ERCP Caused Necrotizing Pancreatitis

June 17, 2003

Is there anyone out there who developed necrotizing pancreatitis from

trauma to the pancreas after a routine ERCP? My husband did. We're

two months into this nightmare. We don't know anyone with this

condition ... nor did the nurses at the hospital ever see such a case

(that made us want to get to a larger Pittsburgh hospital where they

see more).

Four hours after the ERCP, he was in the ER with the symptoms you are

all unfortunately too well aware of. Now that I'm more educated on

the subject, I realize that could have been the last night of his

life due to the immense amounts of enzymes being released into his

system. Thank God he is not on life support without lung tissue -

things can always be worse.

The head of the pancreas is all that's possibly functioning. He had

total pancreatic rest with a central line and TPN for about a month

(when we got to the Pittsburgh hospital they said the central line

was left in too long - thank goodness there was no infection). He is

currently home on a nasal feeding tube going directly into the small

intestine (and while the TPN central line shut his bowels down, the

NJ tube makes the bowels work again).

He's developed two defined pseudocysts - one on the stomach and one

on the small intestine. The surgeon wants to wait three weeks loner

for ANOTHER CT scan. Miracles can happen ... maybe they'll

dissolve??? With our luck, probably not - but who knows.

Anyway, while doing research on the internet ... I see my husband

ranks in the 5% of people developing pancreatitis from trauma through

an ERCP or scorpion bites! He's 'special' I guess.

The surgeon stated the mortality is high with necrotizing

pancreatitis and we need to be patient. Just curious if we're not

alone ... I'm sure we are not.

Reading a lot of the messages posted on this helpful site, I feel for

you out there with the pain and frustration of pancreatitis. I'm

living along with you all ...

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