What is Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography?
Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a medical procedure performed to view the gallbladder, pancreas, and liver ducts. A doctor who performs ERCP inserts an endoscope (A flexible instrument attached with a tiny camera) down the patient’s throat until it reaches the small intestine and then uses X-rays to examine the organs in consideration. The procedure helps to find out or determine any abnormalities in both bile and pancreatic ducts.
The procedure is performed for the patient experiencing problems, including gallstones, pancreatitis, or any diseases related to these organs. Besides inspecting the ducts, A doctor may perform Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography as a biopsy or treatment to take out gallstones or tissue samples.
Why is Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography performed?
The human liver, bile ducts, gallbladder, pancreas, and papilla of Vater can be infected or involved in various diseases. These infections or conditions may cause severe symptoms or pain. Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a way to determine the problem that also helps in diagnosing and treating the following situations -
Blockage of the bile duct by issues like gallstones, cancer, strictures (scarring), or compression from adjacent organs or tumors
Obstruction of the bile duct causing Jaundice (yellow coloring of the skin). It also causes darkening of the urine and light-colored stool.
Persistent or recurrent upper abdominal pain which cannot be evaluated by other diagnostic tests such as MRCP/MRI, CT
Confirming the diagnosis process of cancer of the pancreas or the bile duct so that a doctor can perform personalized surgery or other treatment plans for the disease.
When there is suspicion condition occurs that the Sphincter of Oddi within the Papilla of Vater, which controls the flow of bile and pancreatic juice, is not working usually (Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction)
What preparation is required for Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography?
If you experience any symptoms such as upper abdominal pain and blockage due to gallstones, cancer, strictures, you need to consult or visit a gastroenterologist as soon as possible. Based on various diagnosis tests, If the doctor recommends ERCP, you need to discuss the side effect and pros or cons of the successful treatment.
Before the procedure doctor may prescribe various dos and don’ts for the best possible examination. These may include –
The patient must avoid eating or drinking anything solid after midnight on the evening preceding the exam, and the stomach must be empty. If the doctor is going to perform the procedure early in the morning, the patient should not intake any liquid.
The patient must stop blood-thinning medicine at least one month before the procedure to be performed.
A patient on medication such as heart and blood pressure medicines needs to discuss this with the doctor.
Since the patient will be given general anesthesia to make sedate, s/he needs to have a companion to drive him/her after the ERCP procedure.
A patient must discuss complications, side effects, and risks associated with the procedure before the ERCP.
What side effects may occur after ERCP that need to be discussed with a doctor?
After the ERCP procedure, the doctor may ask you to stay at the hospital for 1-2 hours. It may take longer in a few cases, or you may have to stay for the whole night in the hospital after ERCP as it depends on the patient’s age and health condition. With every procedure comes minor side effects and complications. Similarly, few patients may experience some side effects just after the ERCP procedure. These side effects may include –
A patient may have to bloat for a short period just after the ERCP
Sore throat for 1 or 2 days
Swallowing, excessive bleeding
Tear or hole in the esophagus
Inflammation in the pancreas
What is the Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography cost in Gurgaon?
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a minor procedure that involves small incisions or cuts. Various top hospitals in Gurgaon offer Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography at nominal rates. Although multiple factors affect the Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography cost in Gurgaon, admission fee, health specialist fee, patient’s age and particular health condition, type of hospital, and lab test x-ray, ECG, etc. are a few of them.
Typically, Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography cost in Gurgaon may range from INR 11,000 to INR 80,000.
How can Credihealth help? - Credihealth, a health portal for all medical needs, can help individuals find cost-effective hospitals in Gurgaon. An individual can browse through the list of associated partner hospitals that provide Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography in Gurgaon. Various ratings and reviews can help an individual to know about other patients’ experiences. Moreover, Credihealth can help you get a rough cost estimate for Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography based on your preferences. You can send us emails at support@credihealth.com or call us @ 8010-994-994 to know more about anything related to Endoscopic Retrograde cholangiopancreatography.