Stenosis of the Sphincter of Oddi

"Stenosing papillitis" is a descriptive term for an anatomic deformity of the papilla of Vater that is characterized by narrowing of the lower end of the bile duct and the proximal end of the duct of Wirsung. The defect is secondary to inflammation and fibrosis from the chronic passage of gallstones, episodes of acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, sclerosing cholangitis, peptic ulcer disease, and cholesterolosis. Patients with papillary stenosis from gallstones may present with episodes of severe upper-abdominal pain several years after cholecystectomy. The pain is often incapacitating, and patients are often addicted to narcotic analgesics. The work-up includes abdominal ultrasonography and CT scanning and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography even though the findings usually are normal. Liver and pancreatic enzymes are not frequently elevated with the painful episodes. Transendoscopic manometry may reveal elevated pressures within the papillary portion of the distal bile duct. Some patients are relieved of their pain by transduodenal sphincteroplasty and transampullary septectomy, thereby ablating the sphincter of Oddi around the bile and pancreatic ducts and enlarging their openings.