Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography combined with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for the removal of large gallbladder stones: a pilot study

Abstract Background: Endoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy (EGPC) has become an alternative option for treating cholecystolithiasis. However, developing a new method of EGPC in which the gallbladder wall is not damaged remains a challenge. This study introduced a new EGPC method called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) combined with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), which preserves the integrity of the gallbladder wall in the treatment of cholecystolithiasis complicated with choledocholithiasis. Methods: In total, six patients (aged 23–72 years, 3 males and 3 females,