Operative cholangiography in two hundred consecutive cholecystectomies

The records of two hundred consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy for gallstones in the university department of surgery, Christchurch Hospital, were reviewed to evaluate the benefit and standard of operative cholangiography. The main benefit lay in the avoiding of unnecessary common bile duct exploration. Of the cholangiograms later reviewed by an independent radiologist, only 70 percent were considered satisfactory.