DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SPHINCTER OF ODDI DYSFUNCTION

Background Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is a challenge from both the diagnostic and therapeutic point of view. There is much ongoing debate about the accuracy and usefulness of various diagnostic tests, as the re is about the effectiveness of proposed therapeutic alternatives. Me thods A comprehensive review of the past 15 years' literature was unde rtaken, using the Medline database and cross-referencing of major arti cles on the subject. Results and conclusion Endoscopic and surgical tr eatments result in similar outcomes, with considerable failure rates. The latter reflect the difficulties in accurate diagnosis and a lack o f sound objective criteria for selecting patients for intervention. In addition, in some patients sphincter of Oddi dysfunction may be only part of a generalized motility disorder of the gastrointestinal tract.