ERCP - quick question

Quick Question: Can an ERCP diagnose a problem with gall stones or excess bile being sent to the stomach or 'leaking out' on the way, that hasn't being diagnosed by an ultrasound or a regular Endoscopy?

[CalGal]

An ERCP (which should be done with a manometry component) can look for stones or sludge within the common bile duct, and investigate whether or not there are problems within the entry to the pancreas. They can also 'balloon' strictures within the common bile duct.

So if your doc is saying that there are stones or sludge within the common bile duct, and that's what you mean by 'problem with gall stones,' then yes. Because it can clean it out.

The reason bile is 'sent' to the stomach is not known. But it can be tied in (at least in studies) with problems with the gallbladder, or once a gallbladder is removed, with problems at the muscular opening from the bile duct to the duodenum - the sphincter of Oddi. But again, no one knows really why it happens unless the sphincter (muscular operiing) at the bottom of the stomach isn't working properly and it's allowing  reflux from the duodenum into the stomach.

Do you still have your gallbladder? Are you having postcholecystectomy problems? Or is this happening whil you still have your gallbladder?

What do you mean by bile 'leaking out' on the way?

[Kat_]

I'm experiencing undiagnosed pain and i read somewhere that a patient displaying the same symptoms was found to have a problem with his bile - that it was being sent from the gall bladder but it wasn't all getting to where it was supposed to be going and it was this that was cuasing the pain - presumably the bile was burning something (maybe the duodenum)?

I do have a gall bladder but i've had all sorts of other tests which have come back negative apart from irritation of the stomach lining so i was wondering if my problem could be gall bladder based and if so what tests it could be useful to have. (i've had an ultrasound - they couldn't find any gall stones but could they have missed them) or perhaps it simply an ulcer but the 2x endoscopies haven't found them (but again could they have been missed - there's a lot of folds in the stomach)... i have lots and lots of heartburn too which makes me think my problem is acid/bile based