Papillary stenosis

Papillary stenosis is a disturbance of the sphincter of Oddi, a muscular valve, that prevents the opening and release of bile or pancreatic fluids into the duodenum in response to food entering the duodenum.

Obstruction of the valve can cause:

• pancreatic pain
• jaundice – bile leaking back into the blood stream.
• attacks of pancreatitis

Causes

• passage of stones
• scarring
• Gluten-sensitive enteropathy
• Autoimmune pancreatitis

Diagnosis and treatment

• Endoscopic examination
• Usually treated surgically, usually involving papillotomy, that is, an incision in the sphincter.

See also

• Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction

External links

• Papillary Stenosis: Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction