Technical elements of successful laparoscopic cholangiography as defined by radiographic criteria.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To define the elements of successful laparoscopic cholangiography. DESIGN: Retrospective review of 130 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic cholangiography. SETTING: Community hospital with a surgical residency. PATIENTS Thirty-four males and 96 females, aged 16 to 86 years, with acute and chronic cholecystitis. INTERVENTION Laparoscopic cholecystectomy during intraoperative cholangiography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: A cholangiogram that satisfactorily delineates biliary anatomy as defined by accepted radiologic criteria. RESULTS: A successful laparoscopic cholangiogram was obtained in 98.5% of the study group. CONCLUSION: A safe and reliable technique to obtain a laparoscopic cholangiogram is described and validated using accepted radiologic criteria.