what to expect - son having ERCP

[Guest guest]

Hi - My son Gavin (9) was dx last week with PSC through MRCP. Our Dr.

at Mass General consulted with an endoscopist and recommends an ERCP.

2 questions - 1. what if anything should I read from this decision?

and 2. can any moms tell me what I can expect regarding the procedure.

Thanks all.

God Bless,

Robin

[Guest guest]

>

> - 1. what if anything should I read from this decision?

> and 2. can any moms tell me what I can expect regarding the procedure.

> Thanks all.

> God Bless,

> Robin

Hi Robin

My son has had one ERCP.

The procedure was done in the radiology department. I was allowed to

stay with him until the took him to be sedated and the procedure done.

They then put him in a side ward to sleep off the drugs until he was

awake enough to go home.

Unfortuatly my son developed pancreatitis the night after the procedure

and we were in the ER at 4am. I have since leant that this can be a

common side effect of ERCP.

Basically they pass a endoscope down, then inject dye into the common

bile duct and take xray pictures.

Our hepatologist discussed the findings with me afterwards whilst my

son snored and showed me the pictures of the ducts before and after

dilatation. He dilated the stenosed ducts and put a stent in place

which they took out 2 weeks later - again under sedation and

endoscopy.Biopsies were also done for histology and a brushing of the

ducts - also for histology.

This was done to my son in early Feb and the ducts have been open since.

I hope this explanation helps.

What you can read into it?? That they want to look at the bile ducts

and see how stenosed they are?

Brussels

Dan 18, UC/PSC

[Guest guest]

I wouldn't read too much into it just yet. MRCP is still an evolving

technology, so it may be just that your doc wants an ERCP becasue it's

a longtime " gold standard " he's more familiar with.

Kids generally get full sedation -- not general anesthesia, but enough

drugs to leave them unconscious and unaware. Your son will also get

antibiotics before the procedure.

Hospitals differ, but when my son has his first ERCP -- at age 6 -- he

was admitted and kept overnight, just as a precaution.

Nothing untoward happened, so the other dozen or so that followed over

the years were all outpatient.

Pam

(mom to Quantell, 17, dx 1996, tx 2001, dx recurrence with AIH overlap

2006)

[Guest guest]

Robin The MRCP can show blockage but is not used for treatment. They can go into the ducts during the ERCP, dilate them and place a stent. A liver stent has to come out over time which is different than a cardiac stent. There is a risk of acute pancreatitis post ERCP, our son had it with his first ERCP but not any others. Once they open things up though if your son was not feeling well before hand he may feel better. Our son was diagnosed at 11. Maureen Jonas at Boston Children's was a God send. She runs the pediatric liver and tx group at Children's and is a Harvard professor and fought hard for . She does not do ERCPs but Dr Fox at Childrens. We live upstate NY but go the Boston cause they are the best. was ill for 8 years and at 19 (2 years ago) got a living donor transplant at Lahey. They are amazing too. Martirobinparaiso wrote: Hi - My son Gavin (9) was dx last week with PSC through MRCP. Our Dr. at Mass General consulted with an endoscopist and recommends an ERCP. 2 questions - 1. what if anything should I read from this decision? and 2. can any moms tell me what I can expect regarding the procedure.Thanks all. God Bless,Robin

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