ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Accurate assessment of the retained or recurrent bile duct stone is important in postcholecystectomy patients who have signs of cholangitis or other pancreatobiliary disease. This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic reliability of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography in postcholecystectomy patients. METHODS: From October 1975 through August 1995, we reviewed 311 patients retrospectively who had undergone on cholecystectomy. Our study was based on assessment of their age, sex, symptoms and physical findings, comparison between sonographic and endoscopic retrograde cholangiographic findings, and stone removal rate using endoscopic sphincterotomy, basket, electro-hydraulic lithotripsy. RESULTS: The ratio of male to female was 1:1.67, and the mean age was 56+/-14.3 years. After cholecystectomy, they visited our clinic within 2 years in 25 patients(8.4%), beyond 2 years in 286 patients(91.6%). Most common symptoms and physical findings were epigastric pain or tenderness(63.6%). We detected bile duct stone using endoscopic retrograde cholangiography 219 patients. In case of the bile duct stone, we successfully removed it using endoscopic sphincterotomy, basket, electrohydraulic lithotripsy in 194 patients(88.6%). CONCLUSION: From the above results, we concluded that endoscopic retrograde cholangiography was the most effective diagnostic and therapeutic method in postch- olecystetomy patients who have signs of cholangitis.