Diagnostic Considerations

Important considerations

Once a diagnosis has been made, the physician has the responsibility to ensure that the patient responds to the appropriate therapy. If no response occurs, reevaluate the patient to make sure other causes of biliary obstruction are not missed.

Special concerns

In patients who have undergone gastrointestinal bypass surgery (eg, gastrojejunostomy, hepatojejunostomy, biliopancreatic diversion) the normal anatomy is surgically altered precluding endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) using standard equipment. In such cases, double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) has been studied as a potential way to overcome endoscopic limitations and enable ERCP in patients with biliary obstruction.^{[7, 8]}DBE is an advanced endoscopic technique which was developed to endoscopically evaluate the small bowel. It requires specialized training in order to perform routinely and, in particular, when it is utilized for ERCP.

Differential Diagnoses

Workup

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Author

Jennifer Lynn Bonheur, MD Attending Gastroenterologist

Jennifer Lynn Bonheur, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Gastroenterological Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, New York Academy of Sciences, New York Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Peter F Ells, MD Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Albany Medical Center

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

BS Anand, MD Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Baylor College of Medicine

BS Anand, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Vinay K Kapoor, MBBS, MS, FRCSEd, FICS, FAMS Professor of HPB Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (MGMCH), Jaipur, India

Vinay K Kapoor, MBBS, MS, FRCSEd, FICS, FAMS is a member of the following medical societies: Association of Surgeons of India, Indian Association of Surgical Gastroenterology, Indian Society of Gastroenterology, Medical Council of India, National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a speaker or a member of a speakers bureau for: Pfizer Sanofi.

Additional Contributors

Anil Minocha, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF, CPNSS Professor of Medicine, Director of Digestive Diseases, Medical Director of Nutrition Support, Medical Director of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Internal Medicine Department, University of Mississippi Medical Center; Clinical Professor, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy

Anil Minocha, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF, CPNSS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Federation for Clinical Research, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American College of Forensic Examiners Institute, American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

The authors and editors of Medscape Drugs & Diseases gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous coauthor Flavio R Kamenetz, MD, PhD, to the development and writing of this article.