Endoscopic management of postoperative bile duct injuries: a single center experience

Post-cholecystectomy iatrogenic bile duct injuries: Emerging role for endoscopic management

Post-cholecystectomy iatrogenic bile duct injuries (IBDIs), are not uncommon and although the frequency of IBDIs vary across the literature, the rates following the procedure of laparoscopic cholecystectomy are much higher than open cholecystectomy. These injuries caries a great burden on the patients, physicians and the health care systems and sometime are life-threatening. IBDIs are associated with different manifestations that are not limited to abdominal pain, bile leaks from the surgical drains, peritonitis with fever and sometimes jaundice. Such injuries if not witnessed during the surgery, can be diagnosed by combining clinical manifestations, biochemical tests and imaging techniques. Among such techniques abdominal US is usually the first choice while Magnetic Resonance Cholangio-Pancreatography seems the most appropriate. Surgical approach was the ideal approach for such cases, however the introduction of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) was a paradigm shift in the management of such injuries due to accepted success rates, lower cost and lower rates of associated morbidity and mortality. However, the literature lacks consensus for the optimal timing of ERCP intervention in the management of IBDIs. ERCP management of IBDIs can be tailored according to the nature of the underlying injury. For the subgroup of patients with complete bile duct ligation and lost ductal continuity, transfer to surgery is indicated without delay. Those patients will not benefit from endoscopy and hence should not do unnecessary ERCP. For low-flow leaks e.g. gallbladder bed leaks, conservative management for 1-2 wk prior to ERCP is advised, in contrary to high-flow leaks e.g. cystic duct leaks and stricture lesions in whom early ERCP is encouraged. Sphincterotomy plus stenting is the ideal management line for cases of IBDIs. Interventional radiologic techniques are promising options especially for cases of failed endoscopic repair and also for cases with altered anatomy. Future studies will solve many unsolved issues in the management of IBDIs.

[Endoscopic management of complications in the hepatobiliary and pancreatic system and the tracheobronchial tree]

Endoscopic methods are nowadays a priceless tool for the treatment of postoperative complications after hepatobiliary, pancreatic and thoracic surgery. Endoscopic decompression of the biliary tract is the treatment of choice for biliary duct leakage after cholecystectomy, hepatic resection or liver transplantation. Postoperative biliary duct stenosis can also be successfully treated by endoscopic balloon dilatation and implantation of various endoprostheses in most of the patients. In the case of pancreatic fistulas, especially those occurring after central or distal pancreatic resections, endoscopic decompression of the pancreatic duct can significantly contribute to rapid healing. Additionally, interventional endosonography provides a valuable treatment option for transgastric drainage of postoperative fluid collections, which often accompany a pancreatic fistula. Various treatment alternatives have been described for the bronchoscopic treatment of bronchopleural and tracheoesophageal fistulas, which often lead to the rapid alleviation of symptoms and often to the definitive closure of the fistula.

Laparoscopy-Assisted Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: New Insight in Management of Iatrogenic Bile Duct Injury

Bile duct injury (BDI) is a severe and sometimes life-threatening complication of cholecystectomy. Several series have described a 0.5% to 0.6% incidence of BDI during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We received an emergency call from the operating theater by the surgery team to assess an iatrogenic BDI in a 58-year-old man with cirrhosis who presented for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. After many trials by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) the guide wire passed to the peritoneal cavity and failed to pass proximally. Laparoscopy resumed, and the surgeon tried to pass the flexible guide wire proximally unsuccessfully. Then, a decision to hold the sphincterotome by laparoscopy and passing it proximally in harmony with ERCP was taken, which was successful. A regular ERCP with 10F plastic stent insertion was carried out, and the perforation was secured by the inserted stent without any further surgical intervention. Laparoscopy-assisted ERCP may give new insights into the immediate repair of iatrogenic bile duct injuries.

The Role of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in the Management of Biliary Complication Post-Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy considers a golden surgery for gallbladder removal nowadays, and it carries some complications like biliary injuries, which can manage successfully by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. AIM: To estimate the role of endoscopic management of bile duct injury (BDI) following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. PATIENT AND METHODS: A prospective study conducted at Al-Sader Medical City, Najaf City, Iraq, during the period between September 2018 and December 2020, included 44 patients complicated by the biliary injury resulting in a persistent biliary leak and/or jaundice after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and evaluated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). RESULTS: Findings revealed that 25% of cases had complete BDI, only one managed by plastic stent placement, the other 10 referred for open surgical constructions, 61% had partial injury associated with the biliary leak, all managed by sphincterotomy and plastic stent placement through ERCP, almost 7% had a partial clipping of bile duct all managed with sphincterotomy, balloon dilatation/stone extraction, and plastic stent placement, 5% had slipped clips of cystic duct stump, are managed with sphincterotomy and plastic stent placement. Moreover, only one patient, 2%, had distal common bile duct stone with bile leak, managed by sphincterotomy and stone extraction. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a gold standard therapeutic option for symptomatic cholecystolithiasis, is associated with an increased risk of biliary injury due to many factors. ERCP is a safe means of diagnosing the cause of bile leakage after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It also offers definitive treatment in most cases by endoscopic sphincterotomy and plastic stent placement.

