Media Inquiries: 434-924-5679

U.VA. STUDY SHOWS GALLSTONE PROCEDURE SAFE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

Pregnant women who also suffer from gallstones can reap the benefits from an x-ray therapy called ERCP without harming their baby, according to a study conducted at the University of Virginia Health System.

“If pregnant women have stones in the bile duct or related disease and need immediate intervention, this study shows that the safest way is ERCP with minimal radiation and fetal monitoring,” said Dr. Michel Kahaleh, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of internal medicine at U.Va.

ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. During an ERCP procedure, doctors inject a radioactive dye into bile ducts through a long, flexible, lighted tube called an endoscope, inserted through the mouth. The doctors then take minimal x-rays of the abdomen and if they show gallstones or narrowing of the ducts, instruments can be used inside the endoscope to remove the stones or take tissue samples.

The study was presented on May 20 at the Digestive Disease Week conference in Orlando, Florida. If not treated, gallstones can lead to bile duct infection or pancreatitis, increasing the risk of death to both the fetus and the mother.

The study examined sixteen ERCP’s performed in pregnant women at U.Va. from 1995 to 2002. During the procedure, the lower abdomen and pelvis were shielded with lead. Devices for measuring x-ray output were used in shielded and unshielded areas to calculate fetal exposure.

Nine women were suffering from pancreatitis; five had impacted stones; and two had bile duct inflammation. Twelve of the fourteen patients who delivered were contacted by U.Va. doctors and confirmed that their babies and themselves were in good health. According to Kahaleh, this is the largest study ever done at a single medical center about the safety of ERCP during pregnancy.

May 29, 2003