Outcome of Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration in Patients with Gallstone Disease

Background: Gallstones affect 8–20% of patients, and cholecysto-choledocholithiasis (CCL) is a prevalent clinical illness characterised by the presence of gallbladder (GB) stones in addition to common bile duct (CBD) stones. Aim: To examine the laparoscopic common bile duct exploration procedure for gallstone disease patients who may also have stones in this duct, as well as its safety, effectiveness, and surgical results. Subjects and methods: From January 2023 through January 2025, 32 patients suspected of having CBD stones in their gallbladders participated in this prospective interventional trial at the General Surgery Department of Al-Azhar University Hospitals, Faculty of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt. Results: There was no significant intraoperative blood loss, postoperative bleeding, bile leak, jaundice or early stricture in the follow-up period, although long-term follow-up is recommended. The mean operative time was 119.06 min, which was accepted for the combined approach for cholecystectomy and CBD stones clearance. The mean length of hospital stay in our study was 5 days, and it was affected mainly by postoperative nonsignificant minor bile leak and T-tube placement. Conclusion: Skilled surgeons can safely and effectively conduct intraoperative common bile duct clearing and simultaneous laparoscopic cholecystectomy during the index admission. The benefits to the patient's quality of life, speed of recovery, and ability to return to work after a brief hospital stay, as well as the success rate of stone clearance, should encourage its use.