Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation in cirrhotic patients: removal of common bile duct stones without sphincterotomy.
OBJECTIVE
Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) is a less invasive alternative to endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). This study reviews a series of cirrhotic patients with bile duct stones who were treated with EPBD.


METHODS
EPBD was used to remove common bile duct stones in nine cirrhotic patients (one in Child-Pugh grade A, four in grade B, and four in grade C). After the papilla was dilated with balloon-tipped catheter, the stones were removed with a retrieval basket catheter or a retrieval balloon, or both. Mechanical lithotripsy was required in two patients with stones of more than 1 cm in diameter.


RESULTS
Clearance of the common bile duct was achieved in all patients without any serious complications such as hemorrhage or perforation.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that EPBD is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of common bile duct stones in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Kawabe
T
T
Second Dept. of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Komatsu
Y
Y
Tada
M
M
Toda
N
N
Ohashi
M
M
Shiratori
Y
Y
Omata
M
M
D000368:Aged; D014670:Ampulla of Vater; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D016717:Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic