Pancreatic response to percutaneous biliary drainage: a prospective study.

To evaluate the effects of percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) on the pancreas, serum amylase levels were measured for 7 consecutive days after PBD and compared with baseline values in 50 patients who underwent a total of 53 PBD procedures. Of the 45 patients with normal baseline serum amylase levels, 12 patients (24%) developed postprocedural hyperamylasemia without clinical symptoms and five patients (10%) developed postprocedural hyperamylasemia with clinical signs of pancreatitis. Five patients who presented with elevated baseline serum amylase levels demonstrated decreases into the normal range after placement of stents without initiation of bowel rest or liquid diet. The level of biliary obstruction proved insignificant, as did the nature of the obstructing disease, in determining which patients would experience hyperamylasemia or pancreatitis after PBD. It is concluded that the frequency of pancreatic insult from PBD may be more common than previously reported and that patient susceptibility is not dependent on the level of biliary obstruction or the nature of the disease.     

Percutaneous biliary drainage in neoplastic jaundice. Statistical data from a computerized multicenter investigation

Technical and clinical data concerning 731 controlled patients submitted to nonsurgical percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) for preoperative or palliative purposes were collected from eight institutions. Using a computerized analysis program, general and special statistics were obtained, with special attention given to 536 neoplastic cases. Technical success, type, level and nature of the lesions, purpose of drainage, surgery performed, complications, and other clinical and technical information were considered and compared with the clinical results. Statistically significant data were obtained comparing, respectively, bilirubin levels with duration of drainage, survival with type of treatment (PBD alone or followed by radical or palliative surgery), operative with post PBD mortality, survival with type of PBD (external catheter, internal catheter, and endoprosthesis), and complications with type of PBD used.     

Percutaneous biliary drainage for high obstruction.

PBD is the preferred route of palliative drainage for patients with high biliary obstruction. The frequency of bifurcational obstruction in this setting requires familiarity with drainages from both the right and the left transhepatic approach. The preferred right transhepatic approach is fluoroscopically guided; on the left, ultrasonography is the guidance of choice. Large caliber drainage catheters are required, and dilatation of the necessary transhepatic tracts is extremely painful unless adequate inhalation anesthesia or, preferably, epidural anesthesia, is provided. Long-term biliary drainage requires a choice between internal-external external drainage catheters and endoprostheses that is made by considering the patient's life expectancy and his or her adjustment to a stent extending to the outside. The feasibility of corrective procedures if an internal-external drainage catheter or an endoprosthesis becomes blocked needs to be considered before definitive placement. The interventional radiologist becomes intimately involved in the follow-up care of patients and frequently has to direct appropriate patient evaluation. Familiarity with antibiotic regimens is important.     

Late biliary complications in right lobe living donor transplantation recipients: imaging findings and therapeutic interventions

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to present the imaging findings of late biliary complications in right lobe living donor liver transplantation recipients and to describe radiologic techniques used to treat these complications. METHOD: A retrospective review of medical records and imaging examinations was conducted in 5 of 48 right lobe living donor recipients with known biliary obstruction treated with percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD). Two abdominal radiologists reviewed in consensus the MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)/MR, ultrasound (US), CT, and PBD images. RESULTS: Biliary-enteric anastomotic strictures were detected in all five recipients. In the four recipients who underwent the procedure, MRCP detected obstruction in each. CT detected obstruction in the fifth recipient. US failed to detect obstruction in one of two recipients. PBD catheters were placed without complication and relieved the obstruction in all five recipients. In addition, in three recipients, balloon dilatation of the stricture was performed and resulted in anastomotic patency. CONCLUSION: Biliary-enteric anastomotic strictures accounted for all late biliary complications and were detected correctly with MRCP and CT. The strictures were treated successfully with PBD in all instances and balloon dilatation when possible.     

Choledochal cysts: role of noninvasive imaging, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, and percutaneous biliary drainage in diagnosis and treatment.

Choledochal cysts are an uncommon anomaly of the biliary system; findings include cystic dilatation of the extrahepatic biliary tree, intrahepatic biliary tree, or both. In the past 7 years, 13 patients with choledochal cysts have been seen at the authors' institution for evaluation and presurgical intervention. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) was performed in 13 patients. Sixteen percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) procedures were performed in 11 patients, computed tomography was performed in six patients, and ultrasound was performed in two. PTC proved to be an important imaging modality because of its superior ability to define the cyst anatomy, site of biliary origin of the cyst, and extent and detail of both extrahepatic and intrahepatic disease, that is, intraductal strictures and calculi. PBD proved valuable in preoperative intervention, as an aid in surgical reconstruction, and in postoperative care. The role of these two modalities in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with choledochal cysts, in addition to clinical aspects of the disease, is discussed.     

