Biliary-Pancreatic Endoscopic and Surgical Procedures in Patients under Dual Antiplatelet Therapy: A Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dual antiplatelet therapy has to be used for at least 1 month after placement of bare metal coronary stents and for a minimum of 1 year after placement of drug eluting stents. Because of the higher risk of bleeding, guidelines strongly recommend to delay elective surgery until dual antiplatelet therapy is ended. However, no data are available regarding the bleeding risk in patients on combined aspirin/clopidogrel therapy undergoing surgical or high-risk endoscopic procedures. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical reports of patients on dual antiplatelet therapy, the patients who had to undergo emergency biliary-pancreatic surgery or endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with endoscopic sphincterotomy while in our unit between January 2009 and July 2012. RESULTS: In our series, biliary-pancreatic surgical and endoscopic procedures were safely performed in 11 consecutive patients on dual antiplatelet therapy with no evidence of bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: In emergency, surgical and high risk endoscopic procedures may be performed in patients on dual antiplatelet therapy.