[Endoscopic sphincterotomy in the treatment of common bile duct benign lesions (experience with 100 cases)]

The authors present the experience of the first 100 endoscopic sphincterotomy performed in Caritas Hospital, Surgery Department between 1997 and 2000 for CBD benign lesions treatment. The patients to whom we performed this procedure had a biliary syndrome associated mostly to obstructive jaundice of unknown etiology previously diagnosed echographically or by ERCP. The etiology was in 72% of the cases represented by migrated, residual or primary common bile duct stones. The aim of the procedure was the removal of the stones. We performed endoscopic sphincterotomy either before or after laparoscopic or open surgery. The morbidity was 8% and the related mortality was 0%. Endoscopic sphincterotomy is an efficient procedure for the treatment of the benign obstruction of the common bile duct and not only. Our results were similar to those published by other authors.