The Study of Clinical Profile and Role of Endoscopic Ultrasonography in Chronic Pancreatitis Patients

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) provides high-resolution images of both pancreatic parenchyma and duct and therefore is an integral component of evaluating and treating patients with pancreatitis and its complications. Aims and Objective: To study the clinical profile and its role of endoscopic ultrasonography in chronic pancreatitis patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted which included the patients admitted in tertiary care centre presenting with clinical diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. The study was conducted over period of one year from April 2023 to March 2024 after approving the ethical committee approval in the department of gastroenterology of I.Q City Medical College, Durgapur, West-Bengal. A total sample size of 71 patients was included. Cases of chronic pancreatitis of both genders were enrolled in the study with the written consent. Ethical approval for the study was obtained, and a detailed history such as family history, alcohol consumption, and presence and severity of abdominal pain was recorded. All the patients were subjected to a thorough clinical examination, routine hematologic and biochemical investigations and abdominal ultrasonography. Parameters such as age, sex, abdominal symptoms, serum CEA were recorded. The diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis was established if there was evidence of pancreatic calcification on abdominal ultrasonography. Results: Maximum cases were seen in age group 21-35 years (males- 27, females- 16) followed by 36-50 years (males- 15, females- 13). Common clinical findings were pain in 57, calcification in 11, diarrhea in 34, jaundice in 22, lump in 17, vomiting in 38 and GI bleed in 31. A significant difference was observed (P< 0.05). Parenchymal features were hyperechoic foci with shadowing in 60, lobularity with honeycombing in 54, hyperechoic foci without shadowing in 36, stranding (Minor): hyperechoic lines ≥3 mm in length in 48. Ductal features were main pancreatic duct (MPD) calculi in 71, irregular MPD contour in 23, dilated side branches in 15, main pancreatic duct dilatation in 38 and hyper echoic duct margin in 44. A non- significant difference was observed (P> 0.05). Conclusion: Endoscopic ultrasound is the most sensitive imaging modality for diagnosing pancreatic disorders; it can demonstrate subtle alterations in the pancreatic parenchymal and ductal structure even before traditional imaging and functional testing demonstrate any abnormality.