Endoscopic management of major bile leaks complicating hepatic resections for hepatocellular carcinoma

Location of a biliary leak after liver resection determines success of endoscopic treatment

BACKGROUND

Bile leaks after hepatic resection are serious complications associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. The aim of this prospective observational study was to determine the therapeutic success of endoscopic treatment of biliary leakage after liver resection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Grade B biliary leaks were considered for endoscopic treatment in patients after liver resection between 1/09 and 4/12. Endoscopic treatment (sphincterotomy only, plastic stent distal to leak or bridging) was defined as successful when the patient remained without symptoms after drain removal and without extravasation follow-up ERC 8 weeks later.

RESULTS

Overall rate of biliary leak was 7.4 % (61/826). 35 patients with a grade B bile leak were considered for endoscopic treatment. 22 (63 %) had bile leaks that were peripherally located, and 13 (37 %) had bile leaks at central location. In 3 patients, sphincterotomy only was performed; in 19 patients, a stent distal to the leak and in 13 patients, a bridging stent was inserted. The overall success rate was 74 % (26/35 patients). Endoscopic treatment failed in 26 % (9/35), and mortality rate was 11 % (4/35). In all patients with leaks located at the right or left hepatic duct, treatment with the bridging stent was successful.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic therapy for biliary leakage after liver resection is safe and effective and should be considered as a first-line therapy in patients who are suitable for an interventional, non-surgical approach. Patients with a centrally located leak who are treated with a bridging stent are more likely to benefit from endoscopic intervention.

Risk Factors and Managements of Bile Leakage After Hepatectomy

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively determine the risk factors and evaluate the management of bile leakage.

METHODS

Three hundred and thirty-four patients who underwent hepatectomy for Child classification grade A liver disease, without biliary reconstruction and laparoscopic procedures, between 2003 and 2013 were included. Risk factors were identified using multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Bile leakage was observed in 30 (9.0%) patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that type of hepatectomy (segmentectomy 1, medial sectionectomy, anterior sectionectomy, or central bisectionectomy) and operating time was independent risk factors for bile leakage. Among 30 patients with confirmed bile leakage, central type leakage that was in communication with the biliary tree occurred in 23 (76.7%) patients and peripheral type, which was not in communication with the biliary tree, in 7 (23.3%) patients. Ten patients were treated with only drainage. Endoscopic or percutaneous transhepatic procedures were performed in 15 cases with central type leakage. Ablation treatment using ethanol or minocycline was mainly performed for peripheral type leakage. Four cases with central type leakage had strictures of the right hepatic duct. Two of them were treated with ablation treatment, portal vein embolization, or fistulojejunostomy. Median duration from diagnosis to end of therapy was 77 days (11-323) in central type and 44 days (6-123) in peripheral type leakage, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Complex hepatectomy and operating time are independent risk factors for postoperative bile leakage. Biliary exploration should be performed as soon as possible after diagnosis, because most bile leakage is the central type. Central type of bile leakage is sometimes refractory to therapy, needing various treatments and requiring a long time for recovery.

Endoscopic management is the treatment of choice for bile leaks after liver resection

BACKGROUND

Despite improvements in surgical techniques and postoperative patient care, bile leaks still occur postoperatively in as many as 15% of liver resections (LRs) and are associated with high mortality. There is a paucity of outcome data on endoscopic treatment of complex bile leaks.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of interventional endoscopy in the treatment of bile leaks after LR.

DESIGN

Retrospective interventional study.

SETTING, PATIENTS, AND INTERVENTIONS

Sixty patients with bile leaks after LR were treated endoscopically with or without implantation of endoprostheses by using ERCP. The characteristics of LR, effects of surgical and other nonendoscopic treatment measures, clinical and endoscopic presentation of bile leaks, and outcomes after stent placement were recorded.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Main outcome measure was resolution of leakage or termination of unsuccessful endoscopic leakage therapy.

RESULTS

The median age of the observed cohort was 58 years. Sixty-five percent of patients had central and 35% peripheral bile leaks; 55% had resection of an entire hepatic lobe, and 45% underwent segmental resection. The overall success rate of endoscopic therapy was 77%. Although endoscopic therapy was performed in all patients with a mean of 2.6 interventions, 28% underwent additional percutaneous drainage. Success of endoscopic treatment was related to stent implantation. Thirteen patients with unsuccessful endoscopic treatment underwent surgical reintervention, and 1 patient died before surgical intervention.

LIMITATIONS

No standardized protocol for stent placement due to retrospective nature of the study. Small sample number with uneven distribution of outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic therapy with sphincterotomy and insertion of endoprostheses is effective, even in large postoperative bile leaks and particularly for leaks proximal to the common hepatic duct. Complete resolution of the leakage often necessitates multiple treatment sessions.

