Original Articles
A randomized trial of endoscopic balloon dilation and endoscopic sphincterotomy for removal of bile duct stones in patients with a prior Billroth II gastrectomy,☆☆

Presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Orlando, Fla., May 1999 (Gastrointest Endosc 1999;49:4[part II]:AB656).
https://doi.org/10.1067/mge.2001.110454Get rights and content

Abstract

Background: A prior Billroth II gastrectomy renders endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) more difficult in patients with bile duct stones. Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) is a relatively easy procedure that potentially reduces the risk of bleeding and perforation. Methods: Thirty-four patients with bile duct stones and a previous Billroth II gastrectomy were randomized to EST or EBD. Complications were graded in a blinded fashion. Results were compared with those for a group of 180 patients with normal anatomy from a previously reported randomized trial of EBD versus EST. Results: All stones were removed in 1 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in 14 of 16 patients who underwent EBD versus 14 of 18 who had EST (p = 1.00). Mechanical lithotripsy was used in 3 EBD procedures versus 4 EST procedures (p = 1.00). Early complications occurred in 3 patients who had EBD versus 7 who underwent EST (p = 0.27). Three patients had bleeding after EST; 1 patient had mild pancreatitis after EBD. The median time required for stone removal was 30 minutes in both groups. Compared with patients with a normal anatomy, patients with a previous Billroth II gastrectomy had a significantly increased risk of bleeding after EST (17% vs. 2%, relative risk = 7.25, p < 0.05). Conclusions: A prior Billroth II gastrectomy renders EST more difficult and increases the risk of a complication. EBD in these patients is easy to perform and is not associated with an increased need for mechanical lithotripsy or a longer procedure time. The risk of bleeding is virtually absent after EBD and the risk of pancreatitis after EBD seems not significantly increased in these patients. (Gastrointest Endosc 2001;53:19-26.)

Section snippets

Selection of patients and randomization

Patients fulfilled the following criteria for entry in the study: (1) referred for ERCP because of symptoms of bile duct stones, (2) age older than 18 years, (3) informed consent obtained before ERCP, (4) bile duct stones visualized at ERCP, and (5) deep cannulation of the bile duct achieved without precut sphincterotomy. Patients were excluded from the study if there were signs of acute cholangitis (temperature greater 38.5°C within 12 hours before ERCP), acute pancreatitis (severe epigastric

Selection of patients and randomization

Between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 1995, 67 patients with prior Billroth II gastrectomy underwent ERCP because of a suspicion of bile duct stones; 34 patients were enrolled in the study. Reasons for exclusion were papilla not reached because of a long afferent loop (n = 7), Braun enteroenterostomy (n = 6), or Roux-en-Y anastomosis (n = 3); precut sphincterotomy necessary for access to the common bile duct (n = 6); cholangitis (n = 4) or pancreatitis (n = 4) at the time of ERCP,

Discussion

Relatively few studies have been published on endoscopic stone removal in patients with a prior Billroth II gastrectomy. It is difficult to draw conclusions about the success rate and complication rate of EST in these patients. The reason for this is 4-fold. First, all studies are retrospective analyses that often cover a long period of time. Second, most of them have small sample sizes that consist of a mixture of different indications and diseases (e.g., malignancy and stone disease). Third,

References (22)

  • JJ Bergman et al.

    What is the current status of endoscopic balloon dilation for stone removal?

    Endoscopy

    (1998)
  • Cited by (145)

    • Postsurgical Endoscopic Anatomy

      2019, Clinical Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
    • Self-expandable metal stents for choledocholithiasis in Billroth II gastrectomy patients

      2018, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases International
      Citation Excerpt :

      Conventionally, EST and EPBD are performed for ampullary intervention in patients with a prior Billroth II gastrectomy. Compared with normal anatomy, EST in patients with a previous Billroth II gastrectomy resulted in lower rate of stone clearance, high rates of early complications, and increased rate of bleeding [19]. Recent studies reported that EPBD was superior to EST in reducing bleeding rate of patients with altered anatomy [20].

    • Choledocholithiasis

      2018, ERCP, Third Edition
    View all citing articles on Scopus

    Reprint requests: J. J. G. H. M. Bergman, MD, Dept. of Gastroenterology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

    ☆☆

    Gastrointest Endosc 2001;53:19-26

    View full text