Utility of endoscopic ultrasound in idiopathic acute recurrent pancreatitis

Abstract

Idiopathic acute recurrent pancreatitis (IARP) is defined as at least two episodes of acute pancreatitis with the complete or near-complete resolution of symptoms and signs of pancreatitis between episodes, without an identified cause. There is a paucity of information about the usefulness of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in IARP.ObjectivesTo determine the diagnostic yield of EUS in IARP.DesignA retrospective study was performed in patients with IARP evaluated by EUS between January 2009 and December 2016. Follow-up assessments of acute pancreatitis recurrence were carried out.ResultsSeventy-three patients with 102 EUS procedures were included. EUS was able to identify the cause of IARP in 55 patients (75.3%). The most common findings were chronic pancreatitis in 27 patients (49.1%), followed by lithiasic pathology in 24 patients (43.6%), and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm in four patients (7.3%). A directed treatment against EUS findings had a protective tendency associated with the final resolution of recurrence. There were no complications reported.ConclusionEUS performed in patients with IARP helped to identify a possible cause in 2/3 of the cases. The majority of patients have a treatable disease.