title: The Role of Choledochoscopy in Hepatopancreatobiliary Diseases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Advances in choledochoscopy technology lead to an improvement in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatopancreatobiliary diseases. The aim of this study is to reveal the role of choledochoscopy in hepatopancreatobiliary pathologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Choledochoscopy was used under general anesthesia in operation rooms. Flexible choledochoscope inserted via a vertical choledochotomy line, which was closed by primary closure, T-tube application, or choledochoduodenal anastomosis. Olympus CHF T 20 flexible choledochoscope and related endoscopic instruments were used for the procedures. The records were evaluated retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study presents the findings of 235 intraoperative choledochoscopy procedures. The most common indications were suspected common bile duct stone in 96 patients (40.9%), serum cholestatic enzyme increase without jaundice in 52 (22.1%), obstructive jaundice and/or serum bilirubin increase in 46 (19.6%), and presence of dilated choledoch in 42 (17.9%). Additional endoscopic diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures were performed 156 times in 125 patients (53.2%), and endoscopic biliary stone removal was the most used procedure (87 patients, 37.0%). The mean choledochoscopy duration was 8.5 minutes (range: 5-25 minutes). Choledochoscopy confirmed preliminary diagnosis in 117 patients (49.8%), while different data were elicited in 68 (28.9%), and normal findings were found in 50 (21.3%). In this series, no choledochoscopy-related mortality was seen, and some complications occurred in 4 patients (1.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intraoperative flexible choledochoscopy is a proper technique in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatopancreatobiliary disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Atatürk University School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Disci
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Atatürk University School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sabri Selcuk
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Atamanalp
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Atatürk University School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bunyami
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozogul
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Atatürk University School of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Ilhan
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Yildirgan
keywords: ERCP; Intraoperative flexible choledochoscopy; MRCP