Laparoscopic intracorporeal ultrasound cystic duct length measurement: a new technique to prevent common bile duct injuries

The incidence of common bile duct injury remains high. Intracorporeal ultrasound mapping of cystic duct anatomy, prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), may assist surgeons in avoiding common bile duct injuries. A technique for intraoperative intracorporeal predissection ultrasound imaging (IIPUI) of the cystic duct length was tested. During LC, gallbladder adhesions were lysed, and with the gallbladder retracted by grasping forceps, the ultrasound examination was performed. Using a 7.5-MHz articulating ultrasound probe, visualization of the extrahepatic biliary tree was obtained in five separate planes. Success in visualizing each plane, time for ultrasound examination, and predissection accuracy of cystic duct length measurement were recorded. Intraoperative cholangiography or direct measurement of the dissected cystic duct was used to determine accuracy of the ultrasound cystic duct length estimates. Forty-three patients underwent IIPUI during LC. The time required to perform the examination varied, with a range of 5 to 17 min (mean 9.5 min). Success of visualization in planes 1 through 5 was 44%, 95%, 98%, 98%, and 70%, respectively. The accuracy rate for cystic duct length ultrasound measurement was 87.1%. No complications related to the examination were observed. In this preliminary study, cystic duct length was determined by predissection intracorporeal ultrasound with a high level of accuracy. Predissection imaging may assist in preventing common bile duct injury during LC.