Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
Application of Laparoscopic Ultrasonography in Primary Choledochal Suture during Combined Two-lens Surgery
Published on: March 28, 2025
Endoscopic sphincterotomy with or without cholecystectomy for choledocholithiasis in high-risk surgical patients: a
A A Siddiqui1, P Mitroo, T Kowalski
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA. ali.siddiqui@utsouthwestern.edu
Background:
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is recommended for patients with choledocholithiasis after ERCP with sphincterotomy (ES) and stone extraction.
Aim:
We designed a decision model to address whether ES alone versus ES followed by LC (ES + LC) is the optimal treatment in high-risk patients with choledocholithiasis.
Methods:
Our cohort were patients with obstructive jaundice who have undergone an ES with biliary clearance. Recurrent biliary complications over a 2-year period stratified by gallbladder status (in/out) and age-stratified surgical complication rates were obtained from the literature. Failure of therapy was defined as either recurrent symptoms or death attributed to biliary complications.
Results:
For age 70-79 years, ES failed in 15% whereas ES + LC failed in 17% of cases. Mortality in the EC + LC group was 3.4 times that of the ES alone cohort. For age 80+ years, ES was dominant with an incremental success rate of 8%. Mortality in the ES + LC was 7.6 times that of ES. For age <70, ES + LC was the dominant strategy with an incremental success rate 5%. Sensitivity analysis in the groups confirmed our conclusions.
Conclusions:
Management of choledocholithiasis by ES and stone clearance, but without cholecystectomy, should be considered for patients aged 70+. For low-risk patients, ES + LC should be performed to prevent recurrent biliary complications.
