Abstract
The tips of traditional endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) catheters, such as the straight type and the pigtail type, have shapes that are not three-dimensional. However, in patients with choledocholithiasis, the stones may slide upstream past the tip, and this may cause stone re-impaction. Therefore, to prevent this phenomenon, a spiral-cone type ENBD catheter having a tip with a three-dimensional shape was developed and used for 16 choledocholithiasis patients. This catheter was successfully placed in all patients, and it provided good biliary drainage. In addition, upstream passage of the stones was prevented until just before the tip came out of the bile duct at the time of catheter removal. No complications were observed. This catheter appears suitable for choledocholithiasis patients.
