Choledocho-choledochostomy: the natural history of healing in pigs.

Background/purpose: Aiming to investigate the natural history of the healing of choledocho-choledochostomies.

Methods: Fifty-five female pigs of 57 kg median weight were used for the experiments. The gallbladder was removed and the common bile duct transected.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy in pigs.

Background/purpose: We aimed to investigate the feasibility of robotic-assisted laparascopic reconstruction of the common bile duct (CBD) by way of Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy, given an operator with no prior robotic skills.

Methods: Ten pigs, of 75 kg median weight, were used for the experiments. Three of these animals were used to initialize and adjust the procedure, and seven were scheduled for postoperative survival of a week, and subsequent laparotomy for evaluation.