I did receive this to a question I posed to my doctor, and it took me a while to understand the response. We discussed the procedure in the past, which has a 50% success rate, and he discouraged me from undergoing the procedure as I could wind up with chronic pancreatitis. I am also wondering if there is a genetic component to my problem, as I have a sister with pancreatic disease. Her pancreas has stopped producing insulin so she gives herself 4 injections each day. We are estranged from each other so I am unable to ask any questions about her health.

FROM MY DOCTOR
The radiologist is saying that the bile duct is dilated and that this may be due to sphincter of OD dysfunction which I had described to you before. Sphincter of OD is the little door/valve between the bile duct and the small bowel or entrance into the bile duct when we do the ERCP procedure. We discussed in the past that if the sphincter of OD is not functioning well and has high pressure, it can result in abdominal pain and dilated common bile duct. This was the reason I mentioned ERCP and cutting the sphincter to see if it resolves your abdominal pain.. However, I also mentioned to you that there might be only a 50/50 chance that your symptoms will resolve.
Thank you,