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PEROPERATIVE CHOLANGIOGRAPHY: ROUTINE OR SELECTIVE ?
Author(s) -
STUBBS R. S.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 0004-8682
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1982.tb06035.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cholangiography , general surgery , surgery
The detection and removal of common bile duct stones remains a major challenge for the general surgeon. Peroperatlve cholangiography offers the most reliable method of detection and its routine use is now well accepted. This study of 262 cholecystectomies reassesses the value of this procedure and investigates the recent claim that cholangiography should be performed selectively rather than routinely. With routine cholangiography a positive exploration rate of 66% was achieved and retained stones occurred in 5% of patients with choledocholithiasis. Suggestions are made for ways in which the positive exploration rate could have been greatly improved. Had selective cholangiography been employed 47% of patients would have had the examination, the positive exploration rate would have been 70%, but the retained stone rate might have been 10%. In the light of this there appears little to commend selective cholangiography and we should continue to advise its routine use.