Comparative Efficacy of Rectal Diclofenac and Rectal Indomethacin in Preventing Post-endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review.

Authors

Shuroog Nabhan, Abdullah Ajwah, Bassam Alsaeedi, Basel Alghamdi

Published in

Cureus. Volume 18. Issue 7. Pages e112243. Epub Jul 07, 2026.

Abstract

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP) is the most frequent complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and is a major source of ERCP procedure-related morbidity. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac and indomethacin are commonly used for PEP prophylaxis because of their anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the present systematic review was to compare the efficacy of rectal diclofenac versus rectal indomethacin in preventing PEP. The review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, and studies were identified through a comprehensive search of databases covering the period from 2019 to 2025. Nine studies were included. The findings indicate that both rectal diclofenac and rectal indomethacin are effective prophylactic agents and significantly reduce the incidence of PEP. In conclusion, the available evidence supports the routine use of either rectal diclofenac or rectal indomethacin to prevent post-ERCP pancreatitis.

PMID:
42568811
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 08 Aug 2026.

Read full publication at:
Please sign in to see all details.

Stats

1-terrible, 9-excellent. How would you rate this publication? Sign in in to submit your rating.

Post a comment

You need to be signed in to post comments. You can sign in here.

Comments

There are no comments yet.