No therapeutic ERCP in anastomotic stricture without intrahepatic biliary dilation after liver transplantation.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Differentiating surgical jaundice from non-surgical jaundice is of vital importance after liver transplantation (LT) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is not effective for all anastomotic stricture (AS) cases. In the present study, we aim to determine the optimal indication of ERCP treatment for AS after LT. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-eight jaundice patients who underwent successful ERCP treatments for post-transplant AS were classified into two groups AS with intrahepatic biliary dilation (group 1, n=22) and AS without intrahepatic biliary dilation (group 2, n=6). The outcomes of the two groups were evaluated. RESULTS: The median time intervals from LT to the occurrence of AS were 38 days and 434 days for group 1 and group 2, respectively. The median total bilirubin significantly decreased from 142umol/L to 49umol/L (p<0.05) two weeks after ERCP treatment in group 1. Fourteen patients (63.6%) were cured and for the other 8 the treatment proved effective in group 1. But total bilirubin was not improved after the ERCP treatment in group 2 (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic ERCP is not effective in AS without intrahepatic biliary dilation after LT.