AIM: To evaluate the importance of sphincter of Oddi laxity (SOL) in hepatolithiasis (HL).METHODS: Subjects included 98 patients diagnosed with HL between 2002 and 2007. Detailed histories were taken and the subjects were monitored until July 2008. HL patients were divided into two groups: Group Ⅰ included 45 patients with SOL, and Group Ⅱ included 53 patients without. Recurrence and reopera-tion indices of both groups were calculated and compared.RESULTS: The recurrence index was 0.135 in Group Ⅰ and 0.018 in Group n (P < 0.001). The reoperation in-dex was 0.070 in Group Ⅰ and 0.010 in Group Ⅱ (P < 0.001). The mean frequency of biliary operation was 2.07 in Group Ⅰ and 1.21 in Group Ⅱ (P = 0.001). Differences between the two groups are significant.CONCLUSION: HL patients with SOL tend to have a higher risk of recurrence and a larger demand for re-operation than those without this condition.