Endoscopy 1989; 21: 333-337
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1012984
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Percutaneous Cholangioscopy for Management of Retained Biliary Tract Stones and Intrahepatic Stones

T. Yamakawa
  • Department of Surgery, Teikyo University Hospital at Mizonokuchi, Kawasaki, Japan
This paper was presented at the International Symposium on Biliary Endoscopy which was held on June 23rd and 24th, 1989, at the Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, West Germany.
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
17 March 2008 (online)

Summary

Over the last 13 years starting from 1975 when the first improved cholangiofiberscope was developed at the Teikyo University Hospital, 216 patients with retained biliary tract stones and 93 patients with intrahepatic stones have been seen; stone extraction was successful in 210 and 83 cases with percutaneous cholangioscopy, the success rate being 97.2 and 89.4 % respectively. In particular, the advent of sophisticated technology for smashing stones, such as electrohydraulic lithotripsy, and cholangiofiberscope instrumentation have certainly helped to improve the therapeutic results in biliary tract stones. Today it can be claimed that visible stones are readily removable with percutaneous cholangioscopy. Moreover, percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy has been proved to be an indispensable tool for the management of intrahepatic stones and benign or malignant biliary tract diseases. Another advantage of percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy is that it may be indicated, even in patients in whom the transduodenal approach is considered too difficult to apply. The author firmly believes that even better therapeutic results can be expected if this endoscopic approach becomes more routine.

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