Endoscopic sphincterotomy

Endoscopic sphincterotomy consists of a controlled incision of the sphincter of Oddi, the small muscle that controls the opening of the bile and pancreatic ducts into the duodenum. This maneuver widens the orifice and allows the extraction of stones or the passage of instruments and stents. It is most often performed during an ERCP, under general anesthesia, using a fine instrument passed through the endoscope. It is a long-established reference procedure that in most cases avoids surgery on the bile ducts. At Clinique Pasteur Tunis, endoscopic sphincterotomy is performed by trained endoscopists, with X-ray guidance during the procedure and systematic inpatient monitoring afterwards.