[Usefulness of nasobiliary catheter during treatment of choledocholithiasis with extracorporeal lithotripsy].

From April to June 1990, five female patients with a mean age of 47 years, with previous cholecystectomy and the presence of bile duct stones, were treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Pain and jaundice was present in 4, one patient only had jaundice. In 3 patients the stones were located in the intrahepatic bile ducts, in the other 2 they were located in the common bile duct but were judged to be to large for endoscopic treatment. In all patients a sphincterotomy was performed and a nasobiliary catheter was inserted, after which extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was performed. Saline solution was infused through the nasobiliary tube (1 ml per minute) for 24 hours. In all the patients except one, the problem was solved in one session. Saline infusion through a nasobiliary catheter was useful as a complement of shock wave lithotripsy of bile duct stones to prevent the obstruction of the bile duct by fragments.