Postcholecystectomy biliary injuries: frequency, and role of early versus late endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM

Bile duct injuries are not infrequently seen during hepatobiliary surgery, particularly after liver transplantation and cholecystectomy. The current study aims to figure out the frequency of postcholecystectomy biliary injuries (PCBI) and the role of early versus late endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in their management.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Totally 960 cases operated by both laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy were evaluated in the current study. In total, 942 cases were operated in our institutes, by both laparoscopic (n = 925) and open (n = 17) cholecystectomy, and the frequency of PCBI among patients operated in our institutes was (9/942) 0.95%. Additional 18 cases of PCBI referred to our centers were included in the study. One patient was treated by repair during the surgery, in the remaining 26 patients, ERCP management was attempted. The full details of the 26 patients regarding ERCP management were discussed.

RESULTS

The overall success rate of ERCP management was 88.46% (23/26), whereas 11.54% of cases were treated surgically by choledochal-jejunal anastomosis due to complete common bile duct ligation. There were no differences between patients treated by early (first week) versus late (after the first week) ERCP regarding the needed interventions, type of PCBI, type and diameter of the inserted stents, and the overall success. There were no adverse events associated with ERCP management.

CONCLUSIONS

ERCP was valuable in the treatment of 88.46% of injured cases. There were no differences between early and late ERCP in the treatment of PCBI. Furthermore, ERCP management was not associated with adverse events.

Repair of Bile Duct Injury With Autologous Vein Graft and Stent

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the effects of autologous vein transplant on bile duct injury repair, through observation of the hepatic and biliary system tissue morphology changes and animal survival after bile duct injury repair.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rabbits were equally divided into groups. Group A had cholecystectomy and common bile duct resection (length of 0.5 cm), transplant of an autologous vein (length of 0.5 cm), and stent implant. Group B had cholecystectomy and common bile duct resection (length of 1.0 cm), transplant of an autologous vein (length of 1.0 cm), and stent implant. The third group (group C) had cholecystectomy only.

RESULTS

Two rabbits died in group A and group B; all experimental animals from group C survived. Regarding liver biochemical indexes at preoperative week 1, at postoperative month 1, and at postoperative month 3, we found no significant differences (paired t test, P > .05). Liver biochemical indexes between groups were also not significantly different (P > .05). At month 3, postoperative liver pathology of experimental animals showed no significant changes and no cholestasis; biliary epithelial cells were seen in the transplant vascular.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that autologous vein graft can effectively repair bile duct injury for a short coloboma.

Iatrogenic biliary injuries: multidisciplinary management in a major tertiary referral center

Background. Iatrogenic biliary injuries are considered as the most serious complications during cholecystectomy. Better outcomes of such injuries have been shown in cases managed in a specialized center. Objective. To evaluate biliary injuries management in major referral hepatobiliary center. Patients & Methods. Four hundred seventy-two consecutive patients with postcholecystectomy biliary injuries were managed with multidisciplinary team (hepatobiliary surgeon, gastroenterologist, and radiologist) at major Hepatobiliary Center in Egypt over 10-year period using endoscopy in 232 patients, percutaneous techniques in 42 patients, and surgery in 198 patients. Results. Endoscopy was very successful initial treatment of 232 patients (49%) with mild/moderate biliary leakage (68%) and biliary stricture (47%) with increased success by addition of percutaneous (Rendezvous technique) in 18 patients (3.8%). However, surgery was needed in 198 patients (42%) for major duct transection, ligation, major leakage, and massive stricture. Surgery was urgent in 62 patients and elective in 136 patients. Hepaticojejunostomy was done in most of cases with transanastomotic stents. There was one mortality after surgery due to biliary sepsis and postoperative stricture in 3 cases (1.5%) treated with percutaneous dilation and stenting. Conclusion. Management of biliary injuries was much better with multidisciplinary care team with initial minimal invasive technique to major surgery in major complex injury encouraging early referral to highly specialized hepatobiliary center.