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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration in Patients with a Previous History of Biliary Tract Surgery
Published on: February 10, 2023
Delivery of a Laparoscopic Bile Duct Exploration Service as a Primary Treatment Modality for Choledocholithiasis
Marcos Kostalas1, Petros Christopoulos2, Timothy Platt2
1South Devon UGI Unit, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, UK. mkostalas@doctors.org.uk.
Introduction:
The aim of this paper was to report the experience of one-stage LC and LCBDE service within a medium sized acute NHS healthcare trust to demonstrate the feasibility of this treatment modality in terms of safety, quality and effectiveness inside the limitations of the UK's nationalised healthcare system.
Methods:
All patients undergoing LCBDE at our institution from November 2013 - July 2021 were included in the study. Data were collected from a prospectively maintained institutional database and data points corroborated by electronic patient data on hospital systems.
Results:
Three hundred and eleven patients underwent LCBDE. Median age was 68 (range 21-95). Most cases were performed as urgent/emergency (n = 206, 66% vs n = 105, 34% elective). Bile duct stones were diagnosed pre-operatively in 23% of cases (n = 73). Intra-operative diagnosis was made using laparoscopic ultrasound (n = 228, 73%), cholangiogram (n = 44, 14%) or combination of both (n = 31, 10%). Laparoscopic completion rate was 94%. 56% were via choledochotomy and 44% trans-cystic. Incidence of bile leak was 4.2% (n = 13) and the incidence of retained stone within 90 days was 3.9%. Median length of stay was 2 days post-operatively (range 0-62). The rate of mortality was 0.66%.
Conclusion:
The data from our study shows that LC and LCBDE is a safe, effective service that can be successfully delivered in the NHS. With the developing specialisation of benign biliary units, we believe that this approach to choledocholithiasis is reproducible and achievable nationally and should be considered first-line in the management of this condition.
