Through-the-Scope Mechanical Lithotripsy of Difficult Common Bile Duct Stones

P. Katsinelos, I. Pilpilidis, G. Paroutoglou, S. Dimiropoulos, P. Tsolkas, E. Kamperis,; Daphni Katsiba, Maria Kalomenopoulou, Maria Arvaniti, C. Kaitarzis, A. Papagiannis,; G. Fotiadis, I. Vasiliadis .

Authors P. Katsinelos, I. Pilpilidis, G. Paroutoglou, S. Dimiropoulos, P. Tsolkas, E. Kamperis,, Daphni Katsiba, Maria Kalomenopoulou, Maria Arvaniti, C. Kaitarzis, A. Papagiannis,, G. Fotiadis, I. Vasiliadis ..

Abstract

SUMMARY
Over a 31 month period (October 1999 April 2002), 342
patients were diagnosed at endoscopic retrograde cholangiography
to have common bile duct stones. All patiens
underwent sphincterotomy and attempted extraction by
Dormia basket or balloon catheter. This was successful in
305 patients (89.2%). The remaining 37 patients with difficult
stones underwent through the scope mechanical lithotripsy.
The mean stone size was 16.7 mm (range 1.12.2).
Twentyseven patients required one session of lithotripsy
and eight patients two sessions. The stones were successfully
crushed by the BML system and the ducts cleared in
35 patients (94.6%). In two patients, mechanical lithotripsy
failed because the stones could not be engaged in the
lithotriptor basket. There were no serious procedurerelated
complications.
Key-words: Mechanical Lithotripsy, Difficult Common Bile
Duct Stones