Current status of laparoendoscopic rendezvous in the treatment of cholelithiasis with concomitant choledocholithiasis

Core Tip

Core tip: This is a review article for the laparoendoscopic rendezvous technique - a promising single stage procedure in the treatment of patients with cholecysto-choledocholithiasis. In this article we highlight the main advantages of the procedure compared to the traditional two stage approach [preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy]. These advantages include the selective cannulation of the common bile duct and the avoidance of high pressure injection of the contrast medium into the pancreatic duct. Both factors are directly related with the pathogenesis of post-ERCP pancreatitis. The current evidence demonstrated in this paper is in favor of the laparoendoscopic rendezvous, however, this technique is still not widely accepted.