Pediatric biliary interventions

The most common indication for percutaneous biliary evaluation and intervention in children is for the diagnosis and treatment of liver transplant complications, including strictures and bile leaks. Because liver transplants in children are commonly performed using a Roux-en-Y biliary-enteric anastomosis, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is not technically possible; therefore, the first-line procedure for evaluation and treatment of biliary obstruction in this population is percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC). Percutaneous biliary intervention can be challenging in these patients, because ductal dilation may be minimal or altogether absent in pediatric transplant livers even in the setting of severe obstruction. However, with proper technique, including the use of ultrasound guidance, technical success rates for PTC and biliary drainage can be similar to those in adults. Biliary drainage and biliary stenosis management is a long-term commitment that usually takes several months to more than a year and may require multiple repeat cholangioplasties and biliary drainage catheter exchanges. Due to its minimally invasive nature and relatively low morbidity and mortality compared with open surgical alternatives, percutaneous biliary intervention should be considered the first-line treatment option in children with biliary stenosis who have had previous liver transplant, and for those nontransplant patients who cannot be treated endoscopically.     

Biliary pressure: manometric and perfusion studies at percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and percutaneous biliary drainage

Manometric pressure recordings were attempted during percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) and after percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) in 203 cases. Successful readings were achieved at PTC in 85% (104/122) of patients. Pressure measurements were also obtained through 56 biliary drainage catheters, and controlled perfusion challenges were performed in 12 patients (on 18 occasions). Documentation of the occasionally poor correlation between the caliber of ducts and the degree of obstruction (i.e., pressure) was shown, and it was suggested that very high pressures may be predictive of a bile leak after PTC. Adequacy of percutaneous drainage and stricture dilatation were further assessed with these manometric techniques. Pressure and perfusion data aided in detecting and determining the significance of the nondilated obstructed duct, the dilated nonobstructed ductal system, and subtle distal ductal strictures. The knowledge obtained from percutaneous pressure recordings may help to determine appropriate therapy.     

Hemobilia after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage: treatment with transcatheter embolotherapy.

Thirteen of 333 patients who underwent percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) developed severe hemobilia. Hepatic arteriography successfully demonstrated the source of hemorrhage in all 13 patients. Lesions included hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm in nine, hepatic artery-bile duct fistulas in four, and a hepatic artery-portal vein fistula in one patient. Hemobilia occurred from 1 day to 1.8 years (mean, 100 days) following catheter placement. Embolization agents used included Hilal embolization microcoils, occluding spring emboli, cyanoacrylate, detachable balloons, and gelatin sponge pledgets. A single agent was used in eight cases (62%), multiple agents were used in four cases (31%), and in one case (7%), spontaneous thrombosis of the pseudoaneurysm occurred during catheter manipulation. In five patients, the source of the hemorrhage could only be demonstrated following removal of the biliary catheter(s) over guide wire(s). Initial embolization was successful in stopping hemobilia in 12 patients. One patient required repeat embolization after 4 months. Postembolization complications included hepatic abscess formation in two patients and a sterile hepatic infarct in one patient. This series indicates that transcatheter embolotherapy is an effective method for the treatment for severe hemobilia.     

Complications of percutaneous biliary drainage: benign vs malignant diseases

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage is used to treat a variety of benign and malignant biliary diseases. Although several investigators have reported on the number of complications associated with the use of this procedure in malignant disease, none has determined specifically the number associated with its use in benign disease. Differences in the number of procedure-related complications and deaths were examined in 206 patients with benign or malignant biliary diseases who underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage at the Toronto General Hospital during a 40-month period. Of these, 54 had benign and 152 had malignant biliary diseases. The prevalences of procedure-related major complications and deaths were 2% and 0%, respectively, in the benign group vs 7% and 3%, respectively, in the malignant group. These differences can be attributed to the shorter periods of drainage required and the generally better health of patients in the benign group. These findings suggest that percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage can be performed with substantially fewer complications in patients with benign biliary diseases compared to those with cancer. Previously reported data on complications were derived from patient populations with preponderantly malignant obstructions and cannot be extrapolated to patients with benign diseases.     

