[Choledocholithiasis. Endoscopic treatment of 416 consecutive patients]

Endoscopic extraction of calculi in the common bile duct has been the treatment of choice for many years. According to international standards a stone-free common bile duct should be achieved in at least 90% of the patients and with an overall complication rate below 20%. We reviewed records of 416 patients who underwent ERC for common bile duct stones between January 1990 and January 1995. The overall success rate of achieving a common bile duct free of stones was 89.0%, and in 94.7% of the patients endoscopic treatment was definitive. The overall complication rate was 9.6% and the 30-day mortality rate was 2.2%. Our study showed that with a medical staff of four to six persons (of which two were trainees), approximately 450 ERCP-examinations per year and with a catchment area of half a million inhabitants (Funen County), it was possible to achieve acceptable results.