Outcomes of laparoscopic choledochotomy using cholangioscopy via percutaneous-choledochal tube for the treatment of hepatolithiasis and choledocholithiasis: A preliminary Vietnamese study

Primary closure compared with T-tube drainage following laparoscopic common bile duct exploration among elderly patients with hepatolithiasis and/or choledocholithiasis: a comparative study using a propensity score matching

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is commonly used for hepatolithiasis and/or choledocholithiasis, but the ideal method for common bile duct closure remains uncertain, especially for elderly patients (≥65 years). This study compared outcomes of primary closure versus T-tube drainage following LCBDE in elderly patients.

METHODS

Data from elderly patients undergoing LCBDE for hepatolithiasis and/or choledocholithiasis between May 2016 and December 2020 at two Vietnamese hospitals were analyzed. Patients were divided into groups A (T-tube drainage, n = 52) and B (primary closure, n = 57). Propensity score matching (PSM) was utilized to adjust for baseline characteristics, comparing short- and long-term outcomes between groups.

RESULTS

PSM yielded 56 matched patients. Pre-PSM, group A had longer operating times and hospital stays than Group B (p = 0.001). Group A had higher postoperative complications (17.9 % vs. 7.1 %) but was not statistically significant (p = 0.422). Group A also had more complex biliary stones. Post-PSM, Group B maintained shorter operating times and hospital stays. Regarding long-term results, stone recurrence rates were similar (5.8 % vs. 3.5 %, p = 0.668).

CONCLUSION

Primary closure following LCBDE is a safe and effective alternative to T-tube drainage for treating hepatolithiasis and/or choledocholithiasis in elderly patients.

Laparoscopic-cholangioscopic cooperative modified tunnel technique for hepatolithiasis combined with dilated common bile duct: A case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION

Intrahepatic and extrahepatic lithiasis, a condition characterized by the presence of stones in the liver and bile ducts, is a common disease in Asia, particularly in East and Southeast Asia. We report a case with laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct using a flexible cholangioscope and modified trans-common bile duct tunnel for hepatolithiasis combined with the dilated common bile duct.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 35-year-old male patient has had chronic epigastric and right upper quadrant pain. The common bile duct was 11 mm dilated, and hepatolithiasis was also present, according to an upper abdomen MRI. The largest stone measured between 14 and 21 mm. A modified trans-common bile duct tunnel from the abdominal wall into the common bile duct was used in a laparoscopic procedure to examine the common bile duct. Complications during the procedure or following it were not present. The procedure took 120 min, and the blood loss was about 50 ml. The patient was discharged on the sixth postoperative day, and a follow-up visit one month later revealed that single-session stone clearance had been accomplished.

DISCUSSION

Laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct using a cholangioscope and modified trans-choledochal tube is applicable in selected patients and can be effectively and safely used to treat hepatolithiasis combined with the dilated common bile duct.

CONCLUSION

In this case, we present an innovative approach for hepatolithiasis when combined with dilated common bile duct.