Traditional surgical procedures are highly invasive and risky for children with pancreatic and biliary diseases. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been used mostly in adults because it is a safe and effective surgical procedure. Its application in children will contribute to the treatment and prognosis of children with pancreatic and biliary diseases.

To analyze the efficacy and safety of ERCP for the treatment of pediatric pancreatobiliary diseases.

A retrospective study was performed using the medical records of 101 pediatric patients who received treatment for pancreatobiliary diseases at Children's Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics from April 2022 to April 2024. The patients were divided into an observation group (n = 52, treated with ERCP) and a control group (n = 49, treated with traditional surgical methods). Diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes of ERCP were statistically analyzed. Treatment efficacy, time to resume eating, and hospital stay duration were compared between the two groups. Indicators of liver function were monitored preoperatively and one week postoperatively. Dynamic changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amylase levels were assessed preoperatively and at 6 and 24 hours postoperatively. Postoperative complications were also compared. Logistic multivariate regression was used to analyze the independent effect of ERCP on outcomes.

For the observation group, 36 and 16 patients were diagnosed with biliary and pancreatic diseases, respectively. Compared with the control group, the observation group exhibited a higher overall effective rate (P < 0.05), shorter times to resume eating, shorter hospital stays (P < 0.05), and significantly improved postoperative liver function (P < 0.05). CRP and serum amylase levels were significantly increased in both groups at 6 and 24 hours postoperatively (P < 0.05), but were significantly lower in the observation group (P < 0.05). The observation group also had a lower incidence of complications (P < 0.05). ERCP was an independent factor affecting treatment efficacy, length of hospital stay, total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase, CRP, serum amylase, and the occurrence of complications in children with pancreaticobiliary diseases (P < 0.05).

ERCP effectively enhances the treatment efficacy of pediatric pancreatobiliary diseases, with a reduced inflammatory response, faster postoperative recovery, and fewer complications. ERCP is a safe and effective diagnostic and therapeutic method for pediatric pancreatobiliary diseases.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has found extensive use in pediatric patients; however, challenges persist in the application of therapeutic ERCP in infants.

This case report details the presentation of a 5.9-kilogram infant with obstructive jaundice and suspected hemolytic anemia who underwent ERCP to alleviate biliary obstruction. The infant was admitted due to clay-colored stools, jaundice, and liver injury. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) revealed dilation of the common bile duct (CBD) accompanied by the presence of stones. ERCP was conducted using a JF-260V duodenoscope under general anesthesia. Successful stone extraction and biliary drainage were achieved.

In centers with considerable expertise in ERCP and pediatric anesthesia, the use of a conventional adult duodenoscope for therapeutic ERCP in infants can be considered safe and feasible, provided careful and stringent patient selection criteria are applied. In the future, clear guidelines and standardized protocols for the indications and procedures of pediatric ERCP should be established.

Background: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) has been employed for the endoscopic treatment of common bile duct stones (CBDSs) and has been reported to have a high success rate for stone removal. However, EST is associated with a risk of bleeding, perforation, and sphincter of Oddi function disruption. To avoid these risks, endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) is an option for CBDS. Sphincter of Oddi function preservation decreases long-term biliary infection and gallstone recurrence. EPBD may have advantages in children who require a long follow up. However, there have been few reports on pediatric cases, particularly in infants. Methods: From September 2017 to December 2023, we performed EPBD for four pediatric CBDSs. The patients were aged from 5 months to 8 years, including two infants aged 5 and 6 months. Furthermore, we reviewed the stone removal rate and complications of 545 ESTs performed at high-volume centers and 13 EPBD-reported cases in children with CBDSs. Results: CBDSs of all patients who underwent EPBD in our institution were successfully removed. No bleeding or perforation was noted; pancreatitis was observed in three patients. In an analysis of 545 ESTs in children, the stone removal rate was high, ranging from 83% to 100% (mean 96%). The incidence of pancreatitis was 0-9.6% (mean 4.4%), and the grade of pancreatitis was almost mild. The bleeding frequency was 1.3-5.4% (mean 2.7%). With regards to the grade of bleeding, seven cases were mild (64%) and four were moderate (36%). Compared with adults who underwent EST, the frequencies of pancreatitis and bleeding were almost equal in children; however, in children, once bleeding occurs, it has a higher risk of leading to blood transfusion. Stone removal via EPBD in children has a 100% success rate. Pancreatitis was responsible for all complications were related; its frequency was 46% (6/13 patients, including five mild cases and one moderate case), which is higher than that of EST and adult cases who underwent EPBD. In most children with pancreatitis, pancreatic enzyme levels returned to normal within 2-3 days following EPBD, and no severe cases caused by EPBD were reported. Conclusions: CBDS removal via EPBD in children has a high success rate with very low risk of bleeding and perforation. Although pancreatitis frequently occurs, most cases are mild. Sphincter of Oddi function preservation via EPBD is expected to prevent long-term stone recurrence and biliary tract infection, and EPBD is considered to be an effective method for CBDS removal in children.

ERCP is a safe and effective method for managing biliary obstruction in children. A case report illustrates successful removal of a bile duct stone in a 5-year-old child using ERCP. Pediatric ERCP is a viable option for treating biliary diseases in well-equipped centers, alongside other approaches.

We describe a 5-year-old child with extrahepatic biliary stone who successfully underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for stone removal. He suffered from persistent colicky abdominal pain accompanied by fever that confirmed biliary stone. ERCP along with other methods, can be considered a safe procedure for managing BD in children.

Congenital bronchobiliary fistula (CBBF) is a rare disease. Children with CBBF mostly have atypical clinical manifestations that can be easily missed. We report a case of a child with CBBF who was diagnosed with fistulography with the help of an endobronchial blocker and a fiberoptic bronchoscope. The CBBF was successfully removed by thoracoscopic surgery.