HPB SO04 - Assessing the risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis and procedure abandonment at a single centre in the UK

Abstract Background Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a common procedure with many uses. Due to limited expertise and resources, opportunities to perform this procedure should be made as productive as possible and the risks of procedure abandonment should be minimised. ERCP is also associated with a risk of pancreatitis and other significant sequelae. This study aimed to assess the risk factors associated with early procedure abandonment and post-ERCP pancreatitis. Method The notes from patients who underwent ERCP between June and November 2023 were retrospectively analysed. Data regarding procedure completion and post-ERCP pancreatitis were collected. The rates of procedure abandonment and post-ERCP pancreatitis among various groups were statistically analysed using N-1 Chi-squared tests. Results 176 patients were included in this study, of which 95 were female and 81 were male. 18 (10.2%) procedures were abandoned early and 11 (6.3%) patients suffered post-ERCP pancreatitis. 8 (7.8%) of the 103 patients aged over 70 had their procedure abandoned early and 1 (0.97%) suffered post-ERCP pancreatitis. 10 (13.7%) of the 73 patients aged below seventy had their procedure abandoned early and 8 (11.0%) suffered post-ERCP pancreatitis. N-1 Chi-squared analysis revealed that patients under 70 were more likely to suffer post-ERCP pancreatitis (P = 0.003) and females were more likely to suffer early procedure abandonment (P = 0.0330). Conclusion Younger patients were significantly more likely to suffer post-ERCP pancreatitis while female patients carried a greater risk of early procedure abandonment. Younger patients should therefore have clear safety netting over the risks of pancreatitis during the consent taking process and may benefit from more rigorous post-procedure monitoring. The reasons underpinning why female patients were more likely to have their procedure terminated early should be explored in greater detail so that measures minimising this risk may be implemented.