The role of interventional radiology in biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation: a single-center experience

This study evaluated interventional radiological experience in the management of biliary complications of OLT at the National Cancer Institute of Milan. Seventeen patients who had undergone orthotopic liver transplantation in various hospital were referred to our unit with biliary complications. Group I consisted of 8 patients with anastomotic biliary fistula who came to our attention a short time after transplantation. Group II consisted of 9 patients with anastomotic strictures who came to our attention in a longer period. Two different interventional radiological approaches were used: (a) percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) in the presence of fistulas in patients of group I; and (b) percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage combined with dilatation of the strictures with a balloon catheter in patients of group II. On the whole resolution of the biliary complications was achieved in 13 of the 17 cases treated (76.5%), 5 of 8 in group I and 8 of 9 in group II. No secondary stenosis after PTBD were observed in group I, whereas two patients of group II needed a second dilatation. Percutaneous biliary drainage is indicated as a valid treatment in the management of biliary complications, either to allow closure of the fistula either to perform balloon dilatation of stenosis.     

Percutaneous biliary drainage in patients with nondilated intrahepatic bile ducts

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the technical success and complications of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in patients with nondilated intrahepatic bile ducts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1, 1996, and August 31, 1998, 130 percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage procedures were performed on patients with nondilated intrahepatic bile ducts. This group comprised primarily patients who had received liver transplants or who had sustained iatrogenic bile duct injuries. Access in all procedures was performed using a one-step system consisting of a 21-gauge needle and an .018-inch guidewire. The technical success and complications of the procedures were evaluated. RESULTS: Percutaneous biliary drainage was successful in 117 (90%) of 130 attempts. In four patients, two attempts were required to place a drainage catheter. The overall complication rate was 9%. There were seven (5%) minor complications and five major complications (4%). No procedure-related deaths occurred. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous biliary drainage can be performed with a high success rate in patients with nondilated intrahepatic ducts. The incidence and types of complications in this population were similar to those reported in patients with intrahepatic ductal dilatation.     

Percutaneous Embolization of Transhepatic Tracks for Biliary Intervention

Significant pain can occur after removing transhepatic catheters from biliary access tracks, after percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) or stenting. We undertook a randomized prospective study to ascertain whether track embolization decreases the amount of pain or analgesic requirement after PBD. Fifty consecutive patients (M:F, 22:28; age range:29–85 years; mean age: 66.3 years) undergoing PBD were randomized to receive track embolization or no track embolization after removal of biliary drainage catheters. A combination of Lipoidol and n-butyl cyanoacrylate were used to embolize transhepatic tracks using an 8F dilator. The patients who did not have track embolization performed had biliary drainage catheters removed over a guide wire. A visual analog scoring (VAS) system was used to grade pain associated with catheter removal, 24 h afterward. A required analgesic score (RAS) was devised to tabulate the analgesia required. No analgesia had a score of 0, oral or rectal nonopiate analgesics had a score of 1, oral opiates had a score of 2, and parenteral opiates had a score of 3. The average VAS and RAS for both groups were calculated and compared. Seven patients were excluded for various reasons, leaving 43 patients in the study group. Twenty-one patients comprised the embolization group and 22 patients comprised the nonembolization group. The mean biliary catheter dwell time was not significantly different (p > 0.05) between the embolization group and nonembolization (mean: 5.4 days vs 6.9 days, respectively). In the nonembolization group, the mean VAS was 3.4. Eight patients required parenteral opiates, three patients required oral opiates, and five patients required oral or rectal analgesics, yielding a mean RAS of 1.6. In the embolization group, the mean VAS was 0.9. No patient required parenteral opiates, six patients required oral opiates, and two patients had oral analgesia. The average RAS was 0.6. Both the VAS and the RAS were significantly lower in the embolization group compared with the nonembolization group (p < 0.0023 and p < 0.002, respectively). No complications were seen related to track embolization. Percutaneous track embolization after removal of biliary drainage catheters decreases patient’s perception of pain and decreases the amount of required analgesia. In particular, the amount of opiate analgesia required is considerably less.     

