Application of Transparent Cap-assisted Choledochoscopy in Endoscopic Gallbladder-preserving Surgery

The gold standard treatment for cholecystolithiasis is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, the complications of cholecystectomy have led to adoption of gallbladder-preserving surgery. The study was to investigate significance of transparent cap-assisted choledochoscopy in gallbladder-preserving surgery.

This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent gallbladder-preserving surgery by laparoscopic choledochoscopy along with choledochoscopy with or without a transparent cap from January 2018 to September 2018 in our hospital. The differences in the duration of gallbladder exploration, surgical complications, adverse events, and the recurrence of stones within 6 months after surgery were compared between 2 groups.

Fifty patients underwent laparoscopic choledochoscopy along with choledochoscopy without transparent cap (Group A), while 50 patients underwent laparoscopic along with transparent cap-assisted choledochoscopy (Group B). Gallbladder exploration time was 27.96±12.24 minutes in Group A, and 12.04±6.01 minutes in Group B. One case had stone recurrence within 6 months in Group B, while 8 cases had stone recurrence in group A.

Comparing with laparoscope combined with choledochoscopy, transparent cap-assisted choledochoscopy has advantages in gallbladder-preserving surgery.