A thread as a nidus of a common bile duct calculus--findings during endoscopic lithotripsy

Suture material can serve as a nidus for common bile duct calculi. We saw an unusually long thread projecting from a mixed common duct stone in a woman 30 years after cholecystectomy. The calculus was removed endoscopically after mechanical lithotripsy. The implications of this observation, in particular as a potential complication, are discussed.