Endoscopic management of choledocholithiasis: to cut, stretch or relax?

Since it was first described in 1974, endoscopic sphincterotomy has been the procedure of choice for management of choledocholithiasis, especially for retained common bile duct stones. However, it has the dubious distinction of being the most hazardous of all endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographic procedures and carries an immediate complication rate of 8-10%. Concern has also been voiced about the long-term complications of sphincterotomy, as the sphincter of Oddi is cut during the procedure. To prevent, or at least lessen, the short- and long-term complications of endoscopic sphincterotomy, an alternative in the form of balloon dilatation of the papilla, has been advocated. However, the procedure of balloon dilatation is cumbersome, time consuming and, more importantly, a recent multi-centre study from the US comparing endoscopic sphincterotomy with balloon dilatation observed higher complications with balloon dilatation. The use of nitrites to relax the papilla is another novel method used for removal of common bile duct calculi. So how should a therapeutic endoscopist decide which method is to be used? The advantage of endoscopic sphincterotomy is that it has been around for more than two decades and most endoscopists are familiar with the technique as well as its complications. It can be accomplished quickly and with the advent of wire-guided and balloon-mounted sphincterotomes, the time taken for the procedure to be completed has been reduced further. The complications of the procedure are less when it is employed for removal of common bile duct stones and when used by experts. It, therefore, still appears to be the procedure of choice for endoscopic management of choledocholithiasis. The other two methods may, however, be useful in patients with coagulopathy.