Choledochoduodenostomy in the treatment of benign biliary tract disease.

Of 3656 surgical interventions in benign biliary tract diseases performed over 8 years, 58 were choledochoduodenostomies. The assessment of the results reveals that after having performed the Finsterer procedure, 7 fistulae and two anastomotic stenoses have been encountered. The operative mortality was 6.8% (four patients). In three cases death was subsequent to anastomotic fistulae; the fourth patient died of bronchopneumonia. During the last three years the choledochoduodenostomy with triangular onlay flap (Stuart technique) was almost exclusively used, and this procedure obviously improved the postoperative results. Intraoperative control of the anastomosis tightness was done by the Clotteau's technique.