Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography

Hemobilia following percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography is a safe, effective diagnostic procedure for use in evaluating the jaundiced patient. As is the case with most invasive diagnostic procedures there is a risk: an overall mortality rate of 0.5% and morbidity rate of 3-10%. Fortunately hemobilia is an uncommon complication, encountered only four times in our series of 102 percutaneous cholangiograms. In every case of hemobilia the clotting parameters were normal. The one factor common to each case was distal obstruction of the extra hepatic bile ducts. However, this one factor may play an important role in the etiology and therapy of post cholangiographic hemobilia. The hemorrhage subsided spontaneously in every case following surgical decompression of the bile ducts and there was no further active bleeding postoperatively. The possible explanation for the cause of bleeding and the fact that it subsided following demcompression of the bile ducts is discussed. All four patients survived this complication and in the 102 patients there were no deaths attributable to percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography.

Cholangiography in the jaundiced patient

Though local practice will reflect the previously acquired expertise of the operators, it seems reasonable to employ a minimum of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, and, ideally, this in combination with ERCP for preoperative cholangiography in patients with cholestatic jaundice. Few cases will defy both techniques. The morbidity is well known and if properly anticipated can be reduced to a minimum by judicious use of antibacterial agents and early surgical intervention when appropriate. Grey-scale ultrasonography by indicating the diameter of the bile ducts enables one to select percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography for dilated ducts and ERCP for non-dilated ducts with an almost 100% success rate for the former and only slightly less for the latter in experienced hands.

Complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A study of 10,000 cases

Of 402 United States owners of side-viewing duodenoscopes surveyed, 222 (55%) responded, reporting 10,435 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatograms. Procedure failed occurred in 30%, complications in 3%, and death in 0.2%. Complications included pancreatitis, cholangitis, pancreatic sepsis, instrumental injury to the gastrointestinal tract, and drug reactions. Pancreatitis was associated with injection into the pancreatic duct, sepsis with injection into an obstructed duct or pseudocyst, and injury with abnormal gastroduodenal anatomy. Experienced workers had a 15% incidence of complications, whereas inexperience gave 4 times the failures (62%) and twice the complications (7%). The causes of complications and their prevention are discussed.

The diagnosis of jaundice by the minilaparotomy open transhepatic cholangiogram

The precise diagnosis of the etiology of jaundice is of considerable value to the clinician in caring for the icteric patient. A series of twenty-three patients who underwent minilaparotomy (open transhepatic cholangiogram) is presented. This procedure allows for inspection, biopsy, cholangiography and omental venography under direct visualization and at minimal risk to the patient. In this series the cause of jaundice was successfully determined in 96% of the cases. Cholangiography was used to visualize the ducts in 20 patients and in 2 others, the diagnosis was made by inspection and liver biopsy. The literature on alternative diagnostic methods is reviewed and compared to other procedures the minilaparotomy has relatively few contraindications and many advantages. It is a useful and safe technique in the face of abnormal clotting factors, obstructive jaundice, ascites or hepatitis. By using the multiple diagnostic modalities available in a minilaparotomy, the rate of successful diagnosis equals or exceeds that of the other procedures. It is therefore recommended that this approach be considered as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of jaundice.

Fatal endotoxic shock of biliary tract origin complicating transhepatic cholangiography

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