Stenting before laparoscopic common bile duct exploration: a helpful strategy.

: We describe a 43-year-old man who had a difficult endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, allowing only placement of a stent without removal of the common bile duct stone. He subsequently underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and primary closure after laparoscopic choledochotomy.