EXPLORATION OF THE COMMON BILE DUCT FOR BENIGN CONDITIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF 413 PATIENTS

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Abstract
The morbidity and mortality following exploration of the common duct for benign conditions has been analysed retrospectively in 413 patients from the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Follow up ranged from one to 110 months (median 47 months). The major complication rates in patients having biliary “drainage procedures” (choledochoduodenostomy (56 patients), sphincterotomy or sphincteroplasty (65 patients)) compared favourably with those having choledochotomy with T‐tube insertion alone (307 patients). This was despite a greater incidence of potentially adverse factors in the former group. Problems related to retained or recurrent stones were effectively reduced by drainage procedures which were performed safely in the presence of acute inflammation. Symptomatic cholangitis was not more frequent after drainage procedures.