Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 28, 2014; 20(12): 3350-3355
Published online Mar 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i12.3350
Laparoscopic hepaticoplasty using gallbladder as a subcutaneous tunnel for hepatolithiasis
Long Cui, Zhi Xu, Xiao-Feng Ling, Li-Xin Wang, Chun-Sheng Hou, Gang Wang, Xiao-Si Zhou
Long Cui, Zhi Xu, Xiao-Feng Ling, Li-Xin Wang, Chun-Sheng Hou, Gang Wang, Xiao-Si Zhou, Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China
Author contributions: Cui L, Xu Z and Zhou XS designed the research; Cui L, Xu Z, Ling XF, Wang LX, Hou CS and Wang G performed the research; Cui L analyzed the data and wrote this paper.
Correspondence to: Zhi Xu, MD, Department of General Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 Huayuan Beilu, Beijing 100191, China. xuzhi123456@sohu.com
Telephone: +86-10-82267331 Fax: +86-10-62010334
Received: October 24, 2013
Revised: January 14, 2014
Accepted: February 26, 2014
Published online: March 28, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: The treatment of hepatolithiasis is still a great challenge for surgeons. The residual and recurrent calculi are two major difficulties. This study introduces a new technique for hepatolithiasis and describes its two advantages. The first is that the sphincter of Oddi is preserved and it prevents intestinal reflux, which decreases the postoperative cholangitis rate; the second is that the subcutaneous tunnel is a minimally invasive approach for residual and recurrent stones that avoids reoperation. In selected cases, the operation can be completed via laparoscopy, and this technique is simple and safe.