Figure 1.

Preparation of 14-Fr T-tube. Note, the conventional excision methods (A and B) leave 50-60% circumference of the horizontal arm intact; such a bulky remnant is unlikely to fit into a non-dilated bile duct without almost completely occluding its lumen as well as the blood supply. Also, note that excision of about 80% circumference (C), as in our technique, strategically leaves just a strip of remnant (white arrow, inset) that is long enough to prevent extra-luminal dislodgement, short enough to abstain trans-luminal displacement towards hepatic ducts (X) or duodenum (Y), and wide enough to make it self-retaining without obstructing the bile duct.