Re: Endoscopic ultrasound vs ercp *i hope this helps some*

[Guest guest]

I had mulitple ERCP's done with and without sphincterotomies, stent

placments, etc. I continued to have abdominal pain even after the

ERCPs and i had bouts of Acute Pancreatitis attacks as well and very

high liver enzymes due to spams of the biliary Sphincter and biliary

stenosis secondary to biliary stasis. I was continuing on a downward

spiral. Finally after my second visit to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. A

pancreatic specialist said that i should have a EUS done because he

felt that i had could have Chronic Pancreatitis because of the

abodminal pain, weight loss....etc. So when i got home from Mayo

Clinic a specialist (he was the ONLY specialist that did EUS in our

town) did a EUS. The past ERCPs only showed a Pancreatic Divisum, the

sphincter and biliary problems and the biliary scar tissue that

regrows and causes bile to become sludge in my liver. I had the EUS

done and wha-la the specialist found out that i do have Chronic

Pancreatitis. Infact the specialist said to me and my dad that a EUS

is much more detailed than a ERCP when wanting to look at the

Pancreas. He said that MANY times you can undergoe multiple ERCP's

and NEVER see the scar tissue/calsification; the Chronic

Pancreatitis. He said its a VERY detailed diagnostic tool and only a

physician whom is skilled with using and understanding such a test can

perform it because its a very complex (for the docs) test and very

accurate. He said he wasnt surprised that my ERCPs never showed the

Chronic Pancreatitis. He said the EUS is one of the best diagnostic

tools because it looks at the pancreas at a near 360 degree angle and

you are able to see parts of the pancreas that a ERCP cant really get

to.

So i had a really good experience when i had my EUS done (meaning the

diagnosic portion, the sedation part was horrible because he didnt

have the equipment for general anesthesia). I had gone with continued

pain and hospitalizations. It was like a great weight was lifted off

my shoulders when he told me the diagnosis because i had gone years of

being very sick. Just keep in mind that everyone is different. I

have had abdominal surgery where a MRI and CT Scan didnt show a

ovarian cyst and then i end up having laparscopic surgery and they

find a ovarian cyst the size of a grapefruit. The ERCP missed what

the EUS saw. So if you get the ERCP done and they still havent really

found a diffinitive answer to the cause of your ailments, then have a

EUS done. In my opinion the EUS is by far the most detailed

diagnostic tool when looking at the pancreas to diagnosis Chronic

Pancreatitis. Good luck !! If you need any more info. Please feel

free to email me anytime. My email address is the one i use for the

group. God bless you greatly. Much love, Karolina (Florida).

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> Question: endoscopic ultrasound vs. ercp for diagnosis of cp. any

personal experiences with them. Thanks .................

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