A retrospective study of surgical common bile-duct exploration: ten years experience.

The results of surgical common bile duct exploration in 1007 patients were evaluated in a retrospective study. Overall mortality was 2%. Under the age of 70 years mortality was 0.9%. Mortality increased significantly in patients older than 80 years (9.5%), including the patients with acute cholangitis. The most frequently encountered complications were wound infection in 7%, severe pulmonary insufficiency in 4%, and cardiovascular problems in 3%. The results of the present series show that in the current state of pre-, intra- and postoperative care surgical common bile-duct exploration has a low morbidity and mortality rate in patients under 80 years of age.