Non-surgical removal of common bile duct stones.

Non-surgical removal of common bile duct stones In Western countries most stones in the common bile duct originate from the gall bladder; only rarely do they arise de novo on the basis of biliary stasis and infection. Common bile duct stones that have been overlooked during a cholecystectomy have a particular clinical significance and often precipitate the need for a second operation6636'37. Despite routine intraoperative cholangiography, common bile duct stones are overlooked in 1 to 140% of cases23'39'41'60'74. Because of the high rate of complications-over 50 %84 that can be expected in cases of untreated cholelithiasis, the need to remove the stones from the bile duct is imperative. The majority of the procedures described aim either at destroying the stones in SitU2, Only recently have procedures on July 13,