Comparison of Repeated Recurrence of Common Bile Duct Stones and Occurrence of Hepatolithiasis After Synchronous Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Combined with Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration or with Endoscopic Sphincterotomy: a 10-Year Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment options for gallstones together with common bile duct stones (CBDS) remain controversial. The aim of this study was to further compare the recurrence rate of stones after synchronous laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (SLCL) and synchronous laparoscopic cholecystectomy combined with intraoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy (SLCE) and to determine which option is more effective in reducing the rate of repeated recurrence of CBDS and the incidence rate of hepatolithiasis.

METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the clinical data of patients who underwent SLCL or SLCE at our hepatobiliary center between August 2012 and August 2020. The primary and secondary endpoints of this study were the recurrence of CBDS and the occurrence of hepatolithiasis, respectively.

RESULTS: In total, 1005 patients were enrolled in this study, including 431 patients in the SLCL group and 574 patients in the SLCE group. SLCL was associated with a significantly decreased rate of CBDS recurrence (4.18% vs. 7.84%, P = 0.018), repeated CBDS recurrence (0.70% vs. 3.00%, P = 0.010), and incidence of hepatolithiasis (0.00% vs. 1.05%, P = 0.040). Compared with SLCE, SLCL was an independent protective predictor of the recurrence of CBDS (relative risk, 0.505; 95% confidence interval, 0.286-0.891; P = 0.018) and repeated recurrence of CBDS (relative risk, 0.226; 95% confidence interval, 0.066-0.777; P = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS: SLCL is an optimal treatment option to SLCE for patients with gallstones combined with CBDS.