Endoscopic sphincterotomy for common bile duct stones with and without gall bladder/'T' tube 'in situ'.

Eighty-seven patients underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) for common bile duct (CBD) stones. Out of these, 66 patients had post-cholecystectomy CBD stones and 21 had CBD stones with gall bladder 'in situ'. In post-cholecystectomy group, 15 patients had 'T' Tube 'in situ'. The presenting symptoms in the post-cholecystectomy group were: pain abdomen, jaundice and cholangitis in 51, 20 and 11 patients respectively. The fifteen patients with 'T' tube used to experience pain after clamping of 'T' tube. Those with gall bladder 'in situ' had cholangitis in 12 and jaundice only in 9 patients. CBD clearance was achieved in 80 patients (91.95%). The sphincterotomy cut had to be extended in 19 patients. There was no mortality following sphincterotomy. Nine patients (10.3%) had minor complications such as bleeding (4), cholangitis (3), pancreatitis and impaction of Dormia basket in one patient each. Thus ES is a safe and effective treatment for CBD stones with or without gall bladder/'T' tube 'in situ'.