Clinical Course of Temporary Internal Biliary Stents after Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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INTRODUCTION: Temporary internal biliary stents placed after laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) are designed to decompress the duct and pass without elective endoscopic removal, but their subsequent clinical course has not been systematically evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight English- and Chinese-language databases were searched through July 29, 2026. Eligible studies evaluated temporary internal stents intended for spontaneous passage after LCBDE. Two reviewers independently selected studies, extracted public aggregate data, resolved overlapping cohorts, and assessed risk of bias. Single-arm outcomes were pooled using random-effects binomial-normal generalized linear mixed models. A prespecified sensitivity analysis excluded studies authored by the review team. RESULTS: 64.2%) and remained 98.1% (249/259; 95% CI, 87.7%-99.7%) after excluding review-team studies. Passage by approximately 30 days was 98.0% (147/151; 95% CI, 85.5%-99.8%); directly reported 30-day data yielded 99.2% (127/128; 95% CI, 94.7%-99.9%). Endoscopic removal or retrieval occurred in 2.6% (12/353; 95% CI, 0.7%-9.3%). Heterogeneous devices and time origins precluded pooling passage time. CONCLUSION: Temporary internal stents usually pass spontaneously after LCBDE, although performance varies across devices and settings. When passage has not been documented, approximately 1 month is the best-supported verification checkpoint. Persistent, migrated, or symptomatic stents warrant targeted evaluation and early endoscopic consultation. This pathway is evidence-informed rather than a formal guideline recommendation. Given the predominantly East Asian evidence base, validation in other populations is required.