EUS Ductal Evaluation in One Endoscopic Session for the Diagnosis of Exocrine Pancreas Disease

Study Summary

The purpose of this study is, to develop a standard of care protocol using the combination of EUS, ePFT, and sEUS during one endoscopic session (instead of the three separate endoscopic sessions). The desired outcome is to diagnose CP and to establish an acceptable protocol for performing this combined technique. It is expected that combining these procedures will eliminate redundant portions of the procedures, reduce repeat visits to the hospital, reduce total recovery time for the patient, and will decrease the associated costs of separate procedures. Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an irreversible, disease in which the pancreas becomes fibrotic ( thickened and scarred). Symptoms almost always include pain, and as the pancreas becomes progressively more fibrosed (thickened), pancreatic hormonal function is compromised with diarrhea and weight loss. However, while most physicians can readily diagnose patients with severe CP, early CP or "minimal-change" CP is difficult to detect, often due to the lack of radiologic findings, laboratory tests and classic symptoms. As a result, clinicians are searching for diagnostic tools which will allow for earlier, accurate detection of this disease, with the hope that appropriate therapy can be initiated before extensive thickening and scarring of the pancreas occurs. Diagnostic tools to evaluate the pancreas include Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), hormone-stimulated endoscopic pancreatic function tests (ePFT) and Secretin stimulated Endoscopic Pancreas Function Test (sPFT) using pancreatic fluid (containing bicarbonate) obtained from the duodenum (the part of the intestine where the stomach opens into the small bowel). EUS is increasingly being used as a diagnostic and treatment tool in pancreatic disease. Currently, hormone-stimulated ePFT is considered the best way to diagnose chronic pancreatitis (long-lasting inflammation and scarring of the pancreas), and removes the need for biopsy or surgery. It is also sensitive in detecting

Primary Outcome

Combined Endoscopic Ultrasound Morphologic Evaluation, Endoscopic Pancreatic Function Testing, and Dynamic EUS Ductal Evaluation before and after Human Secretin Stimulation in one Endoscopic Session for the Diagnosis of Exocrine Pancreas Disease

Interventions

• PROCEDURE Combined EUS, e-PFT and sEUS Testing