Laparoscopy-assisted transgastric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for choledocholithiasis after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: A case report

BACKGROUND: Exclusion of the stomach after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) makes access to the biliary tree very challenging for the surgeon or the endoscopist. Different techniques have been described to overcome this downside, including laparoscopy-assisted transgastric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which is an outstanding method to access the remnant stomach in order to reach the duodenal papilla. The use of this technique is associated with a high success rate. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Here we present the case of a 57-year-old patient with altered RYGB anatomy. The patient underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Intraoperative cholangiography revealed the presence of a stone in the common bile duct. A laparoscopy-assisted transgastric ERCP was performed successfully. During the procedure, the duodenoscope was introduced through a gastrostomy, obviating the need for an intragastric trocar. The patient evolved favorably and was discharged on second postoperative day without any complications. DISCUSSION: Transgastric laparoscopy-assisted ERCP represents an effective approach for the management of biliary complications after RYGB, even if there is a long interval between the two interventions, as occurred in the present case. Other methods described for accessing the biliary tree in patients with altered RYGB anatomy are double-balloon ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound-directed transgastric ERCP. We elected to perform the laparoscopy-assisted approach because choledocholithiasis was diagnosed transoperatively, thus, avoiding the need for secondary procedures or interventions. CONCLUSION: Transgastric laparoscopy-assisted ERCP is a feasible procedure with low complication rates and is used in treating patients with altered RYGB anatomy who present with biliary tract disorders. The use of transgastric laparoscopy-assisted ERCP allows endoscopic treatment and cholecystectomy to be performed in a single setting.