Migratory Stent Leading to Ileal Perforation Less Known Complication of Therapeutic ERCP

Abstract

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has a vital role in the diagnosis and management of various biliary and pancreatic diseases but is also associated with adverse events. Commonly seen complications are pancreatitis, bleeding, cholangitis, cholecystitis, postspinchterotomy strictures and perforation. Migration of stents, which is more with plastic stents, is a well-known complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography however less than one percent of migrated stents end up in intestinal perforation. Moreover perforation of the ileum years after migration of ERCP stent is hardly heard off. The literature also reports very few cases of small bowel perforation by migration of biliary stents.