- Go to slide 1 out of 5
- Go to slide 2 out of 5
- Go to slide 3 out of 5
- Go to slide 4 out of 5
- Go to slide 5 out of 5
Overview
If gallstones are present in the common bile duct, the surgeon can perform a sphincterotomy. A small incision is made through the endoscope, which enlarges the opening of the common bile duct into the duodenum. The stones can then pass through.
Review Date 5/3/2023
Updated by: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.