title: Open common bile duct exploration--end of an epoch?
abstract: With the advent of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the impending replacement of open common bile duct exploration, we have reviewed our ten year experience of conventional common bile duct exploration. Open cholecystectomy was performed in 1681 patients and the common bile duct was explored in 325 (19%). Following initial duct exploration, rigid choledo identified residual choledocholithiasis in 58 and periampullary neoplasia in 2 patients. Unexpected retained stones were identified in 3 patients (0.9%). In a further 4 patients, stones which could not be dislodged from the hepatic ducts were confirmed on 10 day T-tube cholangiogram--transduodenal sphincteroplasty had been performed at the time of original surgery in all four. The mortality was 1.9% overall and 1% during the last 5 years. Endoscopic exploration must compare favourably with these data for safe transition to less invasive techniques.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Cork.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hehir
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: W O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Kirwan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000379:methods*; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome