Acute relapsing pancreatitis as a complication of papillary stenosis after endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Endoscopic sphincterotomy has proven to be a safe alternative to surgery for selected types of biliary disease. Despite a relatively low morbidity, postprocedure complications are well described. This report presents an experience with three patients in whom acute relapsing pancreatitis developed as a possible complication of papillary stenosis after endoscopic sphincterotomy. None of the patients had a previous history of elevations in serum amylase levels before endoscopic sphincterotomy. After procedure, pancreatitis and subsequently acute relapsing pancreatitis with documented stricture of the pancreatic duct orifice developed in all three patients. After surgical transduodenal sphincteroplasty, no new episodes of acute relapsing pancreatitis occurred.