title: Protocol-Driven Management of Suspected Common Duct Stones.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Common duct stones can be diagnosed by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)/ERCP, and intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC). In 2015, our group adopted a standard approach of preoperative EUS/ERCP followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy for patients with an admission bilirubin >4.0 mg/dL. For bilirubin <4.0 mg/dL, laparoscopic cholecystectomy with IOC was the initial procedure. Postoperative EUS/ERCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy was pursued for positive IOC. Exclusions included clinical suspicion of malignancy and surgically altered anatomy making endoscopic management impractical.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective comparison of protocol and pre-protocol (baseline) patients was performed, looking at patient demographics, presence of pancreatitis, common duct stone risk factors, comorbidities, length of hospitalization, and postoperative morbidity. Statistical analysis was performed with t-test, chi-square, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test with significance at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 56 patients in each group, with a mean ± SD age of 50.5 ± 20.88 years and 49.3 ± 20.92 years, respectively (p = NS). There were no significant differences between baseline and protocol patients with respect to individual and cumulative preoperative comorbidities, pancreatitis, elevation of liver function tests, bilirubin, common duct size, and postoperative morbidity. There were fewer endoscopies (22 vs 35; p = 0.014), and shorter length of stay in protocol patients (2.8 days vs 3.8 days; p = 0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Protocol-driven management of patients with suspected common duct stones reduced the number of endoscopies and length of hospitalization, with no change in postoperative morbidity. This approach has the potential to decrease endoscopy-related morbidity and overall cost without affecting quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX. Electronic address: Richard.frazee@bswhealth.org.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frazee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abernathy
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Isbell
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
authors.forename: Travis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Isbell
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Regner
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Munoz-Maldonado
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
authors.forename: Randall
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002758:Cholangiography; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D019160:Endosonography; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016717:Sphincterotomy, Endoscopic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001663:Bilirubin