Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in 35.4-weeks pregnant women with cholangitis caused by choledocholithiasis

Abstract

Acute cholangitis may be defined as the syndrome characterized by signs and symptoms of systemic infection originated in the biliary tree). The presence of bacteria in the bile together with the increment of the intra-biliary pressure due to an obstruction produces it; choledocholithiasis is the most frequent cause. The treatment of this entity is based on the combination of the biliary drainage and antibiotics administration.  This entity, infrequent in pregnant women, appears in a pregnant woman with 35.4 weeks of pregnancy, who visited the health institution referring fever, vomits, epigastric pain and jaundice. An abdominal ultrasound showed biliary way dilatation and the leukogram was altered with predominance of the segmented ones, stab and toxic granules, allowing arriving to the diagnosis of cholangitis.  An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was carried out using the conventional technique, with the patient in oblique right lateral decubitus. An arc in C was used and the endoscopist interpreted the obtained images; with a minimum radiation, a selective cannulation of the biliary way was made and made it opaque, observing dilatation of the intra-hepatic biliary ways, dilated common bile duct of 15 cm.  Inside it, it was observed an ovoid defect of filling; a wide sphincterotomy was developed and a brown calculus of 1 cm of diameter and several little ones, accompanied by abundant biliary substance and whitish pus were extracted. After the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography the patient had a satisfactory evolution.