Purpose: This article aimed to clarify the effectiveness and the efficiency of the rendezvous technique for patients with common bile duct stones.
Methods: Four databases were searched on associations with rendezvous treatment. Six randomized controlled trials were evaluated for their success rate, stone clearance, morbidity, mortality, conversions, hospital stay, operating time, and hospitalization charges.
Results: This meta-analysis suggested no significant difference between the rendezvous group and the sequence group in the success rate and the stone clearance, but showed significant differences in the morbidity [odds ratio (OR)=0.54; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.30, 0.96], conversions (OR=0.40; 95% CI, 0.16, 0.97), the length of hospital stay (OR=-1.97; 95% CI, -2.29, -1.66), and the operating time (OR=12.95; 95% CI, 7.66, 18.24).
Conclusions: The rendezvous technique is as effective as sequential endoscopic management for patients with common bile duct stones in its success rate and stone clearance, but the former is preferred in terms of morbidity, hospital stay, and hospitalization charges.