ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility and safety of percutaneous transhepatic choledochoscopic lithotripsy (PTCSL) in the treatment of recurrent type Ⅱa hepatolithiasis.MethodsAll of 293 patients with recurrent type Ⅱa hepatolithiasis admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from December 2010 to December 2017 were collected retrospectively, 82 of whom were treated with the PTCSL (PTCSL group), 211 of whom were treated with traditional open surgery (open group). The patients were matched according to the ratio of 1∶1 by using the method of propensity score matching, then the patients were compared after matching.ResultsA total of 59 pairs were successfully matched, that was, there were 59 patients in the PTCSL group and open group, respectively. Compared with the open group, the PTCSL group had the similar conditions such as the gender, age, preoperative Child-Pugh classification, and times of previous biliary operations, etc. (P>0.050). There was no perioperative death in both groups. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the success rate, operation time, times of operations, time of T tube removal after operation, stone residual rate, and stone recurrence rate (P>0.050). Although the hospital costs of the PTCSL group was higher than that of the open group (P<0.050), the PTCSL group had various advantages, such as less intraoperative bleeding, smaller incisional scar, shorter hospital stay and postoperative ventilation time, and lower rate of total postoperative complications (P<0.050).ConclusionsAfter learning curve, PTCSL has many advantages over traditional open surgery in treatment of recurrent type Ⅱa hepatolithiasis. PTCSL is a minimally invasive surgery, which is safe and effective.