Intraoperative mural pressure measurements in the papilla of Vater (author's transl)

Abstract

The mural pressure in the papilla of Vater was measured in fifteen patients with benign stenosis of the papilla of Vater and in fifteen patients with normal papillary function by intraoperative water manometry. There was a zone of high pressure in the papilla of a few millimeters. The mural pressure in normal papillary function ws much higher than in papillary stenosis. There was only a tiny difference of pressure in functional and in fibrotic stenoses. Functional stenoses showed a non-linear pressure-diameter relationship when extended by probes of increasing diameter. Fibrotic stenoses could not be probed or could only be probed minimally. It is concluded that high mural pressures in the papilla of Vater do not represent pathologic papillary function. Functional and fibrotic stenoses can only be differentiated by probing.