Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2026
Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration in Patients with a Previous History of Biliary Tract Surgery
Published on: February 10, 2023
Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation in cirrhotic patients: removal of common bile duct stones without
1Second Dept. of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Background And Study Aims:
Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) is a less invasive alternative to endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). This study reviews a series of cirrhotic patients with bile duct stones who were treated with EPBD.
Patients And Methods:
EPBD was used to remove common bile duct stones in nine cirrhotic patients (one in Child-Pugh grade A, four in grade B, and four in grade C). After the papilla was dilated with balloon-tipped catheter, the stones were removed with a retrieval basket catheter or a retrieval balloon, or both. Mechanical lithotripsy was required in two patients with stones of more than 1 cm in diameter.
Results:
Clearance of the common bile duct was achieved in all patients without any serious complications such as hemorrhage or perforation.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that EPBD is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of common bile duct stones in patients with liver cirrhosis.
