Side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy in the management of choledocholithiasis and associated disease. Facts and fiction.

Ascending cholangitis, the sump syndrome, and alkaline reflux gastritis are drawbacks commonly ascribed to side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy. Most surgeons consider side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy as a last resort measure to be utilized only in elderly patients and only on ducts wider than 15 mm. In trying to assess the pertinence of such alleged inconveniences and limitations, a series has been analyzed (retrospectively until 1976 and prospectively from then on). A total of 70 of these operations were performed from January 1973 to September 1982, on 53 women and 17 men. Twenty-six percent were less than 50 years of age, and 30 percent were over 70 years of age. Sixteen of the 70 operations were reoperations that took place several years after cholecystectomy. Intravenous cholangiographic films were obtained preoperatively for evaluation of the duct width which was less than 15 mm in 23 patients (33 percent). The follow-up period, surpassing 2 years in 35 patients (50 percent), includes clinical interviews and liver biochemistry measurements every 6 months, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography 12 to 18 months postoperatively. There was one postoperative death (1.4 percent), and significant morbidity developed in five patients (7.1 percent). The postoperative hospital stay averaged 8 days. The long-term results were classified as excellent in 50 patients, good in 15 patients, fair in 3 patients, and poor in 1 patient. Side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy is a safe, very effective therapeutic measure, even when performed on ducts less than 15 mm wide, provided a few technical requirements are respected. It does not carry the inconveniences that have usually been ascribed to it. The excellent long-term results in the present series have allowed us to liberalize its utilization, especially in young patients.