Common bile duct (CBD) stones exist among 12% of patients with cholelithiasis. They may result in some complications including pancreatitis and cholangitis. The common therapeutical method is endoscopic sphincterotomy during ERCP(Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography) and stones removal. This method does not have a reasonable success rate for stones with a diameter larger than 15 mm and may cause serious complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CBD stenting method in the treatment of large CBD stones.

This study was performed on 32 patients who presented to the ERCP unit of Shahid Beheshti hospital in Qom with large CBD stones. Success rate in CBD clearing and rate of some complications including rupture of CBD, pancreatitis, and cholangitis were evaluated after the first ERCP for stent replacement, and the second for its removal.

The success rate in complete CBD clearing was 93.8%. A reduction in size and number of stones was seen during a 2-month period, which was statistically significant. No case of CBD rupture and cholangitis was detected and the incidence of pancreatitis was 18.8%.

CBD stenting has a reasonable success rate for reducing the size and number of CBD stones.