A Two-Step Method for Percutaneous Transhepatic Choledochoscopic Lithotomy

Summary

This "two-step method" significantly improved the success rate of percutaneous transhepatic choledochoscopy and achieved a better prognosis of intrahepatic and extrahepatic choledocholithiasis.

Abstract

Intrahepatic and extrahepatic choledocholithiasis is a challenge in the field of biliary surgery. We present our experience using a two-step percutaneous transhepatic choledochoscopic lithotomy (PTCSL) procedure to treat challenging biliary stones. We retrospectively reviewed 81 patients with intrahepatic and extrahepatic choledocholithiasis treated using this two-step PTCSL from January 2013 to January 2020, including 40 males and 41 females, with an average age of 66 years. In contrast to traditional percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS), a channel was established directly through a 16F Amplatz sheath, and the stone in the channel was removed with the aid of a nephroscope. The clinical efficacy and complications of all patients were analyzed. Eighty-one patients (81/81, 100%) had their biliary stones successfully removed; 62/81 patients (76.5%) had biliary stones completely removed after the first operation; 17/81 patients (21%) underwent a second operation; 2/81 patients (2.5%) needed a third operation to completely remove the stones. The incidence of severe bleeding during the operation was 0%, and there were no deaths. The use of the two-step PTCSL method is safe and efficacious, and contributes to a better prognosis of intrahepatic and extrahepatic choledocholithiasis.

Introduction

Intrahepatic and extrahepatic choledocholithiasis is a complex medical problem faced by surgeons and is very common in East Asian countries¹. At present, surgical intervention is required for most choledocholithiasis, while the main treatments for bile duct stones include open surgery, percutaneous transhepatic choledochoscopic lithotomy (PTCSL), laparoscopic lithotomy², percutaneous endoscopic biliary exploration^3,4, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. However, patients with bilioenteric anastomosis or Billroth II reconstruction, with an abnormal....

Protocol

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College (Shantou, China).

1. Preparations

1. Apply strict exclusion criteria to select patients and obtain signed informed consent forms¹² (Table 1).
2. Apply the following admission criteria:
   1. Select patients who voluntarily received the two-step PTCSL treatment.
   2. Select those patients who were confirmed to have hepatic and extrahepatic bile duct stones by adjuvant examination.
   3. Select patients who had undergone previous compli....

Results

All patients had their biliary tract stones cleared successfully, with 58 patients (58/81, 72%) having bile duct stones completely removed after the first operation, 18 patients (18/81, 22%) requiring a second operation, and five patients (5/81, 6%) undergoing a third operation to completely remove the stones. Three patients had recurrent intrahepatic cholelithiasis in the 5^th and 6^th postoperative years. There were 56 patients (56/81, 68.7%) who underwent percutaneous liver surgery, as well as 25 p.......

Discussion

Intrahepatic and extrahepatic choledocholithiasis contribute to biliary obstruction, and the associated cholangitis could lead to gram-negative endotoxemia with clinical manifestations of septic shock or multiorgan dysfunction. Thus, biliary stones represent a complex disease that can be challenging for surgeons, especially in cases of patients who have had previous complex abdominal surgeries or patients with abnormal anatomical structure. PTCSL is being widely used around the world, but there remains a need for innovat.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.9% Normal saline solution		-
16-F series fascia dilator		type PLVW, Cook Medical
adjustable pressure pump		type APL; Guangzhou Jielun Medical Equipment Co. , Ltd, Guangdong Province, China
biliary balloon dilator		ATB advance; Cook Medical
blade		-
camera system		1088i HD Camera Control Unit, PAL 220 V; Stryker Corporation
Cavity mirror protective sleeve		-
clamp		5Fr, Richard Wolf GmbH, Germany
color ultrasound machine		DC-N2S, Mindray
Cook net basket		NGE-017115-MB, COOK Medical Inc. , Bloomington, USA
drainage pack		-
expander		-
guide wire		-
hydroelectric lithotripter		Aymed Medical, stanbul, Turkey
Iodophor		-
Kidney basin		-
light source		Voice-control compatible X8000 Xenon Light Source of 300 W;Stryker Corporation, MI
Medical syringe		-
puncture needle		-
suction apparatus		-
surgical gauze		-
trocar		-
Wolf nephroscope		12-degree Ultra-Wide-Angle Ureteroreno-scope; Richard Wolf GmbH, Germany
zebra guide wire		type HAW; Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN