PRESENT ROLE OF CLASSIC OPEN CHOLEDOCHOSTOMY IN THE SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH COMMON BILE-DUCT STONES

Open choledochostomy still represents an important step of biliary sur gery, even during the era of laparoscopic surgery, Although its applic ation has decreased with the widespread use of endoscopic retrograde c holangiopancreatography (ERCP) and papillotomy, still there are some p atients in whom it is necessary to perform open choledochostomy and pl ace a T-tube. The morbidity and mortality rates depend mainly on the p resence or absence of an acute suppurative cholangitis, rather than th e performance of the choledochostomy. In patients with mild cholangiti s or those no cholangitis and less than 60 years of age, the mortality rate is lower than that observed after ERCP. This procedure is still an important technique for surgeons dedicated to biliary surgery, and therefore several technical aspects of common bile duct exploration ar e important to remember.