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Updated: Sep 18, 2025
Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration Followed by Primary Suture Using a Modified Bile Duct Incision
Published on: May 2, 2025
Isolated common bile duct dilation on pre-operative ultrasound is not a predictor of choledocholithiasis on
Benjamin Ramser1, Kassandra Samuel2, Fredric M Pieracci1
1Department of Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center, United States; Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States.
Background:
Common bile duct (CBD) dilation is typically an indication for intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC). We hypothesized that isolated CBD dilation on pre-operative ultrasound (US) is not predictive of choledocholithiasis (CD) on IOC.
Methods:
A retrospective study comparing patients with dilated versus normal CBD diameter on pre-operative US. CBD dilation on pre-operative ultrasound was defined as ≥ 0.6 cm, with 1 mm added per decade of life above 60-years-old. Demographics, laboratory values, CBD diameter, cholecystitis grades, and clinical outcomes were collected.
Results:
341 patients underwent LC with IOC during the study period, of which 46 patients had isolated CBD dilation. CBD dilation via ultrasound had a sensitivity of 80.00 %, specificity of 25.49 %, positive predictive value of 17.39 %, and negative predictive value of 86.67 %. There was no difference in demographics, cholecystitis severity, complication or readmission rates.
Conclusion:
Isolated CBD dilation does not present an increased risk of CD compared to normal CBD diameter.
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