[Preoperative diagnosis in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: is intravenous cholangiography currently still justified?]

Laparocopic cholecystectomy requires essentially the safe exclusion of choledocholithias. The aim of this study was to compare the intravenous cholangiography and ERCP in addition to a basic program (case history, laboratory results ultrasound) with references to the diagnostic ability and therapeutic consequences in patients with choledocholithiasis. The results show, that the intravenous cholangiography not provides extra important informations after the case history, ultrasound and laboratory findings and therefore its general use is not justified. Instead of the intravenous cholangiography the preoperative ERCP should be performed generously if choledocholithiasis is suspected, especially because the ERCP offers the possibility to extract the stone.