The introduction of non-invasive imaging for biliary-pancreatic diseases has changed the indications and volumes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) over time. This study aimed to provide national figures on ERCP in Norway over the last decade.
Data from four national surveys on ERCP activity collected from 1998 to 2009 at the surgical and medical departments of all Norwegian hospitals were analyzed for variations in volumes among centers, regions, and specialties over time.
A total of 42,260 procedures were reported (average 3842 procedures per year, range 3492-4632). The number of hospitals with ERCP decreased from 41 to 35 and the annual number of procedures decreased by 13% (from 4632 to 4036), but the number of ERCP endoscopists remained stable at ~100. The proportion of procedures performed by surgeons decreased from 40% to 32% (p