Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026
Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration Followed by Primary Suture Using a Modified Bile Duct Incision
Published on: May 2, 2025
A randomized trial comparing the use of endobiliary stent and T-tube for biliary decompression after laparoscopic
Vivek Mangla1, Jagdish Chander, Anubhav Vindal
1Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. mangla.vivek@gmail.com
Purpose:
To compare the use of a biliary stent with T-tube for biliary decompression after laparoscopic common bile duct (CBD) exploration.
Methods:
Between September 2004 and March 2008, 60 patients undergoing laparoscopic CBD exploration for CBD stones were randomized to choledochotomy closure over either a biliary stent or a T-tube after CBD clearance. Patients at high risk for surgery and unremitting cholangitis requiring preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage were excluded.
Results:
There were 29 and 31 patients in the T-tube and stenting groups, respectively. The 2 groups were comparable with respect to their demographic profile and disease characteristics. Patients in the stent group had a significantly shorter operative time and postoperative stay with an earlier return to normal activity (P<0.0001).
Conclusions:
Choledochotomy closure over a stent results in a shorter postoperative stay and an earlier return to normal activity compared with closure over a T-tube without any increase in morbidity.
