Antegrade transcholecystic sphincterotomy: canine study of a new interventional technique.

Operative cholecystostomy and drainage tubes were placed in 5 dogs. Five weeks later, a steerable catheter was manipulated through the cholecystostomy and cystic duct into the common duct. An endoscopic diathermy catheter was placed through it into the duodenum and positioned at the papilla of Vater under fluoroscopic control for sphincterotomy. Results demonstrate that antegrade transcholecystic sphincterotomy is a feasible technique and can be performed safely. Antegrade sphincterotomy was then applied in the first human patient.