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Harvard Health Publications

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)

What is the test?


How do I prepare for the test?



What happens when the test is performed?


You are asked to swallow at the moment the tube is placed into your throat. This helps guide the endoscope into your esophagus. You are likely to feel pressure against your throat while the tube is in place and you might experience a "full" feeling in your stomach. The doctor or doctor's assistant gently advances the tube until it reaches your duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.



What risks are there from the test?

Complications are rare. One possibility is aspiration — accidentally inhaling saliva into the lungs — which can cause pneumonia. Other risks include inflammation of the pancreas, infection, and bleeding. Injury to the lining of the stomach, esophagus, or intestine, as well as abdominal pain and fever, can also occur.

Must I do anything special after the test is over?

You are usually watched for 30 minutes or more after this test. Typically, you can go home after the sedation wears off, which takes about an hour or two. Someone else should plan to drive you home. You can drink clear fluids when your gag reflex returns, which can take two to four hours. Avoid eating solid foods for 24 hours. It's important to call your doctor if you experience dizziness, chest pain, abdominal pain, back pain, difficulty or pain with swallowing, fever, black-colored or tarry stools, or vomiting of material that looks like coffee grounds. The last two symptoms can be signs of internal bleeding.


