Retrieval of spilled stones during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now widely practised in the Western world. One of the more common and often neglected complications is perforation of the gallbladder and spillage of bile and stones. With careful attention to technique this should be a rare complication. The effect of bile and stone spillage may depend on the presence or absence of biliary infection at the time of operation. When stone spillage occurs a number of options are available for the retrieval of stones and these are highlighted in this paper.