Endoscopic sphincterotomy or papillary balloon dilatation for choledocholithiasis

Objective: To assess the safety and effect of endoscopicsphincterotomy (EST) and endoscopic papillary bal-loon dilatation (EPBD) for choledocholithiasis.Methods: 328 patients with choledocholithiasis weresubjected to EST or EPBD; they included 174 patientswith single stone, 112 patients with two stones and 42patients with three stones (one patient with 20 stones).Patients with stones less than 10 mm in diameter un-derwent EPBD and those with stones larger than 11mm in diameter underwent EST.Results: EST and EPBD succeeded in 323 patients(98.5%), and failed in 5. Stones in 98 patients wereexcluded spontaneously after endoscopic therapy. 207patients were subjected to basket or balloon stone ex-traction. Stones in 14 patients were discharged bybasket lithotripsy. Four patients were given wavelithotripsy. Stones in 22 of the 323 patients were ex-tracted thoroughly after 2-3 times attempts. Totalcomplications were noted in 2.5% of the patients.Hemorrhage from the gastrointestinal tract was seenin one patient, cholangitis in 4 patients, and pancre-atitis in 3 patients. In 92 patients receiving digestivetract barium X-ray examination, 86 developed nobarium reflux to the baliary tract, 2 pneumobilia, 4barium reflux to the biliary tract.Conclusion: EST and EPBD are relatively safe and effec-tive in treatment of choledocholithiasis, and have fewcomplications.