Treatment of cholestasis caused by stenosis of the intrahepatic bile ducts in alveolar echinococcosis. Trial of biliary drainage by the percutaneous transhepatic approach

Six cases of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis with involvement of the hepatic hilum and cholestasis were treated by percutaneous biliary drainage. Clinical and morphological follow-up ranged from 18 to 34 months. A decrease of jaundice and bilirubinemia and the regression of the intrahepatic bile duct dilatation were observed in all cases. Biliary drainage was associated with percutaneous drainage of an hepatic necrotic cavity in four cases. Left hepatectomy was performed later in three cases. These results are encouraging and suggest that percutaneous biliary drainage is an effective and useful procedure for biliary drainage in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis with cholestasis due to obstruction of the intrahepatic bile ducts.