Choledocholithiasis caused by migration of a surgical clip into the biliary tract following laparoscopic cholecystectomy

As experience with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has increased, so have the number and variety of complications. We report a case of choledocholithiasis caused by migration of a surgical clip applied during LC. A 57-year-old Japanese man who had undergone LC 6 years previously was referred to our hospital with pruritus and jaundice. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and ultrasonography revealed a solid mass in the common hepatic duct and dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. Abdominal arteriography demonstrated interruption of the right hepatic artery by surgical clips. Five days after a biopsy of the mass was performed through a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage tube, the mass moved to the terminus of the common bile duct along with one of the surgical clips. A basket catheter was used to remove the mass via endoscopy. Despite the fact that other clips in the common hepatic duct were partially exposed, the patient has been well for 2 years with no additional interventions.