papillary stenosis papillary stenosis papillary stenosis is a disturbance of the sphincter of oddi, a muscular valve, that prevents the opening and release of bile or pancreatic fluids into the duodenum in response to food entering the duodenum. obstruction of the valve can cause: pancreatic pain jaundice - bile leaking back into the blood stream. attacks of pancreatitis causes passage of stones scarring gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoimmune pancreatitis diagnosis and treatment endoscopic examination usually treated surgically, usually involving papillotomy, that is, an incision in the sphincter.