Antegrade X-ray surgical interventions in patients with choledocholithiasis in case of failed endoscopic procedures

Objective. To analyze safety and efficacy of X-ray surgical treatment of choledocholithiasis in case of failed endoscopic procedures. Material and methods. A retrospective analysis included 195 patients with choledocholithiasis who underwent X-ray surgical treatment. Primary X-ray surgical intervention was antegrade cholangiostomy. Data of antegrade cholangiography were used to determine type of endobiliary intervention. Antegrade mechanical and pneumatic choledocholithotripsy and lithoextraction, balloon dislocation of stones of the common bile duct into duodenum or jejunum, lithoextraction using rendezvous technique after endoscopic papillotomy through transpapillary drainage tube or a wire were applied. Results. Puncture and drainage of non-dilated bile ducts were successfully performed in 30 (15.4%) patients. There were 212 procedires of cholangiostomy in 195 patients including redo interventions. Complications after cholangiostomy were absent in 92.9% of cases. Minor complications occurred in 7.1% of cases. Antegrade mechanical and pneumatic choledocholithotripsy and lithoextraction was performed in 118 (98.3%) patients. Balloon dislocation of stones of the common bile duct into duodenum was applied in 52 (81.3%) patients. Lithoextraction using rendezvous technique after previous endoscopic papillosphincterotomy was performed in 12 (60%) patients. Six patients underwent transpapillary external-internal drainage of common bile duct. Five patients had stricture of biliodigestive anastomosis complicated by cholelithiasis. Lithotripsy and lithoextraction through antegrade approach or dislocation of stones into jejunum after previous balloon dilatation were performed in these patients. Postoperative mortality was 1.5%. Minimally invasive techniques were absolutely effective for choledocholithiasis in 187 (98.9%) patients. Conclusion. Antegrade X-ray surgical management is effective and safe in patients with choledocholithiasis and unsuccessful previous endoscopic procedures. Integral efficiency of antegrade management of cholelithiasis was 88.8%.