Prevalence Of Common Bile Duct Stones Research Articles

Prevalence of Persistent Common Bile Duct Stones in Acute Biliary Pancreatitis Remains Stable Within the First Week of Symptoms

BackgroundAcute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) is often associated with persistent common bile duct (CBD) stones. The best strategy in terms of timing of surgery is still controversial. The aim of the current study is to describe the prevalence of persistent common bile duct (CBD) stones in ABP during the first week of symptoms at a high-volume referral center. Study DesignSingle-institution retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database. Patients with diagnosis of ABP who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) between January 2009 and December 2019 were extracted. ResultsTwo hundred thirty-one patients were included. Cholecystectomy was performed laparoscopically in 230 (99.57%) patients. Intraoperative cholangiogram was performed in all patients. Two hundred nine (90%) patients had surgery within the first 7 days. Global prevalence of persistent CBD stones during IOC was 19.91% (95% CI 14.96–25.65). No significant association between timing to surgery and presence of CBD stones was found for the first week since the initial attack (p=0.28). Prevalence of CBD stones was significantly higher after day 7 (p=0.007 and 0.005). Positive findings in preoperative MRCP are significantly related to intraoperative CBD stones (p=0.0001). Mild postoperative complications (CD I/II) were present in 21 patients (9.09%). No difference was found in morbidity between CBD stones group and non-CBD stones group (p=0.48). We observed no severe complications nor mortality. ConclusionsIn patients with mild acute biliary pancreatitis, the prevalence of persistent CBD stones does not change within the first 7 days since the onset of symptoms. This fact may have major clinical relevance when deciding the optimal therapeutic strategy in this population.

Predictive value and main determinants of abnormal features of intraoperative cholangiography during cholecystectomy

The major issue with intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) is whether its diagnostic accuracy for common bile duct (CBD) stones matches that of other diagnostic procedures, and thus, whether it will become a routine diagnostic procedure. The current study aimed to address the main determinants of CBD stone diagnosis in IOC among an Iranian population. In a retrospective review database-based study conducted in Taleghani Hospital in Tehran between 2006 and 2008, baseline data and perioperative information of 2060 patients (male to female ratio 542:1518, mean age 53.7 years) who were candidates for cholecystectomy and underwent concomitant IOC for confirming CBD stones were reviewed. The predictive power of this procedure for diagnosis of abnormal biliary ducts with the focus on biliary stones was determined. Overall mortality and morbidity following cholecystectomy in the study population were 0.6% and 2.6%, respectively. Both early mortality and morbidity due to cholecystectomy were higher in male than female. The prevalence of CBD stones in IOC was 3.4% (5.2% in male and 2.8% in female, P=0.008). Among those without gallstones, 8.7% had CBD stones and only 3.1% had concomitant gallstones and CBD stones. The main predictors of stone appearance as an abnormal feature of IOC during cholecystectomy were: advanced age (OR=1.022, P=0.001), male gender (OR=1.498, P=0.050), history of abdominal surgery (OR=1.543, P=0.040) and preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (OR=5.400, P<0.001). IOC is a safe and accurate method for the assessment of bile duct anatomy and stones. Therefore, the routine use of IOC within cholecystectomy seems reasonable and is recommended.

Findings at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography after endoscopic treatment of postcholecystectomy bile leaks

Although the endoscopic management of bile leaks after cholecystectomy (CCY) is well established, the yield of a routine endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram (ERC) with a bile duct sweep at the time of stent removal is unclear. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of abnormal findings at follow-up ERC to determine whether upper endoscopy with stent removal and without cholangiography would suffice. A retrospective cohort analysis of all patients referred for initial and follow-up ERC with post-CCY bile leak was performed. The rate of abnormal findings was measured including choledocholithiasis, biliary strictures, and persistent bile leaks at follow-up ERC. Secondarily, the study sought to define the clinical characteristics of patients who demonstrated stones or sludge at follow-up assessment. Between January, 2003 and April, 2008, 105 patients underwent initial and follow-up ERC. After a mean interval of 6.9 +/- 2.7 weeks between endoscopies, 29 (27.6%) of the 105 patients demonstrated one or more abnormalities including persistent bile leak (n = 8), common bile duct (CBD) stones (n = 12), and CBD sludge alone (n = 9). In the subgroup analysis of the patients who underwent a balloon sweep at initial and follow-up ERC, the prevalence of CBD stones or sludge at the follow-up ERC was 17.6%. Besides stones during the initial ERC, no significant clinical predictors of CBD stones were found at follow-up ERC including surgical approach, interval between endoscopies, and location of bile leak. After endoscopic treatment of a bile leak, the prevalence of abnormalities at follow-up ERC is significant. A repeat cholangiogram with a balloon sweep is preferred at the time of stent removal.

