Goals: To evaluate a new variable stiffness duodenoscope.
Background: Variable stiffness colonoscopies have been in use for nearly a decade. We report the initial experience with a new, variable stiffness duodenoscope for use during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
Study: Retrospective, single tertiary referral academic center. Among the first 50 patients to undergo ERCP with the variable stiffness cope, 3 patients in whom the variable stiffness duodenoscope was instrumental in procedural success are discussed in detail.
Results: In the first 50 patients in whom the variable stiffness duodenoscope was used, the variable stiffness function was critical to procedural success in 3 patients (6%). One patient had a gastric bypass with Roux-en-Y anatomy, 1 patient had a large J-shaped stomach that could not be traversed by a routine duodenoscope, and 1 patient had a duodenal stenosis that could not be traversed by a routine duodenoscope. In these 3 patients, the variable stiffness function allowed for procedure success.
Conclusions: Although most ERCPs can be accomplished with standard duodenoscopes, in cases in which extra endoscope stiffness was felt to be required, the variable stiffness function was extremely helpful.