A 69-year-old man visited our hospital with chief complaints of abdominal pain and vomiting. He was diagnosed as having choledocholithiasis and admitted for treatment. Although endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was attempted with a duodenoscope, the scope could not be advanced because of a stricture caused by esophageal cancer. A forward-viewing endoscope was passed through the esophagus, allowing observation up to the duodenum. Employing the forward-viewing endoscope, we performed endoscopic sphincterotomy and endoscopic papillary balloon dilation, followed by stone removal with a balloon. No complications occurred such that we were subsequently able to make a smooth transition to esophageal cancer treatment. Because there are cases in which stones can be removed with a forward-viewing endoscope, its use appears to be a possible therapeutic approach.
