[The laparoscopic treatment of common bile duct lithiasis]

Nowadays the laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the main surgical therapy in the treatment of cholecysto-lithiasis. At the beginning the treatment of cholecysto-choledochal lithiasis was the sequential endoscopic-laparoscopic therapy. In fact, the endoscopic sphincterotomy allows transpapillary ablation of Common Bile Duct (CBD) stones, and the laparoscopic cholecystectomy completes the therapy. Recently we have brought the full-laparoscopic of CBD lithiasis. This has become possible on account of an improved intraoperative laparoscopic diagnostics and a better technical experience of the laparoscopic surgeon. Intraoperative examination of CBD requires suitable instruments: cholangiography is still a basic examination and now is easily performed in laparoscopy without a considerable increase of the surgical time; choledochoscopy allows an intraluminal inspection of completes the examination, supplying further detailed information. Afterwards the laparoscopic approach allows the transcystic ablation of stones, using a Dormia probe or through a choledochotomy, but is previously required for the surgeon a high-level operative and technical ability about laparoscopic surgery, in order to perform an excellent preparation of the CBD and precise stitches, making knots with extra corporeal or intra-abdominal technique. Clinical results in patients until now fully-laparoscopic treated are quite good and encourage the CBD lithiasis therapy by a mini-invasive approach, which has the advantage that's not requested the sacrifice of a sound papilla.