Ampulla dilation with different sized balloons to remove common bile duct stones

Table 1 Demographic data and baseline characteristics of the 5 patient groups

	Balloon diameter
	EST alone (n = 42)	8 mm (n = 35)	10 mm (n = 87)	12 mm (n = 29)	14 mm (n = 15)	P value
Sex (F/M)	20/22	19/16	50/37	15/14	9/6	0.832
Age (yr)	55.6 ± 13.1	59.5 ± 14.2	66.8 ± 15.5	72.8 ± 11.8	74 ± 5.3	0.003
No. of stones	2.0 ± 1.0	2.2 ± 1.0	2.1 ± 1.4	2.1 ± 1.0	2.3 ± 1.0	0.994
Diameter of largest stone (mm)	5.5 ± 1.5	7.0 ± 2.0	9.3 ± 2.1	10.3 ± 2.7	14.7 ± 1.2	0.000
Use of mechanical lithotripter	0	0	0	0	4	0.000
Gallbladder in situ	33	29	74	21	10	0.358
Concomitant gallbladder stones	26	22	61	18	7	0.795
Sessions required for complete stone removal
Single session	42	35	87	28	13
Two sessions	0	0	0	1	2

F: Female; M: Male; EST: Endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Table 2 Early and later complications in the 5 patient groups

	Balloon size
	EST alone (n = 42)	8 mm (n = 35)	10 mm (n = 87)	12 mm (n = 29)	14 mm (n = 15)	P value
Early complications
Post-ERCP pancreatitis	1	2	3	1	1	0.918
Perforation	0	0	0	0	0
Bleeding	1	1	3	1	0	0.961
Incidence of pneumobilia	7	5	25	11	7	0.039
Later complications
Long term outcome
Incidence of pneumobilia	2	1	10	5	4	0.029
Reflux cholangitis	0	0	2	2	1	0.235
Recurrence of CBD stones	0	0	2	1	0	0.624

ERCP: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography; EST: Endoscopic sphincterotomy; CBD: Common bile duct.