经内镜胆管引流术治疗胆道梗阻

目的：评价胆道梗阻的内镜治疗效果。方法：应用鼻胆管引流术9ENBD）及胆道内支架置入术（ERBD）进行胆道内、外引流。结果：58例病人内镜下胆管引流88例次，成功84次，成功率95．5％，ENBD 37例次，ERBD 51例次，引流后黄疽均有减退，恶性胆道梗阻者带瘤生存平均9．7月（3－18月），生活质量较高。结论：内镜下胆管引流是胆道梗阻的有效治疗方法，是急性梗阻性胆管炎、胆源性胰腺炎的有效治疗措施，可延长胆道恶性梗阻者带瘤生存时间并提高生活质量。     

Treatment of biliary leaks and fistulae by simultaneous percutaneous drainage and diversion

Although biliary fistulae and bilomas are often adequately managed with percutaneous drainage, persistent bile duct leaks are difficult to control. The primary surgical goal in this situation is to decompress the biliary system through diversion of bile flow to facilitate healing of the defect in the bile ducts. We report 3 patients with large biliary duct defects who underwent percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography which demonstrated the site of the biliary leakage. Then, extrapolating the aforementioned surgical tenet to these patients, all 3 were successfully treated with interventional radiologic techniques: simultaneous percutaneous transhepatic biliary diversion to control biliary flow and percutaneous biloma drainage to facilitate closure of the cavity.     

介入治疗T管引流术后胆道再狭窄的初步探讨

目的 评价介入治疗外科T管引流后胆道再狭窄的疗效、安全性、可行性.方法 回顾性分析2014年6月-2016年3月收治的T管术后胆道再狭窄的25例患者资料,其中胆管癌6例,胆囊癌3例,胆系结石13例,肝癌2例,胃癌外科术后1例.25例中合并胰胆管合流异常4例.经原T管途径行介入治疗22例,经T管造影后再行PTCD治疗3例.所有患者中,行球囊扩张配合胆道引流者21例,行胆道金属支架植入者4例.良性狭窄患者引流管保留2～3个月后给予拔除.患者经门诊或电话随访3～24个月,通过引流管造影评价疗效.结果 介入手术均顺利,无相关并发症发生,技术成功率100％.15例良性胆道狭窄患者经原T管窦道途径行球囊扩张成形术,留置胆道10.2～12 F内外引流管,拔除原T管.随访发现1例胆管癌吻合口狭窄患者术后8个月死于肺部感染.10例恶性狭窄中,3例胆道梗阻位于T管上方,均行PTCD术;其中2例肝癌侵犯胆道患者,癌栓范围较大,行内外引流管植入;黄疸消退后分别于术后1个月、2.2个月死于肝衰竭;1例胆囊癌侵犯胆道行支架植入,术后2.5个月死于肿瘤进展.7例胆道梗阻位于T管下方,经T管窦道途径植入内外引流管4例,植入金属支架3例.其中2例胆囊癌患者分别于术后3.8个月、5个月死于肿瘤进展;5例胆管癌患者中2例术后3个月出现支架再狭窄,给予PTCD处理.3例于术后3.6个月、5.2个月、9个月死于肿瘤进展、多脏器功能衰竭.结论 介入治疗外科T管引流后胆道再狭窄疗效确切,安全可行,可明显改善患者生活质量.     

Percutaneous management of benign biliary strictures

The interventional radiologist plays an increasing role in the management of patients with benign biliary disease. This article summarizes the percutaneous management of patients with benign biliary strictures and includes a discussion of currently available techniques. The techniques of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and biliary drainage will be reviewed. This includes anatomic and technical considerations of the right midaxillary and left subxyphoid percutaneous approaches, a review of percutaneous dilation of biliary strictures and the management of patients with chronic indwelling biliary drainage catheters. (ie, periodic catheter exchanges, catheter flushing, etc). The article concludes with a discussion of biliary drainage catheters and the clinical and physiologic parameters used in making a decision to remove the tube.     

