BACKGROUND: Little information is available about the relationship between restoration of common bile duct (CBD) diameter after endoscopic stone retraction and recurrence of CBD stones in elderly patients. The present study was to determine whether restoration of CBD diameter is a preventive factor for CBD stone recurrence in elderly patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

METHODS: From January 2006 to December 2010, 238 patients underwent the first and the second session of ERCP for the removal of CBD stones. Among them, 173 were over 65 years old. These patients were divided into recurrent group and non-recurrent group. Restoration of CBD diameter and patients' characteristics were compared.

RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in patients' characteristics, associated diseases, or ERCP-related complications between the two groups. Reduction of CBD diameter was significantly larger in the non-recurrent group (2.7?±?1.7?mm) compared to that in the recurrent group (1.4?±?2.3?mm, P?=?0.002). The proportion of patients with restoration of CBD diameter were significantly lower in the recurrent group (6/42, 14.3%) compared with that in the non-recurrent group (67/131, 51.1%) (P?<?0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: There is an inverse relationship between restoration of CBD diameter and CBD stone recurrence. Therefore, patients without restoration of CBD diameter within 2 weeks after endoscopic stone removal should be monitored more frequently.