Laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct in a patient with situs inversus totalis.

Abstract

Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a rare anomaly that can present technical difficulties during laparoscopic surgery. We report the first case of a combination of SIT and choledocholithiasis in a patient who was treated successfully with a laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct (CBD). The chest x-ray showed a right-sided heart. An abdominal ultrasound and computerized tomography scan diagnosed the CBD and gallbladder stones as well as the SIT, with the liver and gallbladder on the left side, and the spleen on the right. The surgical techniques were modified in a mirror image fashion in order to provide access to the left upper quadrant. The surgeon and the camera assistant stood on the patient's right side, and the first assistant stood on the left. The ports were introduced in a mirror image of the conventional setup. The SIT was confirmed using a telescope via an umbilical incision. A laparoscopic exploration of the CBD with a cholecystectomy was carried out successfully. The postoperative course was uneventful. This report shows that a CBD stone in a patient with SIT can be treated safely using laparoscopic surgery.