ERCP Related Sepsis

Endoscopic procedures performed worldwide have increased considerably in recent years. In addition to diagnosis, many cases previously necessitating surgery now often can be carried out by endoscopic techniques. However, endoscopy has introduced its own infection risk. Most reports of gastrointestinal endoscopy-associated infection describe sepsis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with biliary tract obstruction. During this study, which was conducted by Infection Control Committee of Ankara University Hospital, 13 out of 1147 (1.1%) and 17 out of 922 patients (1.8%) had ERCP related sepsis in 2002 and 2003 respectively, at the ERCP Unit of Gastroenterology Department. Sepsis-caused mortality were 23.1 and 29.4% in 2002 and 2003 respectively. The first four causative agents were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp, Klebsiella spp and Enterobacter spp. Type and frequency of the causative agents remind that both endogenous and exogenous mechanisms are together responsible for the infections emerging from ERCP Unit. Besides, increasing isolation of Pseudomonas spp. brings out the strong need for re-evaluation of infection control measures, mainly effective cleansing and disinfection of endoscopes.