title: Laparoscopic hepatectomy with bile duct exploration for the treatment of hepatolithiasis: an experience of 116 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increasing number of patients with hepatolithiasis were diagnosed at an early stage in China. Laparoscopic surgery has introduced new methods of treating this condition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the patient selection, operative technique, and efficacy of laparoscopic hepatectomy with bile duct exploration for the treatment of hepatolithiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 116 patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy (laparoscopic group) and 78 patients who underwent open hepatectomy (open group) for hepatolithiasis were retrospectively analyzed, and were compared with the recent reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The laparoscopic group had a longer duration of operation (323.3 ± 103.0 min vs. 272.8 ± 66.8 min, p<0.05) and shorter postoperative hospital stay (13.1 ± 5.6 days vs. 16.5 ± 8.4 days, p<0.05) than the open group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in intraoperative blood loss or transfusion rate, postoperative complications, calculus clearance, calculus recurrence, or recurrent cholangitis (p>0.05 for all). Efficacy in the laparoscopic group was similar to that in other recently reported studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic hepatectomy with bile duct exploration is safe and feasible for early stage localized hepatolithiasis, with an efficacy similar to that of open surgery. Anatomic hepatectomy is important for achieving good therapeutic outcomes.
authors: Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Shapingba District, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ju
authors: J
authors: Tian
authors: Jian-wei
authors: JW
authors: Li
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Yu-dong
authors: YD
authors: Fan
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Bie
authors: Shu-guang
authors: SG
authors: Wang
authors: Shu-guo
authors: SG
authors: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome