Clinical Gastroenterology Vol.13 No.11(3)

Theme Digestive Diseases to Know -- Biliary Tract, Pancreas
Title Biliary Ascariasis
Publish Date 1998/10
Author Fumitake Toki Department of Radiology, Institute of Gastroenterology Tokyo Women's Medical University
[ Summary ] The symptoms of biliary ascariasis were abdominal pain and found more in female. For about 90% of the cases, the worm was found in extra hepatic bileduct. Although abdominal ultrasonography may be useful for screening inspection, direct cholangiography should be performed to make sure of the diagnosis. Especially, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography may play a role in the evaluation of patient with these symptoms and at the same time, it is indispensable to remove the worms. The worms could be removed by endoscopic procedures in half of the cases. In recent years, the incidence of ascariasis has been decreasing, because of improved public hygiene. However, biliary ascariasis may result severe cholangitis and acute pancreatitis. It is, therefore, necessary to diagnose and to treat the cases immediately : that is to remove the worm by transpapillary endoscopic procedure,and clinicians should always bear in mind the risk of ascariasis.
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