To compare the therapeutic effects of primary suture and T-tube drainage in the treatment of common bile duct stones using laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and drainage (LCBDE).

The clinical data of 103 patients with common bile duct stones who underwent LCBDE from January 2023 to May 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the primary suture group (n=55, with primary suture) and the T-tube drainage group (n=48, with T-tube drainage) based on the suture method of the common bile duct during LCBDE. χ² test or t test was used to compare the surgical indicators, liver function indicators, pain degree, stress response indicators, and complications between the two groups. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The suture time of the common bile duct, operation time, drainage tube removal time, and hospital stay in the primary suture group were significantly shorter than those in the T-tube drainage group (all P<0.001). On the 3rd day after surgery, there was no statistically significant difference in the total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels between the two groups (P>0.05), but the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), cortisol (Cor), C-reactive protein (CRP), and visual analogue scale (VAS) score in the primary suture group were lower than those in the T-tube drainage group (all P<0.001); there was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence of complications between the two groups at 6 months after surgery (P>0.05).

Compared with T-tube drainage, primary suture during LCBDE can shorten the operation time of patients with common bile duct stones, promote postoperative recovery, alleviate postoperative pain, and reduce stress response.