Published online Nov 16, 2022. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v14.i11.657
Peer-review started: August 14, 2022
First decision: September 26, 2022
Revised: October 6, 2022
Accepted: October 25, 2022
Article in press: October 25, 2022
Published online: November 16, 2022
Prophylaxis is important for post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP), which is the most common and serious complication of ERCP. Although the current guidelines include independent patient- and procedure-related risk factors for PEP and available PEP prophylactic measures, the synergistic effect of these risk factors on PEP should also be considered, given that patients often harbor multiple risk factors. Furthermore, a combination of prophylactic measures is often selected in clinical practice. However, established methods estimating the synergistic effect of independent risk factors on PEP incidence are lacking, and evidence on the impact of com
Core Tip: To date, there are no established methods to estimate the synergistic effect of the independent risk factors on post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP), and evidence of the efficacy of the combination of prophylactic measures for PEP should be discussed. Furthermore, ERCP indications in patients with asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDSs) and patients with suspected CBDS without evidence of stones by imaging are controversial. Further studies are warranted to estimate the synergistic effect of independent risk factors on PEP and to determine the best prophylactic measures as well as the appropriate candidates for ERCP among patients with asymptomatic CBDS and those with suspected CBDS.