[Update on the treatment of choledocholithiasis]

Primitive or residual common bile duct calculi following common bile duct surgery can now be treated with minimum surgery using an endoscopic or X-ray guided approach. Having examined the etiopathogenetic theories, the authors analyse the treatment, in particular the possibility of endoscopic papillosphincterotomy and X-ray guided dilatation of the papilla, affirming that the latter can be extremely valuable in cases where it is difficult to canalize the latter.