Role of NSAIDs in the Prevention of Post-ERCP Pancreatitis: A Narrative Review

Acute pancreatitis is the most common complication after Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP), occurring in about 3.5% of the procedures. NSAIDs have been shown to play a vital role in the prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography pancreatitis (PEP). How-ever, not much is known about the most effective drug in preventing this complication. Furthermore, there is a lot of conflict regarding the correct dose, route, and timing of the drug administration. The current study aims to investigate the role of NSAIDs in the prevention of PEP. The literature search was performed using PubMed, and after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 9 published papers were found. All relevant articles on the topic have been included. Our review article has demonstrated that NSAIDs are quite effective in reducing the chances of PEP. It is best to administer drugs per-rectally and pre-procedurally for it to be more effective. However, more Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) need to be done to fully understand NSAIDs' role in PEP prophylaxis.