Minimally Invasive Treatment for Cholelithiasis

Gallstone disease, cholecysto- and choledocho-lithiasis, is one of the most common digestive diseases. Most patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis are recommended to undergo cholecystectomy to alleviate their symptoms like abdominal pain and jaundice. Approximately 10–20% of patients who undergo cholecystectomy for gallstones have choledocholithiasis. Nowadays, endoscopic and/or laparoscopic approaches are widely accepted as the treatment for patients with gallstone. Patients with cholecystolithiasis are usually treated by laparoscopic cholecystectomy, whereas patients with choledocholithiasis are done by endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) or laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE). Additionally, some cases are treated by biliary reconstruction such as biliary enteric anastomosis. In this chapter, currently available laparoscopic approaches as a minimally invasive surgery are introduced and discussed on the basis of pathogenesis of the gallstone.

Direct oral anticoagulants increase bleeding risk after endoscopic sphincterotomy: a retrospective study

Background Bleeding can be a serious adverse event of endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). However, the risk of EST bleeding between direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) users and those who received no antithrombotic agents has not been clarified. This study analyzed the risk factors for bleeding after EST in patients on DOAC and evaluated the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (JGES) guidelines for gastroenterological endoscopy in patients undergoing antithrombotic treatment. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 524 patients treated with EST who received DOAC or no antithrombotic drug from May 2016 to August 2019. We investigated the risk factors for bleeding. DOAC was typically discontinued for ≤ 1-day based on the JGES guideline. Although DOAC therapy recommenced the next morning after EST in principle, the duration of DOAC cessation and heparin replacement were determined by the attending physician based on each patient’s status. Results The number of patients on DOAC (DOAC group) and those not on antithrombotic drug (no-drug group) was 42 (8.0%) and 482 (92.0%), respectively. DOAC was discontinued for ≤ 1-day in 17 (40.0%) patients and for > 1-day in 25 (60.0%). Of the 524 patients, 21 (4.0%) had EST bleeding. The bleeding rate was higher in the DOAC group (14.0%) (p = 0.004). Multivariate analysis showed that bleeding occurred more frequently in patients on DOAC (odds ratio [OR] 3.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37–11.4, p = 0.011), patients with low platelet counts (< 100,000/µl) (OR 6.74, 95% CI 2.1–21.6, p = 0.001), and elderly patients (> 80 years old) (OR 3.36, 95%CI 1.17–9.65, p = 0.024). Conclusions DOAC treatment, low platelet count, and old age (> 80 years old) are risk factors for EST bleeding. Although the bleeding incidence increased in patients on DOAC who received antithrombotic therapy according to the JGES guidelines, successful hemostasis was achieved with endoscopy in all cases, and no thrombotic events occurred after cessation of DOAC. Thus, the JGES guidelines are acceptable.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy after Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

Background Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) post Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with endoscopic sphincterotomy(ES) is generally accepted as the treatment of choice for patient with choledococystolithiasis. Previous studies have shown that LC after ERCP is associated with a high conversion rate. The aim of the present study was to assess the complexity of LC after ERCP compared with standard LC for symptomatic uncomplicated cholecystolithiasis. Objective s: So the aim of this study is to assess the complexity of LC post ERCP comparted to elective LC without previous ERCP. Method The study is a prospective cohort study of two groups of patients: patients who had undergone a previous ERCP for choledocolithiasis (PES) and patients with cholecystolithiasis who had no previous intervention prior to LC (NPES). Results The PES group consists of 25 patients and the NPES group consists of 25 consecutive patients, patients in the PES group had a higher risks for longer (more than 35 min) duration of operation, the conversion rate in the PES group and the NPES group (12% versus 0%, respectively) were not significantly different, duration of post-operative hospital stay in the PES group was longer than NPES group, there was more difficulty in achieving the critical view of safety in the PES group (easily achieved in 48%) than NPES group(easily achieved in 92%). Conclusion A laparoscopic cholecystectomy after ES is longer and more difficult than in uncomplicated cholelithiasis and should therefore be performed by an experienced surgeon.