Cardiac Arrest from Asystole During Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: A Rare But Fatal Complication.

We present a rare complication of cardiac arrest from asystole in the setting of prolonged endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) procedure. Cardiopulmonary complications of ERCP are rare but can be fatal. Therefore it is essential to closely monitor the patient during ERCP. Immediate access to resuscitation equipment facilitating prompt intervention in the unlikely event of fatal cardiovascular collapse should be a part of standard ERCP protocol to ensure life threatening complications are appropriately managed.