The importance of postoperative follow-up in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy after endoscopic lithotomy for common bile duct stones

Abstract

This study evaluated feasible methods of following patients undergoing two-stage preoperative endoscopic lithotomy followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (EL+LC) for common bile duct (CBD) and gallbladder (GB) stones. Between January 2012 and December 2020, 200 patients with concomitant CBD and GB stones were followed for 1 year after EL+LC to ascertain the recurrence of CBD stones and associated cholangitis. Of 105 patients, 15 (14.3%) had recurrent CBD stones; all were followed for 1 year postoperatively, were diagnosed using DIC-CT or MR cholangiography, and had no cholangitis. Of 84 patients not followed postoperatively, however, 5 (5.9%) had acute cholangitis secondary to recurrent CBD stones. Patients not followed had significantly higher inflammatory and liver function parameters than patients who were followed. Results suggest that 1-year postoperative follow-up using MR/DIC-CT cholangiography is feasible for patients with concomitant CBD and GB stones undergoing two-stage EL+LC.