Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and laparoscopic bile duct exploration should be standard procedures for patients with the ice-breaking sign?

Abstract

The authors introduce a new magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) radiologic feature, the “ice-breaking sign” (IBS), and present a retrospective case-control study comparing patients with common bile duct stones who exhibit the IBS with a control group without this sign. The two groups were matched using a propensity score based on patient age and sex. However, the matching process did not account for the size of the choledocholithiasis, which may represent a significant confounding factor. Both groups were not homogeneous. The authors advocate for the use of MRCP as the primary diagnostic tool to guide the decision. However, in clinical practice, MRCP availability is often limited, particularly when compared to endoscopic ultrasound, which may be more available. The authors compared the clinical course and therapeutic responses to cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) between the two groups. The results demonstrated a markedly low ERCP success rate in both the study and control, falling below international standards, whereas the success rate of LCBDE was only slightly reduced. Despite the study’s limitations and potential biases, the authors conclude that IBS is a valuable predictor for treatment planning and suggest that LCBDE should be considered the first-line approach. Despite its growing acceptance, LCBDE remains infeasible in many hospitals due to the steep learning curve

Keywords: Ice breaking sign; Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography; Choledocholithiasis; Laparoscopic bile duct exploration; Common bile duct stones treatment; Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Core Tip: The study makes a noteworthy contribution by identifying a novel magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography radiologic sign, the "ice-breaking sign" (IBS), which may help define a subgroup of patients with common bile duct stones (CBDS) at increased risk for failure of endoscopic treatment. The authors conducted a retrospective case-control study comparing patients exhibiting the IBS with a control group of CBDS patients without this sign. The objective was to evaluate treatment outcomes in both groups following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE). Despite the novel contribution, several limitations, including group heterogeneity and suboptimal ERCP success rates, weaken the strength of the conclusions. At present, the evidence is insufficient to establish the IBS as a reliable predictor for treatment planning or to support a general recommendation for LCBDE as a first-line therapy.