Common Bile Duct Exploration
The CBD is a tube connecting the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas to the small intestine that helps deliver fluid to aid in digestion. The CBD exploration is a procedure used to see if a stone or some obstruction is blocking the flow of bile from your liver and gallbladder to your intestine. Choledocholithiasis can be treated by either open, laparoscopic, percutaneous, or endoscopic means (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography [ERCP]). In experienced hands, the laparoscopic common bile duct exploration is a potential option for managing stones within the biliary tree at the same time as laparoscopic cholecystectomy.