A prospective clinical study on the role of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of biliary leakages in patients with liver transplantation / 中华消化内镜杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe prospectively the role of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of biliary leakages in patients with liver transplantation, and the incidence of bile duct stricture after healing of the leakage. Methods Six eases of T-tube leakage and seven cases of anastomosis leakage complicating liver transplantation were enrolled in this prospective study. Six patients treated by endoscopic plastic stent placement , 2 by naso-biliary catheter drainage, 2 by papillosphincterotomy and 3 by naso-biliary catheter drainage combined with plastic stent placement. Some patients received growth hormone treatment. Results The bile leak resolution time was between 10-35 days in 10 patients with complete document. The median time of leak resolution was 15. 3 days. Four cases of anastomosis stricture, three cases of common hepatic duct and one ease of multiple bile duct stenosis were observed by followed-up nasobiliary catheter cholangiography or ER-CP. Conclusion Endoscopic nasobiliary catheter or plastic stent placement is a safe and effective treatment for bile duct stricture occurred after bile leak resolution in most of liver transplantation patients. Naso-biliary catheter combined with plastic stent placement maybe the best choice for treating bile leak, because, theoretically, it may prevent serious condition happened at accidental nasobiliary catheter dislocation, and it may have prophylactic effect on upcoming bile duct stricture and should be further confirmed.