Diagnostic Pathway for Surgical Patients With Suspected Bile Duct Obstruction
Diagnostic Pathway for Surgical Patients With Suspected Bile Duct Obstruction
Patients with gallstone disease should be checked whether a common bile duct (CBD) stone could be present. In case of a certain suspicion for CBD stones further investigations should be performed. This can either be done by magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreaticography (MRCP) or by intraoperative cholangiography. The study investigates which pathway would be favorable in regard of an early hospital demission.
Patients with gallstone disease and suspected bile duct obstruction can be investigated either with a magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreaticography (MRCP) prior to gallbladder removal or with an intraoperative cholangiography during cholecystectomy. When detecting an common bile duct (CBD) stone in MRCP, normally endoscopic removal is performed before an operation. When the CBD stone is detected during gallbladder removal instead, endoscopic retrograde cannulation of the pancreatic duct (ERCP) will follow after the operation. Investigators hypothesize that direct operation shortens the length of hospital stay. Therefore investigators randomize patients with elevated Bilirubin, elevated liver enzymes (two of the following: aspartate transaminase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (gGT) or AP), suspected CBD stones in ultrasound or dilated common bile ducts either in MRCP first or operation first pathway. All data (patient admission to discharge, ...) will be entered in an online database
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients presenting as regular admission or at the emergency department (ED) with cholecystolithiasis and suspected CBD stones. The indication for CBD investigation requires one of the following features:
i. Elevated bilirubin ii. ASAT/ALAT or gGT or aP above the normal range (two of them) iii. Choledocholithiasis in ultrasound iv. Dilated bile ducts in ultrasound
Written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria: