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OBJECTIVES:Cannulation of the pancreatic duct at ERCP can represent a technical challenge, even to experienced pancreaticobiliary endoscopists. Secretin is a polypeptide hormone that increases the volume and bicarbonate content of pancreatic secretions. We report our single center experience in the use of a new synthetic porcine secretin (sPS) for the facilitation of cannulation of either the major or minor pancreatic orifice during ERCP.METHODS:Patients presenting for a variety of indications were enrolled. If identification or cannulation of the desired pancreatic duct was difficult, 0.2 μg/kg of sPS was administered i.v. Cannulation success or failure was recorded.RESULTS:Between March, 1999, and May, 2000, a total of 25 patients (seven men and 18 women) were enrolled. The most frequent indication (15 of 25 cases) was facilitation of dorsal pancreatic duct cannulation in patients with pancreas divisum. The overall rate of successful cannulation secretin administration was 24 of 25 cases (96%). No adverse events directly attributable to secretin were observed.CONCLUSIONS:The results of this study show that sPS is safe and efficacious in faciliting cannulation of either the major or minor pancreatic orifice at ERCP in the subset of patients who represent cannulation difficulties. Once commercially available, sPS can be added to the armamentarium of techniques to facilitate ERP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]