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Patients > Bilio-pancreatic strictures

Bilio-pancreatic strictures

What is a bilio-pancreatic stricture, when does it occur and how is it diagnosed ?

The bile duct is a tiny tube that drains bile, an acidic liquid that helps the body break down fats found in foods, from the liver to the small intestine. The pancreatic duct is also a tiny tube that drains pancreatic fluid, a liquid which is neutralizes gastric acids coming from the stomach.

Like any organ, cancer can develop in the bilio-pancreatic ducts. The layer of cells that line the inside of the ducts can become cancerous. In the bile duct, this condition is known as Adenocarcinoma or Cholangiocarcinoma and pancreatic cancer in the pancreas.



As the cancer grows, the  ducts can narrow, causing the liver or pancreas to malfunction. Patients may develop jaundice, lose weight and suffer from feelings of itchiness all over their bodies.

Traditionally, doctors have used a combination of imaging techiques such as a CT scan or an MRI, blood tests, endoscopy and even exploratory surgery to diagnose the condition. The endoscopic procedure is called ERCP for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography.
The diagnosis of biliary strictures of unknown cause has been an elusive goal for many decades. A majority of patients with bilio-pancreatic strictures still do not have a final diagnosis after an ERCP procedure.
 

 

What are some of the latest available advancements for ERCP augmenting the chances to reach a final diagnosis on the first procedure?

Doctors can now add a tiny probe - called a Cellvizio CholangioFlex™ miniprobe™ - onto their ERCP tools, thread it into the bilio-pancreatic ducts and perform probe-based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (pCLE). Watch the short movie on the right-hand side of this page to learn more about how pCLE is used. pCLE provides direct visualization of the lining of the bilio-pancreatic duct at the cellular level and allows physician to obtain crucial microscopic information in real time. This information may help physicians identify the condition of the patient and may help them decide which treatment option is the most appropriate.

Cellvizio is a strong addition to the tools that doctors now have to aid them in identifying normal from abnormal tissue more effectively.
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Clinical trials performed by leading physicians have shown that adding pCLE to other endoscopic techniques enables physicians to detect more malignant strictures during ERCP procedures and conversely, to tell patients with confidence and « on the spot » that the stricture appears non-malignant.


Where can I benefit from Cellvizio during my upcoming ERCP procedure ?
Visit our Physician Locator to find a Cellvizio expert in your region. 

I would like to know more about this technique : what source of information is available ? 
See our Patient FAQ for more information on Cellvizio or contact us directly through this form. 
 


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