[Diagnosis of post-operative jaundice (author's transl)]

The typical factors responsible for post operative jaundice are: 1) increased pigment load; 2) hypoperfusion; 3) sepsis and 4) drugs. In the patient evaluation, one should carefully review the patients chart for hypotensive episode during surgery, the drugs being administerd and the evolution of the illness which will facilitate the identification of the causal factors. Aside the aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin levels, the risk of hemolysis, of sepsis, the synthetic function of the liver and the integrity of the biliary tree must be established. Post-operative jaundices appear quite often in a context of multiple etiology. However, it is very important to know when surgery is hazardous and when it is mandatory and lifesaving.