Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography and pancreatography in investigation of post-cholecystectomy patients.

102 severly symptomatic post-cholecystectomy patients were studied by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP), and successful ampullary cannulation was achieved in 101. All 29 patients with jaundice were correctly classified into intrahepatic and extrahepatic causes. 8% (73) patients with abdominal pain but no history of jaundice had retained biliary calculi, and 25% had an abnormal pancreatogram suggesting pancreatitis. The measurement of bileduct calibre alone did not reliably distinguish between the presence or absence of retained stones. It is suggested that ERCP is the investigation of choice in the symptomatic post-cholecystectomy patient.