BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) has usually been performed before large-balloon sphincteroplasty (LBS) to retrieve large bile duct stones because of the high risk of pancreatitis and some advantages of EST. However, there are no available data on the preceding EST to confirm these assertions. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the safety and efficacy of LBS without a preceding EST for the management of large bile duct stones. DESIGN: Single-institution retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Thirty-eight patients with large bile duct stones. INTERVENTIONS: Endoscopic LBS without preceding EST. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Efficacy of stone removal and complications related to the procedure. RESULTS: The overall success rate irrespective of whether mechanical lithotripsy (ML) was used was 97.4% (37/38). Complete duct clearance by LBS alone without ML was achieved in 29 (76.3%) patients. Complete stone retrieval was achieved by LBS alone in the first session in 25 (65.8%) patients. ML was required in 8 (21.1%) patients. Failure to extract a stone occurred in 1 (2.6%) patient. There was a mild degree of postprocedure pancreatitis in only 1 (2.6%) patient and asymptomatic hyperamylasemia in 3 (7.9%) patients. The maximum diameters of the stones and the balloon/stone diameter ratio had a tendency to affect complete stone retrieval in the success and failure groups: 16.7 +/- 3.9 mm vs 20.8 +/- 6.5 mm and 0.96 +/- 0.19 mm vs 0.80 +/- 0.23 mm, respectively (results are presented as mean +/- standard deviation). LIMITATIONS: Small-scale, single-arm study. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that LBS without EST is safe and effective in patients with large bile duct stones.
BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) has usually been performed before large-balloon sphincteroplasty (LBS) to retrieve large bile duct stones because of the high risk of pancreatitis and some advantages of EST. However, there are no available data on the preceding EST to confirm these assertions. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the safety and efficacy of LBS without a preceding EST for the management of large bile duct stones. DESIGN: Single-institution retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Thirty-eight patients with large bile duct stones. INTERVENTIONS: Endoscopic LBS without preceding EST. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Efficacy of stone removal and complications related to the procedure. RESULTS: The overall success rate irrespective of whether mechanical lithotripsy (ML) was used was 97.4% (37/38). Complete duct clearance by LBS alone without ML was achieved in 29 (76.3%) patients. Complete stone retrieval was achieved by LBS alone in the first session in 25 (65.8%) patients. ML was required in 8 (21.1%) patients. Failure to extract a stone occurred in 1 (2.6%) patient. There was a mild degree of postprocedure pancreatitis in only 1 (2.6%) patient and asymptomatic hyperamylasemia in 3 (7.9%) patients. The maximum diameters of the stones and the balloon/stone diameter ratio had a tendency to affect complete stone retrieval in the success and failure groups: 16.7 +/- 3.9 mm vs 20.8 +/- 6.5 mm and 0.96 +/- 0.19 mm vs 0.80 +/- 0.23 mm, respectively (results are presented as mean +/- standard deviation). LIMITATIONS: Small-scale, single-arm study. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that LBS without EST is safe and effective in patients with large bile duct stones.
Authors: Soo Jung Park; Jin Hong Kim; Jae Chul Hwang; Ho Gak Kim; Don Haeng Lee; Seok Jeong; Sang-Woo Cha; Young Deok Cho; Hong Ja Kim; Jong Hyeok Kim; Jong Ho Moon; Sang-Heum Park; Takao Itoi; Hiroyuki Isayama; Hirofumi Kogure; Se Joon Lee; Kyo Tae Jung; Hye Sun Lee; Todd H Baron; Dong Ki Lee Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2012-12-08 Impact factor: 3.199