Successful removal of impacted large bile duct stones using electrohydraulic lithotripsy with an ultraslim endoscope after Billroth II gastrectomy

The diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness of combined double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) using a short endoscope and peroral direct cholangioscopy with an ultraslim endoscope for altered gastrointestinal anatomy has been demonstrated [1][2][3][4][5]. This method offers the following advantages over mother–baby cholangioscopy for bile duct stone treatment: single-operator use, wide working channel, favourable cost performance, and high image resolution. We treated impacted large bile duct stones using electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) and an ultraslim endoscope in a patient who had undergone Billroth II gastrectomy.
A 75-year-old man was referred to our hospital for treatment of bile duct stones. He had undergone Billroth II gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Complete stone removal at the previous hospital was difficult, and a plastic stent had been placed. Abdominal computed tomography showed large stones stuck in the bile duct (largest stone diameter, 25 mm) ([Fig. 1]). We therefore planned to use EHL to crush the stones ([Video 1]).