Minor endoscopic sphincterotomy followed by large balloon dilation for large choledocholith treatment

To evaluate early and late outcomes of endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) with minor endoscopic sphincterotomy (mEST) for stone removal.

A total of 149 consecutive patients with difficult common bile duct (CBD) stones (diameter ≥ 10 mm or ≥ 3 stones) underwent conventional endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) or mEST plus EPLBD from May 2012 to April 2016. Their demographic, laboratory and procedural data were collected, and pancreaticobiliary complications were recorded.

Sixty-nine (94.5%) of the patients in the EPLBD + mEST group and 64 (84.2%) in the conventional EST group achieved stone clearance following the first session (P = 0.0421). The procedure time for EPLBD + mEST was shorter than for EST alone (42.1 ± 13.6 min vs 47.3 ± 11.8 min, P = 0.0128). The overall rate of early complications in the EPLBD + mEST group (11%) was lower than in the EST group (21.1%); however, the difference was not significant (P = 0.0938). The cumulative recurrence rate of cholangitis and CBD stones between the two groups was also similar. The procedure time was independently associated with post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (OR = 6.374, 95%CI: 1.193-22.624, P = 0.023), CBD stone diameter ≥ 16 mm (OR = 7.463, 95%CI: 2.705-21.246, P = 0.0452) and use of mechanical lithotripsy (OR = 9.913, 95%CI: 3.446-23.154, P = 0.0133) were independent risk factors for stone recurrence.

EPLBD with mEST is more effective than EST alone for difficult CBD stone removal, with shorter procedure time and fewer early complications.