Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in infants and children

Background and study aims Previous reports have suggested that endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in pediatric patients are safe. However, the total number of cases presented in the literature remains small. We present results regarding safety and outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing ERCP at Oslo University Hospital. Patients and methods Patients < 18 years who underwent ERCP between April 1999 and November 2017 were identified using procedure codes. Medical records were examined for age, gender, diagnosis, indications, type of sedation, findings, interventions, and complications. Results A total of 244 procedures were performed in 158 patients. Fifty-six of these were in 53 infants (age ≤ 1 year). Mean age was 8.8 years. The youngest patient was 8 days old. Mean weight was 5.0 kg in infants, the smallest weighing 2.9 kg. Cannulation failed in 19 (7.8 %). The main indication in infants was suspicion of biliary atresia (n = 38). Six of the procedures (10.7 %) were therapeutic. In children the main indications were biliary stricture (n = 64) and investigation of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) (n = 45). 119 (63.2 %) of these procedures were therapeutic. Complications were uncommon in infants; only two episodes of infection were registered. In children (> 1 year) post-ERCP pancreatitis were seen in 10.4 %. Conclusions Our retrospective series of ERCP procedures includes 56 procedures in infants, which is one of the largest series presented. Complications in infants are rare and post-ERCP pancreatitis was not seen. In older children 10.4 % experienced post-ERCP pancreatitis. In expert hands, ERCP was shown to be acceptably feasible and safe in infants and children.