Choledochoduodenostomy as the biliary-enteric bypass of choice for benign and malignant distal common bile duct strictures.

Choledochoduodenostomy (including hepaticoduodenostomy) for common bile duct (CBD) strictures has been underused because of concerns regarding postoperative duodenal fistula and cholangitis attending the so-called "sump syndrome." An institutional retrospective review of 55 consecutive choledochoduodenostomy procedures for CBD strictures from 1995 to 2011 was performed to examine its suitability as the biliary-enteric bypass procedure of choice. There were 30 male (55%) and 25 female (45%) patients with a mean age of 49 years (range, 13 to 73 years). Thirty-seven (67%) patients had benign CBD strictures and 18 (33%) had unresectable periampullary adenocarcinomas. Forty-nine (89%) underwent choledochoduodenostomy and six (11%) underwent hepaticoduodenostomy. There were no 30-day postoperative deaths, anastomotic leaks, or intra-abdominal abscesses. Five patients (9%) sustained Clavien Grade III or IV complications. Over a mean long-term follow-up of 29 months (range, 1 to 162 months), there was one anastomotic stricture successfully managed by endoscopic dilation and temporary stenting. Liver function tests in all other patients returned to and remained within normal limits. We conclude that choledochoduodenostomy is the preferred biliary-enteric bypass for both benign and malignant distal CBD strictures because of its ease, safety, and durability. Persistent fears of duodenal fistula and the "sump syndrome" are not warranted by the empiric data and should be abandoned.