The feasibility and safety of laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration after prior gastrectomy

The increased incidence of gallstones can be linked to previous gastrectomy (PG). However, the success rate of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopan-creatography after gastrectomy has significantly reduced. In such cases, laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration (LTCBDE) may be an alternative. In this study, LTCBDE was evaluated for its safety and feasibility in patients with PG. We retrospectively evaluated 300 patients who underwent LTCBDE between January 2015 and June 2023. The subjects were divided into 2 groups according to their PG status: PG group and No-PG group. The perioperative data from the 2 groups were compared. The operation time in the PG group was longer than that in the No-PG group (184.69 +/- 20.28 minutes vs 152.19 +/- 26.37 minutes, P < .01). There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss (61.19 +/- 41.65 mL vs 50.83 +/- 30.47 mL, P = .087), postoperative hospital stay (6.36 +/- 1.94 days vs 5.94 +/- 1.36 days, P = .125), total complication rate (18.6 % vs 14.1 %, P = .382), stone clearance rate (93.2 % vs 96.3 %, P = .303), stone recurrence rate (3.4 % vs 1.7 %, P = .395), and conversion rate (6.8 % vs 7.0 %, P = .941) between the 2 groups. No deaths occurred in either groups. A history of gastrectomy may not affect the feasibility and safety of LTCBDE, because its perioperative results are comparable to those of patients with a history of No-gastrectomy.