Effectiveness of Endoscopic Nasobiliary Drainage for Postoperative Bile Leakage after Hepatic Resection

The effectiveness of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) for postoperative bile leakage after hepatic resection was investigated retrospectively. Between 1997 and 2002 a series of 486 hepatectomies without biliary reconstruction were performed. Bile leakage was divided into two categories. Type A was defined as bile leakage communicating with the main bile tree fistulographically or endoscopic cholangiographically, and type B was bile leakage without such a patency of bile flow. Bile leakage developed in 31 patients (6.4%) (types A/B = 16/15). Type A frequently occurred at the major Glisson's sheath. In contrast, most type B cases occurred at the peripheral bile duct at the cut surface of the liver. Among the type A patients, 10 of 11 were effectively treated with ENBD. For the type B patients, 12 of 15 patients were successfully treated with intraabdominal drainage via surgical drains inserted during the operation or percutaneous tubes newly inserted for biliary fluid collection. ENBD was effective in two of three type B patients. The duration of bile leakage significantly shortened after initiation of ENBD in type A patients (15.3 +/- 6.9 vs. 25.8 +/- 13.2 days, p < 0.05). The classification based on communication with the main bile tree is useful for determining therapeutic strategy. Type A leakage has a good indication for ENBD, whereas type B can be treated with intraabdominal drainage in most cases, although ENBD may be effective in some intractable type B cases. It is preferable to initiate ENBD as early as possible to shorten the duration of bile leakage and the subsequent hospital stay.

Biliary endoscopy

The literature this year contained a number of articles reviewing the different methods of biliary drainage for malignant obstruction, highlighting approaches to unilateral drainage, and stressing the risks of incomplete drainage after contrast injection. A number of articles addressed issues surrounding the differentiation of benign and malignant biliary strictures.

Outcome of early endoscopic biliary drainage in the management of bile leaks after hepatic resection

BACKGROUND

Bile leaks are a major cause of morbidity and mortality after liver resection. Endoscopic stent insertion is the treatment of choice, although the optimal timing of stent placement has not been established. This study reviewed the outcome of early endoscopic biliary stent insertion for treatment of bile leaks after hepatic resection.

METHODS

One hundred fifteen patients underwent hepatic resection in a single unit from July 1995 to December 2000. The type of liver resection, clinical presentation of bile leaks, findings on ERCP, and outcomes after stent placement were recorded.

RESULTS

Twenty patients (17%) had bile leaks; 15 had bile in surgical drains but were asymptomatic, and 5 had clinical evidence of a subphrenic collection. In one patient the leak closed spontaneously. The remaining 19 patients underwent ERCP. Fifteen had a leak from a peripheral biliary radical and an endoscopic stent was inserted. Two had a hepatic duct stump leak and were treated by nasobiliary drainage followed by stent insertion. In the remaining 2 patients cholangiography did not demonstrate a leak but a plastic stent was inserted. ERCP was performed a median of 6 days (range 5 to 10 days) after surgery. There was no ERCP-related complication. Median hospital stay in the 95 patients without a bile leak was 10 days (range 4-30 days) compared with 15 days (range 10-41 days) for those with bile leaks (NS). Stents were removed endoscopically at 6 weeks with no persistent leaks detected. There were no late biliary complications (median follow-up 26 months, range 12-72 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Early endoscopic biliary stent insertion is effective in the management of bile leakage after hepatic resection.

Pyogenic hepatic abscess with biliary communication

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were to compare the effectiveness of percutaneous drainage between pyogenic hepatic abscesses with and those without biliary communication and to evaluate the role of endoscopic biliary stent placement in the treatment of communicating abscesses.

METHODS

Sixty-one patients with hepatic abscesses underwent percutaneous drainage. For communicating abscesses refractory to drainage alone, endoscopic biliary stenting was performed.

RESULTS

After drainage, all patients showed improvement in their clinical condition and reduction in abscess size. Drainage alone completely cured abscesses in none of 10 patients with biliary communication and obstruction, in 3 of 10 with communication but without obstruction, and in 37 of 41 without communication. Endoscopic stenting was completely effective in all 7 patients with persistent discharge from a communicating abscess without biliary obstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous drainage is less effective for communicating abscesses without biliary obstruction than for noncommunicating abscesses. Endoscopic biliary stenting is recommended, if drainage does not achieve a cure.

Percutaneous repair of an iatrogenic laceration of the left bile duct with a covered stent

The presence of biliary leaks after liver resections is not an unusual problem, especially after extended hepatectomies. The usual treatment of choice for biliary duct injuries is to decompress the biliary system with draining catheters. Persistent biliary fistulas are nevertheless a challenging problem when endoscopic or percutaneous approaches fail to achieve occlusion of the bile leakage. The authors report a bile duct injury after a right lobe hepatectomy treated percutaneously with placement of a covered stent. After 6 months, the patient was tube-free and without any episode of cholangitis or bile duct dilation. Longer follow-up will clarify the future role of this kind of device in biliary system lacerations.