Transduodenal sphincteroplasty.

We report on the results of elective sphincteroplasty for benign stenosis of the sphincter of Oddi in a prospective study of 32 consecutive cases. All patients underwent combined supraduodenal exploration of the common bile duct and transduodenal sphincteroplasty. All patients were followed up clinically and biochemically for from one to four years. Seventeen patients underwent a barium meal examination a year after surgery and of these patients, ten showed retrograde filling of the common bile duct and four had air in it. The intrabiliary pressures in six patients were abnormal, ranging from 210 to 230 mm H2O (normal, 80 to 130) intraoperatively before the exploration of the common bile duct, but were found to be normal after the sphincteroplasty. The mortality was 0% and no serious complications were observed.