Papillary stenosis

Papillary stenosis is a disturbance of the sphincter of Oddi, a muscular valve, that prevents the opening and release of bile or pancreatic fluids into the duodenum in response to food entering the duodenum.

Obstruction of the valve can cause:
 * pancreatic pain
 * jaundice – bile leaking back into the blood stream.
 * attacks of pancreatitis

Causes

 * passage of stones
 * scarring
 * Gluten-sensitive enteropathy
 * Autoimmune pancreatitis

Diagnosis and treatment

 * Endoscopic examination
 * Usually treated surgically, usually involving papillotomy, that is, an incision in the sphincter.