Hello! I had an ERCP with sphincterotomy done in 2005 following a reaction to the medication Darvocet (caused biliary spasms and stricture). I had balloon dilation of the common bile duct. An ERCP was repeated when I took the medication again a year later, only then finding the correlation. I think they suspected sludgy bile at the time, hence the sphincterotomy.
I have had recurring pain ever since then. Sharp, spasm like pain just to the right of my sternum under my ribs that is about an 8/10 on the pain scale. The only comfortable position is on all fours, and laying on my back makes it more likely to come on and it feels worse when it's there. Usually I'll have one or two attacks in a month, no complications between. As I said, this has been an ongoing issue since that first ERCP with the sphincterotomy.
I'm going on 3 days of much more frequent attacks, tenderness and discomfort in between (not normal for me). I went to the ER two days ago, all labs normal, and the ultrasound only showed one 1.3cm gallstone (that's new for me, compared with previous studies), no thickening of GB wall, but they did see air in the gallbladder and bile duct. My question is, because google has failed to give me an answer, would pneumobilia (if that is what this is) cause pain in and of itself? The ultrasound report stated "air found consistent with patient's sphincterotomy" but my doctor isn't a GI and couldn't really answer. I'd love to know if the air is the cause of my pain, and if so, is there anything I can ever do about it. Her current course of treatment, like so many times before, is a round of zantac and tylenol =/ I'd love to find relief some day or at least know what is going on.
Sorry, again to summarize, can pneumobilia caused by a sphincterotomy cause pain?
Thank you!