Sphincterotomy

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Gastroenterology
• Biliary Tract Surgery

Background:

• Cholelithiasis management often involves addressing common bile duct stones and papillary stenosis.
• Previous theoretical studies explored surgical interventions for gallstone disease.
• Papillotomy and sphincterotomy are established procedures in biliary tract surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the indications and outcomes of papillotomy or sphincterotomy in nine patients with cholelithiasis.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of sphincterotomy for specific biliary conditions.
• To supplement previous theoretical research on surgical management of gallstones.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case series of nine patients undergoing papillotomy or sphincterotomy over five years.
• Indications included impacted common bile duct calculi and papillary stenosis.
• Surgical outcomes and postoperative complications were recorded.

Main Results:

• Seven patients had an uneventful postoperative course.
• One patient experienced a non-biliary complication, and another had a suture line leak (not attributed to sphincterotomy).
• All patients remained symptom-free during the follow-up period.

Conclusions:

• Sphincterotomy is indicated for low-seated common bile duct calculi or papillary stenosis unresponsive to other methods.
• The procedure demonstrated a favorable safety profile and efficacy in this case series.
• Results align with international literature, supporting sphincterotomy's role in selected biliary interventions.