Anatomical variations of intrahepatic bile ducts and their association with outcomes of percutaneous transhepatic lithotripsy at Hanoi Medical University Hospital

Trịnh Quoc Dat, Nguyen Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Van Huy, Tran Quoc Hoa

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Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 68 patients diagnosed with intrahepatic bile duct stones and indicated for percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic lithotripsy at Hanoi Medical University Hospital from January 2024 to June 2025. The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between intrahepatic biliary anatomy and treatment outcomes. The average procedure time was 49.6 minutes, with an overall stone clearance rate of 75%, including 86.1% in the left hepatic duct and 77.3% in the right hepatic duct. According to the biliary anatomical classification, stone clearance rates were 90% in type 1, 81.8% in type 2, 33.3% in type 3A, and 0% in type 5A. The average hospital stay after intervention was 5.3 days. Twelve patients (17.6%) experienced mild to moderate complications such as biliary bleeding, fever, and pleural effusion, all of which were successfully managed with conservative treatment. The results demonstrate that percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic lithotripsy is an effective and safe method for treating intrahepatic bile duct stones, with stone clearance outcomes significantly influenced by the anatomical characteristics of the biliary system.

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References

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