Description

Currently, complicated bile duct stones are removed during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) by conventional mechanical lithotripsy, which means using a metal wire basket to capture the stone and crush it to make it easier to remove. This is successful in approximately 70% of patients, with the success rate inversely correlated to the size of the stone. Unsuccessful stone removal would require additional endoscopic, percutaneous or surgical interventions. Spyglass DS peroral cholangioscope-guided holmium:YAG laser/electrohydraulic lithotripsy is a recent alternate method for managing complicated bile duct stones. Also performed during ERCP, a thin flexible camera (called Spyglass DS peroral cholangioscope) is inserted into the bile duct to visualize the stone which can then be targeted by a laser beam for fragmentation (also known as laser lithotripsy). The smaller pieces are then removed. Direct comparisons of these procedures' efficacy however have not been performed.

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of Spyglass DS peroral cholangioscope-guided holmium:YAG laser/electrohydraulic lithotripsy (the laser arm) versus conventional basket mechanical lithotripsy alone (the conventional arm) for fragmentation and clearance of complicated bile duct stones.