Application of an internal drainage tube in laparoscopic common bile duct exploration

Choledocholithiasis is a common disease of the biliary system. The traditional surgical method for this is to remove the gallbladder, open the common bile duct, remove the stones and place a T-tube in the common bile duct for drainage. Common bile duct exploration usually requires a T-tube. Without a T-tube, there is a risk of bile leakage due to pressure in the bile duct. After the T-tube is placed, patients experience some form of discomfort and inconveniences with daily life, and there is also a risk of accidental detachment, as well as a risk of bile leakage when the T-tube is removed. In severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalized again. With advancements being made in surgical instruments and technology, laparoscopic common bile duct exploration has been widely used. Due to the carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum, laparoscopic common bile duct exploration requires a long period of time for T-tube sinus formation compared with open surgery. Therefore, the extubation time needs to be prolonged in laparoscopic common bile duct exploration. The use of an internal drainage tube may be used in order to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages. Since 2012, the authors have performed laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with the placement of an internal drainage tube for the treatment of common bile duct stones, and have completed >160 surgeries. The present study provides a summary of the data of these 160 cases. The 160 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Following the removal of the stones, an internal drainage tube was placed, and the common bile duct incision was primary sutured. All patients were discharged, and there were no complications, such as biliary leakage, biliary bleeding and biliary stricture. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that where possible, the placement of an internal drainage tube in laparoscopic common bile duct exploration is safe and reliable, and may be used to avoid the risk of bile leakage without a T-tube, any inconveniences for patients, and the risk of bile leakage following the removal of the T-tube.