RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) has become a well-established therapeutic modality for common bile duct stone (s). EST and subsequent stone extraction, including mechanical lithotripsy, can clear bile duct in 85% to 95% of patients. Other therapeutic modalities which have been developed to enhance bile duct clearance including extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy, electrohydraulic or laser lithotripsy, and chemical dissolution are high cost, not yet widely available especially in community hospital, yet to be perfected, or still under clinical evaluation. The use of biliary stenting has been proposed as an alternative therapy for patients at high risk for surgery. We carried out this prospective, controlled study to evaluate the long-term effect of biliary stenting for endoscopically unextractable common bile duct stone (s). METHODS: Of the 233 patients with common bile duct stone (s) admitted at Gil Hospital from Jan. 1995 to Dec. 1996, the stent group were 14 patients with retained comrnon bile duct stone (s) in which 7Fr polyethylene biliary stent was placed with the proximal end above the stone and the distal end in the duodenum. The control group were 6 patients with common bile duct stone (s) not treated, because of patients refusal of surgical or endoscopic management. Follow-up was achieved by direct interview and telephone, and consisted of prospective analysis of all complications that occured during long-term follow-up period. Complication rates in the both groups were compared using chi-square test and cumulative complication-free rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis.