The first cholangioendoscopy in the world was implemented in 1968, but in SAk in 1984.

The annual data from 1995-2023 show that there are on average 45 cholangioendoscopy procedures per year.

When the cholangioendoscopy procedures began, they were performed for the purpose of diagnosing diseases but now they are mostly performed for therapeutic purposes. In the case of cholangioendoscopy procedures, a mirror device is inserted into the duodenum and the biliary and pancreas tube (papilla of Vaterii) is located and threaded with a soft conductor. Usually, gallstones have become stuck in the bile duct (choledochus) and caused, among other things, pancreatitis or inflammation of the bile duct is removed. When the bile stone is removed, the ring muscle in the biliary and pancreas tube must be cut up because otherwise the stones cannot get out. Often, a tube (stent) must be inserted into the bile duct if the stones cannot be reached at the first attempt or if there is tightness in the bile duct either due to bile duct disease or cancer.

Patients who need to be seen by a gastrointestinal speculum are those who have a blockage due to obstruction, tightness or bilestones.

The cholangioendoscopy procedure is performed at LSH and SAk. It is a great benefit to be able to perform this specialized and complex operation in the north part of Iceland. It is first and foremost a better service to the countryside and there is no need to send patients on an air ambulance to Reykjavík with the associated costs and effort.

In recent years, the changes have been that anesthesiologists are always assisted, which makes the operation both safer and easier for everyone who comes. “We have also started performing combined bile duct scope and gallbladder surgery in a surgery room called rendezvous. These operations started at SAk in 2019. The patients who undergo such surgery are those who have gallbladder inflammation caused by bile stone and also have bile stone stuck in the bile duct. Both operations are then performed at the same time. Rendezvous is only performed at SAk in Iceland,” says Guðmundur Otti Einarsson, Chief Medical Officer at Akureyri Hospital.

Good results have been achieved in these operations at SAk. The team is made up of gastroenterologists, surgeons, spear nurses, radiologist, anaesthetist and anesthesiologist.