肝移植术后早期胆道并发症65例诊治体会

目的探讨肝移植术后早期胆道并发症的诊断和治疗。方法回顾性分析了我院2006年5月～2008年3月以来成功实施的65例肝移植的临床资料。其中尸肝移植54例，亲体肝移植11例，女性占16．92％（11／65），男性占83．08％（54／65）。结果本组65例肝移植患者其中有8例3个月内出现胆道早期并发症，发生率为12．31％（8／65），分别为胆漏3例，胆汁瘤1例，肝内胆汁湖1例，胆泥形成1例，胆道狭窄2例。女性患者早期胆道并发症发生率为9．09％（1／11），男性患者早期胆道并发症发生率为12．96％（7／54）。8例患者中，留置T管引流1例，未留置T管引流7例。治愈6例，好转2例，死亡0例（0％）。其中3例术后3d内出现单纯胆漏，通过留置的腹腔引流管得到及时的诊断，同时应用留置的腹腔引流管持续引流4周～2月后得到治愈。5例经B超、MRCP、ERCP得到诊断；1例胆汁瘤和1例肝内胆汁湖通过B超引导下穿刺引流而得到治愈；1例胆泥形成通过ERCP进行胆道冲洗后好转出院；2例通过ERCP进行球囊扩张或者放置支架后好转出院。结论肝移植术后早期胆道并发症的诊断主要手段是留置的腹腔引流管、B超、MRCP、ERCP等：肝移植术中留置的腹腔引流管对于肝移植术后早期胆漏的治疗起着特殊的作用：B超引导下穿刺引流是治疗胆汁瘤、胆汁湖的重要手段；ERCP下胆道冲洗对胆泥形成非常有效．ERCP下球囊扩张或者放置胆道支架对胆道狭窄的治疗很有效。     

Intra-biliary contrast-enhanced ultrasound for evaluating biliary obstruction during percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage: A preliminary study

Objectives

The aimed of this study was to investigate the value of intra-biliary contrast-enhanced ultrasound (IB-CEUS) for evaluating biliary obstruction during percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD).

Materials and methods

80 patients with obstructive jaundice who underwent IB-CEUS during PTBD were enrolled. The diluted ultrasound contrast agent was injected via the drainage catheter to perform IB-CEUS. Both conventional ultrasound and IB-CEUS were used to detect the tips of the drainage catheters and to compare the detection rates of the tips. The obstructive level and degree of biliary tract were evaluated by IB-CEUS. Fluoroscopic cholangiography (FC) and computer tomography cholangiography (CTC) were taken as standard reference for comparison.

Results

Conventional ultrasound displayed only 43 tips (43/80, 53.8%) of the drainage catheters within the bile ducts while IB-CEUS identified all 80 tips (80/80, 100%) of the drainage catheters including 4 of them out of the bile duct (P < 0.001). IB-CEUS made correct diagnosis in 44 patients with intrahepatic and 36 patients with extrahepatic biliary obstructions. IB-CEUS accurately demonstrated complete obstruction in 56 patients and incomplete obstruction in 21 patients. There were 3 patients with incomplete obstruction misdiagnosed to be complete obstruction by IB-CEUS. The diagnostic accuracy of biliary obstruction degree was 96.3% (77/80).

Conclusion

IB-CEUS could improve the visualization of the drainage catheters and evaluate the biliary obstructive level and degree during PTBD. IB-CEUS may be the potential substitute to FC in the PTBD procedure.     

Non-surgical palliative treatment of patients with malignant biliary obstruction--the place of endoscopic and percutaneous drainage

Non-surgical methods to treat patients with inoperable malignant biliary obstruction are endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage and ultrasound guided percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. During a 2 year evaluation a total of 144 patients were admitted with malignant biliary obstruction: 93 with a mid- or distal common bile duct stenosis; 51 patients with a perihilar stenosis. Endoscopic biliary drainage was performed in 123 patients and ultrasound guided percutaneous biliary drainage in 57 patients. An effect on jaundice was seen in more patients after percutaneous biliary drainage (91%) than with endoscopic biliary drainage (70%). However with the percutaneous method only 63% of patients were drained internally. The site of the stenosis seemed to be an important factor. In patients with perihilar obstruction early complications after endoscopic biliary drainage occurred in 41% of drained patients compared with 3% procedure-related and 28% catheter-related complications with ultrasound guided drainage. A major complication of the endoscopic method in perihilar disease was cholangitis due to inadequate drainage.     

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for bile leaks and fistulas

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and biliary drainage were performed in 12 patients with major injuries to the bile ducts manifested by biliary leaks and fistulas. Eleven of the 12 patients had had inadvertent biliary trauma during surgery. In six patients, the biliary leaks sealed with percutaneous drainage. In other patients requiring definitive surgical procedures on the biliary tract, initial percutaneous drainage allowed these procedures to be delayed until the patients' clinical condition improved. Percutaneous biliary drainage is an important adjunct to the management of patients with traumatic extravasation of bile into the peritoneal cavity or biliary-cutaneous fistula.