A URETEROSCOPE AS A SUBSTITUTE CHOLEDOCHOSCOPE DURING LAPAROSCOPIC COMMON BILE DUCT EXPLORATION: EXPERIENCE IN A REGIONAL EMERGENCY CENTRE

Direct visual inspection of the common bile duct (CBD) is one of the most reliable ways to confirm stone clearance during laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) [3, 4]. Dedicated flexible choledochoscopes, however, are expensive and often unavailable in regional hospitals, which limits the adoption of single-stage treatment of choledocholithiasis [5]. Many multidisciplinary hospitals already own ureteroscopes for urological work, and their use for choledochoscopy has been reported [1, 2].