Choledochal surgery takes 1 to 6 hours.
Choledochal surgery varies in duration depending on the purpose of the surgery, type of surgery, surgical procedure, and patient’s condition.
1. When choledochal stone surgery is performed, the number and location of the patient’s stones and individual patient’s condition all affect the operation time, of which endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and laparoscopic choledochotomy and lithotripsy take a shorter time of roughly 1~2 hours, and open choledochotomy and lithotripsy take about 2~3 hours of operation time.
2. Surgery for cholangiocarcinoma has a very large span, and the patient’s tumor stage, grading and growth site all affect the operation time. If pancreaticoduodenectomy is needed, it takes about 3~5 hours; if there are more sites to be cleared, it takes 4~6 hours, and even longer for those with high surgical difficulty; if radical surgery is not suitable, it takes about 1~2 hours for patients who only need palliative treatment.
There are different surgical options for choledochotomy depending on the patient’s condition, so it is advisable to consult a specialist for more information.