Analysis of risk factors associated with acute pancreatitis after endoscopic papillectomy

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common adverse event (AE) of endoscopic papillectomy (EP). Prophylactic plastic pancreatic stent (PPS) placement appears to prevent AP. We evaluated factors associated with post-EP AP by a retrospective analysis of patients with tumors of the duodenal papilla who underwent EP from January 2008 to November 2016 at 2 tertiary care centers. Clinical, laboratory, endoscopic ultrasound parameters, and PPS placement were evaluated. Seventy-two patients underwent EP (37 men), with mean age of 60.3 (31–88) years. Mean main pancreatic duct (MPD) diameter was 0.44 (0.18–1.8) cm. Mean tumor size was 1.8 (0.5–9.6) cm. Tumors were staged as uT1N0, uT2N0, and uT1N1 in 87.5%, 11.1%, and 1.4%. Thirty-eight AEs occurred in 33 (45.8%) patients, with no mortality. Total bilirubin, tumor size, MPD diameter, and PPS placement had odds ratios (ORs) of 0.82, 0.14, 0.00, and 6.43 for AP. Multivariate analysis (PPS placement × MPD diameter) showed ORs of 4.62 (95%CI, 1.03–21.32; p = 0.049) and 0.000 (95%CI, 0.00–0.74; p = 0.042) for AP. In conclusion, patients with jaundice, large tumors, and dilated MPD seem less likely to have post-EP AP. PPS placement was associated with a higher risk of AP, which may question its use.