Contraindications Absolute contraindications are fulminant colitis, acute diverticulitis, perforated viscus, and a recent myocardial infarction. Poor colon preparation is a relative contraindication. The colon must be clean. One or two days of a liquid diet and a cathartic usually suffice. Two oral doses of sodium phosphate or a 4-L electrolyte solution containing polyethylene glycol should be administered.
General anesthesia is usually unnecessary and undesirable.
Complications from sedative use include arrhythmias, aspiration, and, rarely, cardiac arrest. Indications Diagnostic indications include determining the cause of jaundice and identifying the site of an obstruction with a high degree of accuracy. The procedure also can demonstrate ductal abnormalities in a nonjaundiced patient when the clinical presentation suggests biliary disease, pancreatic cancer, or pancreatitis. ERCP helps evaluate chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic pseudocyst preoperatively. Pressure measurements, which can be performed in highly specialized medical centers, help diagnose dysfunction in the sphincter of Oddi.