Bile duct stone procedures are more frequent in patients with hypothyroidism. A large, registry-based, cohort study in Finland

Objective. Delayed bile flow may induce the formation/accumulation of common bile duct stones (CBDS). Bile flow is delayed in hypothyroidism, partly due to insufficient sphincter of Oddi relaxation. Patients with CBDS have higher incidences of clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism compared to healthy controls and gallbladder stone patients. The aim of this large registry-based study was to investigate the prevalence of CBDS in patients with diagnosed hypothyroidism compared to age-, sex- and living area-adjusted glaucoma (control) patients. Material and methods. Between 1987 and 2001, all patients with approved Special Medical Coverage (SMC) for hypothyroidism or glaucoma, and without other SMC approvals, were included. The glaucoma (control) cohort was adjusted for age, sex and area of residence. For each patient, onset of SMC, all prescription drugs and treatments for CBDS were noted. Results. A total of 14,334 patients in each group met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-three patients (0.23%) in the hypothyroidism cohort and 23 (0.16%) in the glaucoma cohort had been treated for CBDS (p = 0.018). The groups did not differ in the number of CBDS treatments before the diagnosis of hypothyroidism or glaucoma. However, after the diagnosis of hypothyroidism or glaucoma there were significantly more CBD stone patients in the hypothyroid cohort (n = 25) than in the glaucoma cohort (n = 14) (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Diagnosed hypothyroidism is a significant risk factor for CBDS. We hypothesize that CBD stone formation begins during the untreated period and develops/matures even after the medication has been initiated, raising the question of the efficiency of treatment in this respect. When treating CBDS patients, one should be aware of the possible hypothyroid background.

Cost-effective management of common bile duct stones: a decision analysis of the use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), intraoperative cholangiography, and laparoscopic bile duct exploration.

There are a variety of approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of common bile duct (CBD) stones in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Decision modeling was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of four strategies for managing CBD stones around the time of LC: (a) routine preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (preoperative ERCP), (b) LC with intraoperative cholangiography (IOC), followed by laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCDE), (c) LC with IOC, followed by ERCP (postoperative ERCP), and (d) expectant management (LC without any tests for CBD stones). Local hospital data were used to estimate costs. Cost-effectiveness was expressed in terms of the cost per case of residual CBD stones prevented (in excess of the cost of LC alone). Diagnostic test characteristics, procedure success rates, and adverse event probabilities were derived from a systematic review of the literature. Sensitivity analysis was used to explore the effect of uncertainty on the results of the model. LC alone was the least costly strategy, but it was also the least effective. Of the more aggressive strategies, LCDE and preoperative ERCP were associated with marginal costs of $5993.60 and $299,259.35, respectively, per case of residual CBD stones prevented. Postoperative ERCP was more costly and less effective than LCDE, but it had a lower cost-effectiveness ratio than preoperative ERCP when the prevalence of CBD stones was <80%. Compared to other common approaches, laparoscopic CBD exploration is a cost-effective method of managing CBD stones in patients who undergo LC. If expertise in LCDE is unavailable, selective postoperative ERCP is preferred over routine preoperative ERCP, unless the probability of CBD stones is very high (>80%).

Prediction of common bile duct stones by noninvasive tests.

To define accurate and useful predictors of common bile duct stones (CBDS). The ability to predict CBDS with noninvasive tests can avoid unnecessary, costly, or risky procedures. All patients referred for examination for CBDS by endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) from 1993-1996 were prospectively entered in a database. In a first sample selected randomly from the whole population, predictors of CBDS were determined by univariate analysis and logistic regression. Predictors were subsequently tested in that sample and in the rest of the population. A separate analysis was done for patients planned for cholecystectomy. Eight hundred and eighty patients (328 men, 552 women), aged 57.8 +/- 17 years (range 16-94), were included. The prevalence of CBDS was 18.8%. Age, serum levels of bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and alkaline phosphatase, and the existence of jaundice and fever, a dilated bile duct, and a pathologic gallbladder were found to be associated with CBDS. Logistic regression was undertaken separately for patients younger than 70 years (predictors: GGT >7 x normal; pathologic gallbladder; dilated bile duct) and older than 70 years (predictors: GGT >7 x normal; fever > 38 degrees C; dilated bile duct). Odds ratios were 3 to 6.7. The model was satisfactorily applicable to the second sample; age <70 years: chi2 = 3.3 (NS); age >70 years: chi2 = 3.8 (NS). In patients younger than age 70 and planned for cholecystectomy, the combination of the level of GGT and dilated bile duct predicted CBDS accurately. A simple screening of patients at risk for CBDS can be achieved with three predictive criteria adapted for the patient's age.