title: Choledochoscopic removal of retained stones via a T-tube tract.
abstract: Common duct stones retained after choledocholithotomy were removed in 11 patients under intravenous sedation using the Olympus fiberoptic choledochoscope passed through a T-tube tract. A total of 39 stones were removed during 12 procedures, with one patient requiring 2 procedures for complete stone removal. All common duct stones were removed, with no patient requiring further operation or procedures for stone removal. The complication rate was low; one patient had pancreatitis and four patients had a transient fever 8 to 12 hours after the procedure. Direct visualization proved an advantage in stone removal, and the patients were not exposed to the radiation required by the fluoroscopic method of stone extraction.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002758:Cholangiography; D019723:Endoscopes; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications; D011183:Postoperative Complications