ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the application of endoscopic needle- knife precut sphincterotomy (PST) in treating acute suppurative cholangitis. Methods After failure of routine papillary intubation during encoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) in papillary incarcerated stone or inflammatory stenosis cases, needle-knife PST was applied to find the lower opening of the common bile duct. After that, routine papillary sphincterotomy or balloon dilation followed. Then net basket for stone extraction and nasobiliary catheter for drainage were made. Results Eleven of the 12 cases′ stones were extracted successfully, the success rate was 91.7%. In the 11 cases, 5 cases′ incarcerated stones dropped into duodenum automatically after sphincterotomy; 9 cases′ stones were extracted successfully in one treatment while 2 cases′ stones were extracted secondarily after stents were implanted; 1 case′s stone could not be extracted and need surgical treatment after nasobiliary catheter drainage because of stenosis of the lower part of the common bile duct. There was no dead case in all the cases. Conclusions Acute suppurative cholangitis patients, who have papillary incarcerated stones or inflammatory stenosis, can receive more efficacious diagnosis and treatment by applying PST when routine endoscopic papillary intubation fails. PST is an important endoscopic treatment for acute calculous suppurative cholangitis