Purpose : Recurrent bile duct stones, following biliary surgery, cause many difficult problems and reoperaion on the biliary tract has limitation due to high mortality and morbidity. In recent years, various non-operative modalities for the management of recurrent stone have been developed and reoperation on biliary. This study was designed to determine the factors contributing to the success rate, and to investigate the optimal treatment method, of recurrent biliary stones.
Methods : Thirty-nine patients, treated by percutaneous transhepatic stone removal (PTBD group), and 42 treated by a common bile duct exploration (operation group), at Chung-Ang University Hospital, between January 1999 and August 2002, were retrospectively analyzed.
Results : Complete removal (Success) was achieved in 82.1 and 86.1% of the cases of the PTBD and operation groups, respectively. There were no significant differences observed relating to the sex, age, duration of hospital stay, cost, success rate. However, the complication rate was significantly decreased in the PTBD group (8 cases (20.5%) vs. 22 cases (51.2%) P=0.0057).
Conclusion : From the comparison of the operation and PTBD groups, similar success rates were observed. Percutaneous transhepatic stone removal is also an effective method for the management of recurrent bile duct stones. After studying more cases, re-evaluation must be performed concerning the potential advantages of percutaneous transhepatic stone removal. (J Korean Surg Sco 2003;65:131-139)
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