Risk of bacteremia with endoscopic sphincterotomy.

A prospective assessment of the risk of bacteremia with endoscopic sphincterotomy was made in 81 patients who underwent 95 procedures. Blood samples were taken for culture in all patients before and at 5 and 10 minutes after the last incision of the sphincter by the papillotome. An additional blood sample was obtained for culture within 30 seconds of the final incision in 32 of the 95 procedures. The rate of blood-culture positivity before the procedure was not significantly different from the post-incisional rate (1% compared with 3%, p greater than 0.05). No patient suffered from fever or chills during the 24 hours after sphincterotomy.