Clinical Application of Endoscopic Nasopancreatic Drainage

Background/Aims: To appraise the methods and clinical value of endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage (ENPD). Methods: Pancreatic juice was collected from the pancreatic duct using ENPD du- ring endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in 12 patients with pancreatic car- cinoma and 8 with chronic pancreatitis. Results : The average volumes obtained from patients with pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis were 86 ml± 27 ml (56-140 ml) and 102 ml± 24 ml (73- 150 ml), respectively. The positivity rate of cytologic examination of pancreatic juice in patients with pancreatic carcinoma was 8.3%. The CEA levels in the pure pancreatic juice were significantly higher in patients with pancreatic cancer than those with chronic pancreatitis (49.04 ng/L±29.70 ng/L vs 18.84 ng/L± 12.88 ng/L). Conclusions: ENPD is safe and effective to obtain an adequate volume of pancreatic juice fOr investigation, and can prevent post-ERCP hyperamylasemia and pancreatitis.