Does routine cystic duct cholangiogram during laparoscopic cholecystectomy prevent common bile duct injury?

Between November 1989 and September 1992, the author performed 1,000 laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Three common bile duct injuries occurred (0.3%). Selective cystic duct cholangiograms were performed for diagnosis and management of common bile duct stones. A total of 102 cholangiograms (10%) were done. Only eight of these cholangiograms were done for anatomical verification in the face of severe chronic or acute cholecystitis. Five were cystic duct cholangiograms, resulting in two common bile duct injuries. To avoid the problem of common bile duct injury in cases of obscure anatomy where clarification was needed, a cholecystocholangiogram was done for duct identification in three subsequent cases without event. The third common bile duct injury occurred early in the learning experience without benefit of the cholangiogram.