Long-term effects of papillotomy.

Forty-three patients who were papillotomied according to Doubilet were followed up for 20-25 years after the papillotomy in an attempt to predict the long-term effects of endoscopic papillotomy (EPT). The indications for the initial papillotomy was common bile duct stones in 20 patients, and elevated serum amylase in 23. The papillotomy was performed in conjunction with a cholecystectomy. No negative effects were found at follow-up, and this study therefore seems to show that the long-term risks of EPT are minimal.