Comparative outcomes of ERCP in living donor liver transplant recipients and non-transplant patients: single-center experience

Aims: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the primary modality for managing biliary complications after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Despite its widespread use, detailed data on cannulation strategies, technical challenges, and complication patterns in the post-transplant population remain limited.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 467 patients who underwent ERCP between 2022 and 2025 at a high volume tertiary liver transplant center. The LDLT cohort (n=70) was compared with a control group of non-transplant patients undergoing ERCP for benign biliary indications (n=397). Demographic characteristics, ERCP indications, technical parameters, cannulation methods, and 30-day complication rates were analyzed.Results: LDLT patients were significantly younger than controls (52.5 vs. 64.9 years, p