Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Oct 1;95(4):524-528.
doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004102. Epub 2023 Jul 5.

Reclaiming the management of common duct stones in acute care surgery

Maggie E Bosley  1 , Aravindh S Ganapathy, Gloria D Sanin, Gabriel E Cambronero, Lucas P Neff, Fadi A Syriani, Michaela W Gaffley, Meagan E Evangelista, Carl J Westcott, Preston R Miller, Andrew M Nunn
Affiliations
Review

Reclaiming the management of common duct stones in acute care surgery

Maggie E Bosley et al. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. .

Abstract

Background: Acute care surgery (ACS) is well positioned to manage choledocholithiasis at the time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but barriers to laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) include experience and the perceived need for specialized equipment. The technical complexity of this pathway is generally seen as challenging. As such, LCBDE is historically relegated to the "enthusiast." However, a simplified, effective LCBDE technique as part of a "surgery first" strategy could drive wider adoption in the specialty most often managing these patients. To determine efficacy and safety, we sought to compare our initial ACS-driven experience with a simple, fluoroscopy-guided, catheter-based LCBDE approach during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) to LC with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

Methods: We reviewed ACS patients who underwent LCBDE or LC + ERCP (pre-/postoperative) at a tertiary care center in the 4 years since starting this surgery first approach. Demographics, outcomes, and length of stay (LOS) were compared on an intention to treat basis. Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration was performed via using wire/catheter Seldinger techniques under fluoroscopic guidance with flushing or balloon dilation of the sphincter as needed. Our primary outcomes were LOS and successful duct clearance.

Results: One hundred eighty patients were treated for choledocholithiasis with 71 undergoing LCBDE. The success rate of catheter-based LCBDE was 70.4%. Length of stay was significantly reduced for the LCBDE group compared with the LC + ERCP group (48.8 vs. 84.3 hours, p < 0.01). Of note, there were no intraoperative or postoperative complications in the LCBDE group.

Conclusion: A simplified catheter-based approach to LCBDE is safe and associated with decreased LOS when compared with LC + ERCP. This simplified step-up approach may help facilitate wider LCBDE utilization by ACS providers who are well positioned for a timely surgery first approach in the management of uncomplicated choledocholithiasis.

Level of evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Wandling MW, Hungness ES, Pavey ES, Stulberg JJ, Schwab B, Yang AD, et al. Nationwide assessment of trends in choledocholithiasis management in the United States from 1998 to 2013. JAMA Surg . 2016;151(12):1125–1130.
    1. Cuschieri A, Lezoche E, Morino M, Croce E, Lacy A, Toouli J, et al. E.A.E.S. multicenter prospective randomized trial comparing two-stage vs single-stage management of patients with gallstone disease and ductal calculi. Surg Endosc . 1999;13(10):952–957.
    1. Dasari BV, Tan CJ, Gurusamy KS, Martin DJ, Kirk G, McKie L, et al. Surgical versus endoscopic treatment of bile duct stones. Cochrane Database Syst Rev . 2013;2013(12):CD003327.
    1. Bansal VK, Misra MC, Rajan K, Kilambi R, Kumar S, Krishna A, et al. Single-stage laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and cholecystectomy versus two-stage endoscopic stone extraction followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy for patients with concomitant gallbladder stones and common bile duct stones: a randomized controlled trial. Surg Endosc . 2014;28(3):875–885.
    1. Topal B, Vromman K, Aerts R, Verslype C, Van Steenbergen W, Penninckx F. Hospital cost categories of one-stage versus two-stage management of common bile duct stones. Surg Endosc . 2010;24(2):413–416.

LinkOut - more resources