Pancreas Divisum

We offer endoscopic therapy for pancreas divisum only in patients with acute recurrent pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis, based on studies delineated in this article, which results in response rates of 80% and 50% respectively. We do not offer endoscopic therapy for patients with chronic abdominal pain in the absence of morphologic abnormalities in the pancreatic duct or parenchyma or normal laboratory study results. It has been our experience that the success rate for endoscopic cannulation and therapy directed at the minor papilla in patients with symptomatic pancreas divisum is improved when the procedure is performed with primary intent to treat in patients who have a pre-existing diagnosis of pancreas divisum, as opposed to patients who undergo diagnostic ERCP for idiopathic acute recurrent pancreatitis and are diagnosed with pancreas divisum during the procedure. We cannulate the minor papilla with ultratapered 3-F catheters and 0.018-in soft wires. It is our opinion that minor papilla sphincterotomy offers advantages over chronic stent therapy in treating patients with pancreas divisum. Although both techniques have proven efficacy, chronic stenting requires repeated procedures and results in a high incidence of stent-induced chronic duct changes, both of which can be avoided by performing a minor papillotomy. We use an ultratapered papillotome with a 20-mm monofilament cutting wire and typically use blended current. The papillotomy is extended to ablate the mucosal mound of the minor papilla typically in a 2-o'clock direction for a distance between 4 and 8 mm, depending on the patient's anatomy. Following minor papillotomy, we place temporary 5-F pancreatic duct stents to reduce the incidence of postprocedural pancreatitis, which has been demonstrated in pancreatic duct sphincterotomy of the major papilla. These stents usually migrate out after 24 to 72 hours following the procedure. We offer surgical sphincteroplasty to patients in whom minor papillotomy cannot be performed or whose disease relapses after successful endoscopic therapy.