sensitive during the ERCP process.

Dr. lehamn initially gave me the odds that only 15% of HIS patients came back

for an ERCP/repeat sphincterotomy. I have had MANY GI docs tell me that if they

needed a ERCP done that Indy with Lehman or Dr. Sherman is where they would go.

They are doing a study there where they inject you with a dye that is suppose to

decrease the chances of developing pancreatitis. My sister in law had the

sphincterotomy done 2 months ago and did not have any trouble at all after the

procedure. Her pain is still there but 80 % of it is gone. I have tried the

conservative approach and found that the medicine called Clidinium,( used for

IBS and other GI problems) and it has a antispasmotic property to it as well has

been very helpful to me. I have been able to resume my desk job as a RN case

manager and this has helped me to avoid the ERCP. As long as the meds work I am

OK. But I still have daily pain from the SOD, it is just tolerable and I still

misss about 1-2 days a months from work. But that is a LONG way from where I was

1 year ago.

I found some articles last week on the latest reserach of ERCP and

sphincterototmes. I think I left the info at my office . I will look it up and

post the web site, as the paper had the most recent studies and many GI

specialist were listed that had done reseach. You can look the articles up on

the net and get more knowledge. My expierence from all of the reseach I have

done is to find a GOOD GI doc that does a GOOD sphincterotomy, that has done

LOTS of them, then decide for yourself whether you need to do it. It is not

uncommon for repeat sphincterotomies, then you run into scar tissue formation

and that leads to more pain and a chronic circle.

Sorry about the long email. Just thought that I would toss in my 2

cents.Sometimes there is no choice for people and they have to have it done. If

you still have a choice, think it over. I get repeat CT scans done once a year

and check my liver panel and pancreatic enzymes to make sure that I am not

harming myself by not having it done. So far so good, but like I said, I still

have daily pain, just more tolerable. Initially i was in so much pain that I

lost 50 pounds. I have been able to keep 35 pounds off still. But my diet is

very strict,,,, no fat. Not so easy this time of year.

Give me a day or two to find those articles and then I will post them , I found

them helpful

I hope this helped, Sorry for all of the typos, but I could not sleep and now

it is time to get ready for work and get child up for school !!!

have a good day,

Lily from Ohio

Sphincter of Oddi?

Can someone tell me about the Sphincter of Oddi? My GI has been

suggesting we cut it to make it stay open, as this may be the cause of

my cp. However, the idea of cutting something that obviously was

important at one time frightens me. Also, the doc said there was better

than a 50% chance of experiencing a real full-blown attack after the

surgery.

So, I guess what I want to know is.

1 How many of you have done it?

2 Did it result in a severe attack?

3 Did it provide relief?

4 Would you do it again?

adTHANKSvance,

K