ABSTRACT The sphincter of Oddi (SO), as the critical bidirectional regulatory valve structure of the pancreatobiliary system, still requires extensive research regarding its functional assessment and dysfunction repair. This systematic review examines SO regulatory mechanisms, diagnostic approaches for dysfunction, and repair strategies. Studies have demonstrated that SO myoelectrical activity is regulated by neural, humoral, and neurohumoral mechanisms, although the specific pathways involved remain incompletely understood. SO motility features both tonic and phasic contractions, with abnormalities closely linked to pancreatobiliary diseases. Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) or congenital SO anomalies may induce reciprocal reflux of pancreatobiliary secretions, thereby elevating the risk of biliary tract carcinogenesis, particularly cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder carcinoma. While invasive SO manometry (SOM) remains the diagnostic gold standard for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD), noninvasive techniques such as quantitative hepatobiliary scintigraphy (QHBS) and secretin‐stimulated magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (ss‐MRCP) show promising clinical applicability. Current therapeutic options for SOD include endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST), endoscopic endoclip papilloplasty (EEPP), endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD), and transduodenal sphincteroplasty. In the precision medicine era, developing standardized noninvasive assessment tools and quantifiable, controllable, and visualizable methodologies for SO structure and function is imperative to achieve a precise understanding of its physiological and pathological states, ultimately maximizing patient outcomes in SO‐related disorders.
Li et al. (2026) studied this question.