Long-term follow-up of common bile duct diameter after endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with common bile duct stones.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To determine the time to normalization of common bile duct (CBD) diameter after endoscopic sphincterotomy and stone extraction in patients with choledocholithiasis.

METHODS: Patients with CBD dilation due to choledocholithiasis were enrolled. CBD diameter was measured by transabdominal ultrasonography before, and repeated after one, three, six and twelve months after endoscopic sphincterotomy and stone extraction, until normalization of CBD diameter.

RESULTS: Of 115 cases enrolled over a 36-month period, CBD diameter reversed to normal in 71 (61.7%) patients after one month. Of the remaining 44 patients, CBD diameter reversed to normal in 36 patients (including 3 in whom repeat ERCP revealed choledocholithiasis) at the end of three months. CBD diameter had not reversed to normal diameter in 8 (18.2%) patients; none of these patients had symptoms. Two of them had asymptomatic dilated CBD after 6 months with no abnormal liver function tests (LFT); the duct reversed to normal at the last follow-up (month 12).

CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic CBD dilation may persist in a minority of patients (18% at the end of 3 months) after removal of CBD stones. A dilated CBD can be attributed to retained choledocholithiasis within the first month, if it is associated with symptoms and abnormal LFT.