Background and study aims: Periampullary diverticula are thought to be associated with bile duct stones. However, studies to date have been inconclusive as they have not taken into account the influence of age. Our study analysed the association of diverticula with bile duct stones and with the technical success of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
Patients and methods: A total of 415 consecutive patients who were undergoing ERCP were prospectively entered into a database. Of these patients, 83 (20 %; mean age 73 years; 34 men, 49 women) were found to have diverticula. The age-matched control group comprised 261 patients (mean age 72 years; 106 men, 155 women). The chi-squared test was used to analyse the results.
Results: In the diverticula group, 53 (64 %) had bile duct stones, compared with 86 (33 %) of the controls ( P < 0.0001), with an odds ratio of 3.6. Significantly more patients in the diverticula group had primary bile duct stones; also significantly more of them had stones in both the bile duct and gallbladder. There was no difference between the two groups with regard to previous history of pancreatitis (10 % in the diverticula group vs. 11 % in the control group). There were no significant differences found between the diverticula group and the control group in terms of successful duct cannulation (94 % in both groups), sphincterotomies (96 % vs. 98 %) or stone extraction (94 % vs. 88 %). The incidence of complications was similar in the two groups (diverticula group 5 % vs. control group 3.3 %).
Conclusions: Periampullary diverticula are associated with an increased incidence of bile duct stones but not with pancreatitis. Diverticula did not cause any technical difficulties at ERCP or increase the risk of complications.