Long-term clinical outcomes after endoscopic minor papilla therapy in symptomatic patients with pancreas divisum.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the long-term outcomes of endoscopic minor papilla therapy in a spectrum of symptomatic patients with pancreas divisum.

METHODS: Patients with pancreas divisum coded in a prospective database as having had minor papilla endotherapy (July 1997-May 2003, n = 145) were grouped into 3 categories: (1) acute recurrent pancreatitis, (2) chronic pancreatitis, and (3) chronic/recurrent epigastric pain. Telephone follow-up was conducted (78% of patients), including questions regarding interval co-interventions and narcotic use. Primary success was defined as clinical improvement (better or cured on a Likert scale), without needing narcotics, after 1 therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Fisher exact and Mann-Whitney U tests and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify predictors of success.

RESULTS: Primary success rates in acute recurrent pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and chronic/recurrent epigastric pain were achieved in 53.2%, 18.2%, and 41.4%, respectively; and secondary success rates (
CONCLUSIONS: Significant long-term improvement can be achieved with endoscopic therapy in selected patients with pancreas divisum, although many require multiple procedures. Older patients, without chronic pancreatitis, were most likely to respond.