Angled-tip vs. Straight-tip Guidewire in Biliary Cannulation
Description
Wire-guided cannulation of the common bile duct is a standard technique utilized during Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) to ensure safe and effective access to the common bile duct via the ampulla of Vater. Due to the anatomy of the ampulla, and the orientation of the biliary orifice, a guidewire with an angled tip may allow easier and safer access to the common bile duct without inadvertent manipulation of the pancreatic duct. The investigators aim to assess the technical and clinical outcomes between an angled-tip guidewire (GW) compared to a straight-tip guidewire in wire-guided cannulation of the common bile duct. The investigators hypothesize that an angled-tip GW is associated with increased rate of successful cannulation, decreased procedure time and decreased rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis in wire-guided biliary cannulation during ERCP.