Safety and long-term outcomes of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation in children with bile duct stones.
BACKGROUND
Although experience with diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP in children is growing, little is known about the safety and technical outcomes of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) in pediatric patients with bile duct stones (BDSs).


OBJECTIVE
To assess the safety and long-term outcomes of EPBD in pediatric patients with BDSs.


METHODS
Case study.


METHODS
Tertiary referral center.


METHODS
This study involved 5 children who had BDSs combined with gallstones who underwent EPBD.


METHODS
Successful EPBD, successful stone removal, procedure-related complications, and long-term outcomes.


RESULTS
ERCP was successful in all cases, with cannulation and subsequent EPBD. Stone removal was performed in 1 session in all patients. No EPBD-related complications were observed in any patient. After EPBD, 1 patient subsequently underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstones. The remaining 4 were followed without surgery. In 2 patients, gallstones were spontaneously passed from the bile duct into the duodenum. During the follow-up period, over a mean of 7.1 years (range 3.7-9.3 years), no recurrence of BDSs was observed in any patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Small number of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Although BDSs are rare in pediatric patients, EPBD may be a safe and effective technique for the management of such stones in some children.
Center for Gastroenterology, Teine-Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Manabu
M
Osanai
Hiroyuki
H
Maguchi
Kuniyuki
K
Takahashi
Akio
A
Katanuma
Kei
K
Yane
Maki
M
Kaneko
Syunpei
S
Hashigo
Shin
S
Katoh
Ryo
R
Harada
Ryusuke
R
Katoh
Satoshi
S
Tanno
D000293:Adolescent; D014670:Ampulla of Vater; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome