Microbiological findings in bile cultures of patients with acute cholangitis undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiography.

Acute cholangitis (AC) is potentially fatal. Microbiological identification and susceptibility to antibiotics is essential in every hospital to direct treatment (1). Our hospital is a third-level cancer center. A retrospective, analytical study of 30 patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with AC and positive biliary culture (BC) was performed over a period of six months.

Acute Cholangitis After Bilioenteric Anastomosis for Bile Duct Injuries.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The study aims to describe the clinical features, microbiology, and associated factors of acute cholangitis (AC) after bilioenteric anastomosis (BEA) for biliary duct injury (BDI). Additionally, we assessed the performance of the Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13) recommendations in these patients. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of 524 adults with a history of BEA for BDI from January 2000 to January 2014. A propensity score adjustment was performed for the analysis of the independent role of the main factors identified during the univariate logistic regression procedure. RESULTS: We identified 117 episodes of AC in 70 patients; 51.3% were definitive AC according to the TG13 diagnostic criteria, and 39.3% did not fulfill the imaging criteria of AC. A history of post-operative biliary complications (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.38-4.70) and the bile duct confluence preservation (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.24-0.87) were associated with AC. Eighty-nine percent of the microorganisms were Enterobacteriaceae; of them, 28% were extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) producers. CONCLUSIONS: AC is a common complication after BEA and must be suspected even in the absence of imaging findings, particulary in patients with a history of post-operative biliary complications, and/or without bile duct confluence preserved. An empirical treatment for ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae may be appropriate in patients living in countries with a high rate of bacterial drug resistance.

Cholangiohydatidosis: an Infrequent Cause of Obstructive Jaundice and Acute Cholangitis.

BACKGROUND: One of the evolutionary complications of hepatic echinococcosis (HE) is cholangiohydatidosis, a rare cause of obstructive jaundice and cholangitis. The aim of this study was to describe the results of surgical treatment on a group of patients with cholangiohydatidosis and secondary cholangitis in terms of post-operative morbidity (POM). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Case series of patients operated on for cholangiohydatidosis and cholangitis in the Department at Surgery of the Universidad de La Frontera and the Clínica Mayor in Temuco, Chile between 2004 and 2014. The minimum follow-up time was six months. The principal outcome variable was the development of POM. Other variables of interest were age, sex, cyst diameter, hematocrit, leukocytes, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and transaminases, type of surgery, existence of concomitant evolutionary complications in the cyst, length of hospital stay, need for surgical re-intervention and mortality. Descriptive statistics were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were studied characterized by a median age of 53 years, 50.0% female and 20.0% having two or more cysts with a mean diameter of 13.3 ± 6.3 cm. A median hospital stay of six days and follow-up of 34 months was recorded. POM was 30.0%, re-intervention rate was 10.0% and mortality rate was 5.0%. CONCLUSION: Cholangiohydatidosis is a rare cause of obstructive jaundice and cholangitis associated with significant rates of POM and mortality.

Colangite aguda: uma emergência potencialmente fatal / Acute cholangitis: a potentially fatal emergency

Colangite aguda é uma infecção da árvore biliar que constitui uma emergência médica, sendo potencialmente fatal se não tratada imediatamente. Na maioria dos casos, ocorre devido à obstrução biliar por cálculos. Essa síndrome foi descrita pela primeira vez em 1877 por Charcot e o diagnóstico precoce pode oferecer melhor prognóstico.

Acute cholangitis is defined as infection of the bile ducts consisiting in a life-threatining emergency that should be treated immediately. It is mostly caused by common bile duct obstruction due to gallstones. This syndromme was first described by Charcot in 1877 and it must be promptly recognized in order to offer a better prognosis.

Recurrent pyogenic cholangitis in a case with congenital biliary anomaly.

Recurrent pyogenic cholangitis is endemic to South-east Asia but has been very rarely reported from natives of other parts of the world. A 43-years-old woman was presented with sepsis that had a history of recurrent epigastric pain and fever attacks. Her liver tests were unremarkable suggesting any hepatobiliary diseases. Recurrent pyogenic cholangitis and congenital extrahepatic biliary anomaly have been diagnosed after serial diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, MR-cholangiography, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and finally left hepatectomy. She was cured completely following surgical treatment.

Endoscopic removal of Ascaris lumbricoides from the biliary tract as emergency treatment for acute suppurative cholangitis.

Ascariasis is the most common intestinal helminthiasis worldwide. Heavily infected individuals are prone to develop bowel obstruction or perforation as well as biliary disease. Nevertheless, the presence of roundworms in the biliary tree outside endemic areas is very uncommon. The migration of these worms to the biliary system can cause biliary colic, pancreatitis, or even acute suppurative cholangitis with hepatic abscesses and septicemia. We report here on 2 infants with 14 and 15 months and a 9-year-old boy who suffered from massive biliary ascariasis and who presented with acute suppurative cholangitis. All cases were successfully treated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with worm extraction and adjuvant medical therapy. Physicians should be aware of ascariasis in patients with pancreatobiliary symptoms who have traveled to endemic areas or in immigrants from these areas.

[Endoscopic cholangiography in biliary tract diseases in HIV+ patients]. / La colangiografía endoscópica en afecciones de la vía biliar en pacientes HIV+.

UNLABELLED: Biliary tract involvement in the course of the infection by HIV was first described in 1983. Since then, various opportunistic infections have been responsible of different biliary lesions, coming to a new entity called "cholangiopathy associated to HIV". Our aim was to determined the use of ERCP in the management of HIV patients with cholestasis. From August 1994 to October 1997, 11 HIV patients (8 men, 3 women, mean age 35 y.) were submitted to ERCP because of jaundice (n = 8), upper right abdominal pain (n = 8), fever (n = 6), pruritus (n = 5) and elevated alkaline phosphatase (n-10). In 7 the diagnosis of AIDS had already be made. All had hepatobiliary ultrasound and endoscopic periampullar duodenal mucosa biopsy was taken in 7. According to Cello, 4 types of radiologic lesions were considered: 1) Papillary stenosis with dilated extrahepatic biliary tract. 2) Sclerosing cholangitis (focal intra or extrahepatic stenosis and dilatations). 3) Association of types 1 and 2.4) Choledocal long stenosis in the absence of previous biliary surgery or chronic pancreatitis. Five patients (45%) had biliary abnormalities; in 3 related to HIV infection: sclerosing cholangitis (n = 2) and papillary stenosis (n = 1). Two had choledocal stones. Four had upper right abdominal pain and dilated bile ducts at ultrasound. Cryptosporidium was found in duodenal mucosa in one patient with sclerosing cholangitis and in the patient with papillary stenosis. Biliary stents were placed without sphincterotomy in 2, with relief of pain and improving of cholestasis in only one. The choledocal stones were removed endoscopically in one patient and by surgery in the other. CONCLUSION: The ERCP is a useful method in the diagnosis and treatment of the biliary tract abnormalities associated to HIV.

La colangiografia endoscopica en afecciones de la via biliar en pacientes HIV+ / Endoscopic cholangiography in biliary tract diseases in HIV+ patients

El compromiso de la vía biliar en el curso de la infección por HIV se describió por primera vez en 1983. Desde entonces diversas infecciones oportunistas han sido responsables de lesiones biliares, definiendo una nueva entidad denominada colangiopatía asociada al HIV. Nuestro objetivo fue determinar la utilidad de la CPRE en el manejo de pacientes HIV + con colestasis. Desde agosto de 1994 a octubre de 1997 se efectuó CPRE en 11 HIV + (8 hombres, 3 mujeres, con edad promedio 35 años). La indicación de CPRE fue por ictericia (n=8); dolar en HD (n=8); fiebre (n=6); prurito (n=5) y aumento de la FA (n=10). Siete pacientes tenían Sida. En todos se realizó ecografía hepatobiliar. En 7 se tomó biopsia de la mucosa duodenal periampular. Las lesiones radiológicas se clasificaron según Cello en: 1- Estenosis papilar, con dilatación de la vía biliar extrahepática. 2- Colangitis esclerosantes (estenosis y dilataciones focales, intra y/o extrahepáticas). 3- Asociación de 1 y 2. 4- Estenosis larga del colédoco, en ausencia de cirurgía biliar o pancreatitis crónica. Cinco pacientes (45 por ciento) tuvieron anormalidades en la vía biliar. En 3 de ellos estuvieron relacionadas con la infección HIV: colangitis esclerosantes (n=2) y estenosis papilar (n=1). Dos presentaban litiasis coledociana. Cuatro de los 5 tuvieron dolor en HD y vía biliar dilatada en la ecografía. Se encontró Cryptosporidium en la biopsia duodenal de 1 paciente con colangitis esclerosante y en la estenosis papilar. Se colocó prótesis biliar sin esfinteropapilotomía en 2, con alivio del dolor y mejoría de la colestasis en uno de ellos. Los cálculos coledocianos se extrajeron endoscópicamente en uno y por cirugía en otro. Conclusión: La CPRE fue un método útil en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las patologías biliares asociadas al HIV. (AU)

Diagnostic utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy with 99mTc-DISIDA in neonatal cholestasis.

We retrospectively evaluated the utility of hepatobiliary scintigraphy and various clinical factors in differentiating intrahepatic cholestasis from biliary atresia in 28 consecutive infants with neonatal cholestasis. One millicurie of technetium-labeled diisopropyliminodiacetic acid (DISIDA) was administered intravenously, and images were obtained for up to 24 hours or until gastrointestinal excretion was noted. Nine separate studies in seven infants with biliary atresia were correctly interpreted as showing no gastrointestinal excretion of radionuclide. Of the 21 patients with intrahepatic cholestasis, only nine had gastrointestinal excretion on the first study; in eight without excretion, a second study was done, and five of these showed gut excretion. All infants with either neonatal hepatitis (six) or inspissated bile syndrome (three) had demonstrable gastrointestinal excretion either on the first or second DISIDA study. However, five of six infants with paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts, two of six infants with cholestasis secondary to total parenteral nutrition, and one infant with cholangiolitis did not show evidence of gastrointestinal excretion. The mean birth weight, mean gestational age, and mean weight at study were significantly greater (P less than 0.005) for infants with biliary atresia without excretion than for infants with intrahepatic cholestasis without excretion. The mean direct bilirubin concentration was 6.0 mg/dL for both infants with biliary atresia and infants with intrahepatic cholestasis without excretion; however, infants with excretion had a significantly lower (P less than 0.02) mean direct bilirubin value of 3.4 mg/dL. Excretion was noted in four infants with total bilirubin values greater than 10.0 mg/dL. The absence of gut excretion on the first DISIDA study was 100% sensitive but only 43% specific for biliary atresia. In infants without gut excretion of DISIDA, birth weight greater than 2200 g was 100% sensitive and 92% specific for biliary atresia. We conclude that DISIDA scanning, together with clinical data, is useful in differentiating extrahepatic from intrahepatic cholestasis. The absence of gut excretion on the first DISIDA study does not necessarily indicate extrahepatic obstruction; the study should be repeated if the diagnosis is not clear.