Endoscopic laser treatment of intrahepatic stones.

Application of the Nd:YAG laser to cholangioscopic lithotomy allows lithotomy for stones that are difficult to remove by conventional methods. Also, when the laser is used in conjunction with PTCD under echo guidance, treatment is completed within a shorter period of time by endoscopic lithotomy than by surgery cases of residual intrahepatic stones, recurrent stones, and for some primary cases. Further, laser irradiation under cholangioscopy is also effective for dilatation of strictured anastomosis after hepaticojejunostomy. It is expected that in the future, preoperative endoscopic lithotomy by laser for hepatolithiasis will come into wide use.