Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Single-stage Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration Service

Imperial College London

Status: Completed

Conditions: Gallstone

Treatments: Other: Single-stage LC + LCBDE

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06974045

HH2025

Details and patient eligibility

About

Choledocholithiasis is reported to be present in 15-20% of patients with symptomatic gallstones. The single-stage management consists of performing either laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) or intraoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) at the same time as laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).

Since the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, surgical practice has significantly been impacted. The pandemic has had ramifications on patient and staff safety, surgical techniques, minimally invasive procedures, theatre workflow, education and training.

We analysed a series of LCBDE procedures in our institution pre-, intra- and post-COVID-19 pandemic to assess the feasibility, efficacy and safety of this single-stage treatment approach following the pandemic.

Enrollment: 237 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients that underwent single-stage LC + LCBDE for the management of choledocholithiasis with concomitant gallstones.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients that underwent LC only or LCBDE only

Trial design

237 participants in 3 patient groups

Pre-pandemic

Description:

April 2016 to March 2020 (48 months)

Treatment:

Other: Single-stage LC + LCBDE

Intra-pandemic

Description:

March 2020 to December 2021 (22 months)

Treatment:

Other: Single-stage LC + LCBDE

Post-pandemic/recovery period

Description:

January 2022 to February 2024 (26 months)

Treatment:

Other: Single-stage LC + LCBDE