Interventional radiology techniques in the treatment of cholangiolithiasis: indications, efficacy, accessibility

Abstract

Our days, the problem of treating complicated forms of cholelithiasis continues to be relevant despite the undoubted successes in the field of hepatobiliary surgery. Cholangiolithiasis is one of the most frequent and dangerous complications of cholelithiasis, it is detected in 8–26 % of patients with cholelithiasis. In some cases, it is impossible to perform an endoscopic retrograde method, these special situations require the development of new original minimally invasive methods for resolving cholangiolithiasis, which have all the advantages of «small access». The analysis of the treatment of 466 operated patients with cholelithiasis complicated by cholangiolithiasis and mechanical jaundice in the period from 2013 to 2019 was carried out. The patients were divided into 3 groups: 1 — the endoscopic retrograde method was used (n = 369), 2 — laparotomic access (n = 26), 3 — antegrade X-ray interventional method (n = 71). The results obtained allow us to conclude that the antegrade interventional radiology technique for the treatment of choledocholithiasis has a high clinical efficacy comparable to the endoscopic technique. The use of this treatment option avoids traumatic laparotomies and open interventions on the bile ducts. The use of method is justified in cases of impossibility of performing endoscopic intervention, or its ineffectiveness.