1Dr. Muhammad Naeem Taj, 2Dr Ismail Farid, 3Dr Danish Khan, 4Dr Abdul Basit Memon, 5Dr Ansa Batool, 6Dr Asad Jameel.

Clinical Outcomes of Choledocholithiasis
Management Using

Abstract:

If left untreated, choledocholithiasis, a common biliary disorder, can cause
pancreatitis, acute cholangitis, obstructive jaundice, and other significant complications. There
are a number of treatment options, such as combination methods, laparoscopic common bile duct
exploration (LCBDE), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The
properties of the stone, patient circumstances, and the level of competence available all influence
the treatment choice.To evaluate the clinical results, efficacy, and side effects of various
choledocholithiasis treatment approaches.Over the course of a year, a prospective comparison
study was carried out at the Capital Hospital Islamabad’s Department of General Surgery. Included were 150 adult patients who had been diagnosed with choledocholithiasis. Depending
on clinical indications and institutional experience, patients were treated with ERCP followed by
laparoscopic cholecystectomy, LCBDE with laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or a
combined/rendezvous strategy. The following were noted: hospital stay, complications, retained
stones, repeat interventions, readmission, procedural success, stone-clearance rate, length of
surgery, and demographics.Most patients had successful clearing of the common bile duct. While
LCBDE offered the benefit of single-stage management, ERCP showed a high duct-clearance
rate. While bile leak was more likely after LCBDE, post-ERCP pancreatitis was more common
in patients receiving ERCP. While patients treated with phased ERCP followed by laparoscopic
cholecystectomy needed multiple interventions, those having single-stage laparoscopic
management had a shorter overall treatment pathway. Morbidity and death rates were generally
modest.When chosen properly, a variety of choledocholithiasis management strategies showed
GlobalHealth & Medicine. 2026; 8(3):278-290. Original Article
DOI:10.35772/ghm.2026.01068
positive clinical results. While LCBDE provided an efficient single-stage option in appropriate
patients, ERCP continued to be a successful technique for biliary clearance, especially in patients
in need of immediate decompression. Treatment results may be improved by customised
selection based on biliary anatomy, stone burden, patient characteristics, and available
knowledge.

Keywords: RCP; laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct; laparoscopic
cholecystectomy; common bile duct stones; stone removal; biliary problems; choledocholithiasis

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