Incidental biliary dilation in the era of the opiate epidemic: High prevalence of biliary dilation in opiate users evaluated in the Emergency Department

Abstract BACKGROUND: Biliary dilation is frequently related to obstruction; however, non-obstructive factors such as age and previous cholecystectomy have also been reported. In the past two decades there has been a dramatic increase in opiate use/dependence and utilization of cross-sectional abdominal imaging, with increased detection of biliary dilation, particularly in patients who use opiates. AIM: To evaluate associations between opiate use, age, cholecystectomy status, ethnicity, gender, and body mass index utilizing our institution’s integrated informatics platform. METHODS: One thousand six