Radiological treatment of common bile duct lithiasis in infancy.

The authors report a series of 10 infants aged from 20 days to 11 months, presenting with CBD lithiasis, explored and cured by radiological procedure. US showed BD dilatation in 9 cases, sludge in the GB in 5 and in the CBD in 2. Histological findings of cholangitis were present in 4 infants. PTC was performed by GB puncture in 6 and BD puncture in 4. There was evidence of a filling defect in CBD but no anatomical anomaly. Blackish concretions were removed through a side-holes catheter or pushed in the duodenum by washing with saline. An external drainage was left a few days to allow control cholangiogram. Three infants underwent subsequent surgery but no residual lithiasis was found. No recurrence has occurred with a follow-up ranging from 10 months to 7 years. Mechanisms of this entity are discussed.