Retrieving a retained stone post cholecystectomy

This 35 year old lady had undergone cholecystectomy at a private facility last month which was complicated by a biliary leak. She was reopened and a T-tube was  placed. A post procedure T-tube cholangiogram showed a calculus in the CBD (A: Red arrow). The T-tube was then removed and she was referred to our centre. An MRCP was done which confirmed the cholangiogram findings of a CBD stone (B: White arrow). Contrast injection on ERCP showed a vague negative shadow in the upper CBD (C: Blue arrow indicates the concerned area while white arrow shows an inflated biliary balloon at the distal CBD). Sphinchteroplasty was planned there wasn't margin for a full blooded sphincterotomy and a 12-15mm TTS balloon rated at 3-8 ATM (D) was used to dilate the ampulla (E: Black arrow shows the inflated balloon). The patient experienced pain despite high dose IV analgesics so we restricted ourselves to 12mm dilatation for 10 seconds (F: Black arrow shows the post sphincteroplasty ampulla). At this point we were skeptical as to whether the stone would be retrieved. Nevertheless a sweep was made and successful stone extraction was done (G1 & G2: Black arrows show the stone being retrieved). An occlusion cholangiogram with an inflated ballon at the ampulla (H: White arrow) showed a clear CBD. 

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No one gets left behind-Retained bile duct stone post cholecystectomy

This 32 year old lady had undergone open cholecystectomy at a peripheral centre. Unfortunately, CBD clearance was incomplete and she was referred to us with a large calculus in the left main duct. She was accompanied by a T-tube cholangiogram (A: Red arrow shows the stone and white arrows shows the T-tube). Before going in, we did a repeat cholangiogram via the T-tube and it showed the stone had migrated to the distal CBD (B: Red arrow shows the meniscus sign, indicating the stone). The T-tube was removed and contrast injection following wire cannulation of the CBD showed that the stone had become lodged in a "recess" of sorts (C: Red arrow), made when the CBD was kinked by the pull of the T-tube. Seeing the considerable size of the stone, we decided to do as wide  a papillotomy as possible (D: White arrow). First weapon of choice was our trusty biliary balloon (E: Black arrow shows the inflated balloon proximal to the stone. Red arrow shows the stone itself. White arrow indicates the marked kink that had developed in the CBD once the T-tube was pulled out). The balloon kept slipping by the side of the stone. Next up was the dormia basket (F: White arrow). The basket was manoeuvred past the stone (G1: Black arrows show the open basket and red arrow marks the stone). The "perp" was finally "apprehended (G2: White arrows show the basket and red arrow shows the captured stone). The stone was pulled out (H: Red arrow shows the stone and black arrows indicate the basket wire around it. I: The retrieved stone seen on a gauze-Homo Sapiens forelimb thumb for size comparison. Oversized glove is evident).

Techniques to pull an old friend out of trouble

This 34 year old lady had been referred to our centre two years ago with retained CBD stones and bike duct injury following cholecystectomy.  She had a T tube placed. Her old ERCP films showed small stones (A: white arrows) and the T tube (A: red arrows ). The T tube was removed and the CBD was swept with balloon (B:white arrow shows the inflated balloon in the CBD). We placed a 10 French plastic sent of 12 cm length (C: white arrows). She was sent back to her referring centre. We had hoped to see her again after 8 weeks to remove the stent but she was lost to follow up. Fast forward two years and she expectedly developed biliary pain,  jaundice and fever. She went back to her original hospital where a diagnosis of blocked stent and biliary stones was made and she was sent to us. We saw our old stent which had extruded quite a bit forward into he duodenum (D: red arrow) and we couldn't properly place a snare to grab it. Initially we tried to pull it out using an inflated balloon placed adjacent to it in the CBD (E: blue arrow shows the stent and white arrow indicates the balloon adjacent to it). Our next move was to use a large bipod forceps (F1) to grab the stent (F2) and slide it back in the papilla (F3). The stent was now easily grabbed with snare (G: white arrow) and pulled out (H). Repeat contrast injection in the CBD showed a lot of stones (I: black arrows). A papillotomy was done (J). The routine technique if sweeping the lower CBD to gauge adequacy of papillotomy resulted in a lot of sludge being removed (K1 &  K2). The CBD was the swept with balloon (L: black arrow shows the inflated balloon in the upper CBD) which resulted in a lot of stones (M) and sludge (N)  being removed. The final cholangiogram showed a CBD clear of stones (O: red arrows). 

Retained CBD stones post cholecystectomy

This lady was referred to us from another hospital. A T tube had been placed following cholecystectomy the post operative ultrasound and T tube cholangiogram suggested that there was a retained stone in the CBD. Contrast injection identified a negative shadow in the upper CBD (A: blue arrow. White arrow marks the T tube). We removed the T tube and performed a balloon sweep which resulted in not one but two stones (B1 & B2: white arrows. The second was a perfectly cut diamond!). An occlusion cholangiogram with contrast injection over a fully inflated balloon (C: white arrow) showed a clear CBD.