A study of primary single and layered suture technique by using two-port laparoscopic choledocholithotomy

The aim of this study is to explore the application value of layered suture technique in two-port laparoscopic choledocholithotomy with primary suture.

A prospective study of 267 patients received laparoscopic common bile duct choledocholithotomy with primary suture in our hospital from January 2014 to July 2017. Of these cases, layered suture technique was utilised in 110 patients, and single-suture technique was used in 157 patients. The operation time, post-operative hospital stay and post-operative complications were compared between the two groups.

Two groups of patients were operated smoothly, with no conversations to laparotomy. Post-operative recovery was symptom free. The operative time was not significantly different between the two groups of patients (t = -'0.587,P= 0.086). The post-operative hospital stay and incidence of post-operative bile leakage were significantly lower in layered suture group than those in single-layer suture group ([7.6 ± 1.8] days vs. [5.8 ± 1.7] days, t = 2.776,P= 0.000; 4.5% [5/110] vs. 20.4% [32/157], χ² = 9.885,P= 0.002). In the single-layer suture group, the incidence of post-operative bile leakage was significantly higher in patients complicated with acute cholangitis (44.4% [12/27] vs. 15.4% [20/130], χ² = 11.634,P= 0.001), whereas in the layered suture group, the incidence of post-operative bile leakage was insignificantly different among patients with and without acute cholangitis (11.8% [2/17] vs. 3.2% [3/93], χ² = 0.848,P= 0.357).

Application of layered suture technique in laparoscopic choledocholithotomy with primary suture is feasible and safe, with advantages of less bile leakage and shorter hospital stay.