Complications
Distal common bile duct stones that lead to cholangitis can also lead to the development of acute pancreatitis via obstruction of the pancreatic duct or the common channel joining the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct.
Acute pancreatitis is also a complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography; the diagnosis should be considered in patients who develop acute abdominal pain following this procedure.[55]
If patients have inadequate biliary drainage, symptoms will likely persist and/or worsen. If the patient does not improve rapidly postprocedure, prompt re-evaluation of the biliary tree is indicated.
In rare cases, cholangitis can lead to the formation of a hepatic abscess. This may be more common in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis, secondary sclerosing cholangitis, or postsurgical biliary anatomy changes.
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