Morbidity of simple cholecystectomy and cholecystectomy with transduodenal sphincteroplasty

Exploration of the common bile duct via transduodenal sphincteroplasty is thorough and provides an opportunity for the natural passage of retained calculi. However, this procedure destroys both the sphincter ampulla and sphincter choledochus, the sequelae of which are unknown. Fifty patients who had a transduodenal sphincteroplasty performed between 1970 and 1980 were randomly selected and compared with 50 patients who only had cholecystectomy. They were all seen in the outpatient department, assessed on a modified Visick scale and had liver function tests performed. There was no statistical difference in the subjective quality of result or in the liver function of the sphincteroplasty group when compared with the cholecystectomy patients, which suggests that destruction of the sphincters does not appear to be harmful to the patient.