Perry County Memorial Hospital | Health Scene | Spring 2018

It’s a procedure for the gut with a long (and hard-to-pronounce) name, and your doctor wants you to have one. We’re talking about an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP for short. But what is it exactly? And how could it help you? Here are answers to these and other questions you might have about this medical procedure. Q : What is an ERCP? A : It’s a test that lets doctors examine the ducts (tubes) that drain the liver, gall- bladder and pancreas. During an ERCP, doctors can treat problems the test finds or that other tests, such as ultrasound, have already found. As a result, ERCP is often an alternative to surgery. Q : Why is it done? A : Doctors may perform an ERCP to: ●   ● Determine the cause of abdominal pain or jaundice (yellowing of the skin). ●   ● Remove or crush gallstones. ●   ● Open blocked or narrowed ducts. ●   ● Perform a biopsy or remove tumors in the ducts. ●   ● Treat complications of gallbladder surgery. Q : How is it done? A : The test uses both an endoscope—a thin, lighted tube—and x-rays. A doctor gently passes the endoscope through the mouth, down the esophagus, PCMH Services Directory Perry County Memorial Hospital. 547-2536 Cardiopulmonary Rehab & Cardiology. 768-3239 CORE Fitness. 768-3400 Counseling Center & Psychiatry. 547-3116 Courtesy Car. 768-1186 Frohna Clinic . 824-5599 Home Health. 547-7133 Infusion & Specialty Clinics. 768-3285 ●  ● Hematology/Oncology ●  ● Rheumatology Nephrology & Neurosurgery Clinics . 768-3378 Outpatient Scheduling. 547-4288 ●  ● Audiology ●  ● Dermatology (Miller) ●  ● Ear, Nose, Throat ●  ● Endocrinology ●  ● Neurology ●  ● Vascular ●  ● Wound Care Perry County Physician Services. 768-3420 ●  ● Dermatology (Jensen) ●  ● Pain Management ●  ● Pulmonology ●  ● Urology . 547-7248 PFCC Specialties. 768-3270 ●  ● Gastroenterology ●  ● Podiatry Marlon Torrento, MD. 768-3410 Mohammad Moaddabi, MD . 547-4026 Ophthalmology ●  ● Lumsden. 573-334-5265 ●  ● Krishnasamy. 314-222-5018 Perry County Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. 768-3396 Perry CountyWomen’s Care. 547-4899 Perry Kids Pediatrics. 517-0999 Perryville Family Care Clinic. 547-7888 Perryville Surgical Clinic & Breast Care. 547-8390 PFCCWest. 768-3220 Prescriptions Plus Pharmacy. 547-4960 Sleep Lab. 547-2530 ext. 3355 Therapy Services. 768-3400 LIFE & HEALTH is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of PERRY COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, 434 N. West St., Perryville, MO 63775 547-2536, pchmo.org . Patrick Carron President/CEO Chris Wibbenmeyer Vice President of Operations Jessica Krauss Cora Gremaud Publication Coordinators Information in LIFE & HEALTH comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2018 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. SPRING 2018 through the stomach and into the duo- denum—the part of the small intestine that’s closest to the stomach. A dye is injected to make the ducts easier to see. X-ray pictures are then taken. The doctor can insert tiny tools through the endoscope when treatment is necessary. Typically, an ERCP lasts about an hour. Q : Will it hurt? A : No. Most patients sleep through the procedure and find it only slightly uncomfortable—if at all. That’s because before it begins, your throat will be sprayed with a numbing medicine. And you will be given a sedative intrave- nously to help you relax. Q : Are there risks? A : Complications are generally rare, though they can occur and are some- time serious. Be sure to get medical help right away after an ERCP if you have: ●   ● Bloody or black, tar-colored stool. ●   ● Chest pain. ●   ● Fever. ●   ● Pain in your abdomen that gets worse. ●   ● Problems breathing. ●   ● Problems swallowing or throat pain that gets worse. ●   ● Vomiting, especially if your vomit is bloody or looks like coffee grounds. Sources: National Institutes of Health; Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons; UpToDate What to know about an ERCP Think you may benefit from an ERCP? Contact Matthew Gaeta, MD, for an appointment at 768-3270 . ? 2 Life & HEALTH