Minor endoscopic sphincterotomy followed by large balloon dilation for large choledocholith treatment.

Aim: To evaluate early and late outcomes of endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) with minor endoscopic sphincterotomy (mEST) for stone removal.

Methods: A total of 149 consecutive patients with difficult common bile duct (CBD) stones (diameter ≥ 10 mm or ≥ 3 stones) underwent conventional endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) or mEST plus EPLBD from May 2012 to April 2016. Their demographic, laboratory and procedural data were collected, and pancreaticobiliary complications were recorded.

Results: Sixty-nine (94.5%) of the patients in the EPLBD + mEST group and 64 (84.2%) in the conventional EST group achieved stone clearance following the first session ( = 0.0421). The procedure time for EPLBD + mEST was shorter than for EST alone (42.1 ± 13.6 min 47.3 ± 11.8 min, = 0.0128). The overall rate of early complications in the EPLBD + mEST group (11%) was lower than in the EST group (21.1%); however, the difference was not significant ( = 0.0938). The cumulative recurrence rate of cholangitis and CBD stones between the two groups was also similar. The procedure time was independently associated with post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (OR = 6.374, 95%CI: 1.193-22.624, = 0.023), CBD stone diameter ≥ 16 mm (OR = 7.463, 95%CI: 2.705-21.246, = 0.0452) and use of mechanical lithotripsy (OR = 9.913, 95%CI: 3.446-23.154, = 0.0133) were independent risk factors for stone recurrence.

Conclusion: EPLBD with mEST is more effective than EST alone for difficult CBD stone removal, with shorter procedure time and fewer early complications.