The specialist GI Specialist dropped in

The ECRP procedure is set for noon Monday.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003893.htm

The Dr was very detailed in his description and confident it was a "mechanical blockage" i.e., stone rather than tumor. Tumors are gradual in their effect with long-term weight loss and companion development of jaundiced coloration. Blockages are sudden and acute, just like our girl is experiencing.

He talked in terms of 95% confidence that it will be a blockage and if so, there may be a follow on gall bladder removal. Why a blockage? Because the ultrasound shows her bile ducts being enlarged indicating a down stream blockage. The enlargement is the build up of pressure and the stretching of the duct as a result.

So we now have a plan and a positive feeling that the problem is well understood. We won't know, of course, until the work is done but the Dr was confident.

Pat