Objective: To reevaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and conventional open surgery in treatment of common bile duct stones. Methods: The clinical data of 92 patients with common bile duct stones undergoing surgical treatment between January 2012 and January 2014 were collected. Of the patients, 34 cases underwent laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (laparoscopic group), and the other 58 cases received conventional open surgery (open surgery group). The clinical parameters between the two groups of patients were compared after adjustment of confounding variables by propensity score matching (PSM). Results: Thirty pairs of patients were successfully matched by PSM method, and the two matched groups had similar baseline characteristics. There was no statistical difference in operative time between the two groups (P=0.190); the intraoperative blood loss, time to gastrointestinal function recovery and length of hospital stay in laparoscopic group were significantly reduced compared with open surgery group (all P<0.05); the incidence of postoperative complications of the two groups showed no statistical difference (P>0.05). Conclusion: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration comparing with open surgery for common bile duct stones has the advantages of less intraoperative blood loss, quick postoperative recovery and short length of hospital stay, which is in agreement with previous studies.

Choledocholithiasis; Lithotripsy; Laparoscopes