Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: bile duct and vascular injuries: management and outcome

This is a retrospective study of 32 consecutive patients referred in the period 1992-2000 for management of serious bile duct injuries caused by elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The patients were referred on median 29 days (0 days to 34 months). Only 7 patients were referred immediately after discovery of the injury. At the local hospital, 25 patients underwent various procedures in attempts at repair. Ten of the patients were treated for bile duct strictures after previous repairs in other hospitals.

At referral, 23 patients (72%) had complete transection of the bile duct, while 9 had bile leakage injuries. Additional complications were occlusion of the right hepatic artery in 8 patients (24%) and occlusion of the mesenteric superior artery in 1 patient. Infectious complications were prominent in 21 patients (70%), 6 of whom had septicaemia. Operative management with hepaticojejunostomy Roux-Y was employed in 22 patients. Various non-operative strategies were chosen, including endoscopically or transhepatic stenting of the bile duct and embolization of the right hepatic artery. There was no difference in hospital stay between operative and non-operative procedures which on median was 16 days ( range 7-69 days). Three patients died: one had thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery, while the other two died of complications to bile peritonitis. Median observation period is 5 years (5 months to 8 years). Two patients have cholangitis; both had injury to the right hepatic artery. The other patients all had normal ultrasonograms of the liver and normal/almost normal liver function tests.

Bile duct injuries continue to occur, are serious and may result in death. Injury to the right hepatic artery is present in many cases. Patients are referred late to a competent center, resulting in serious infection in 70%.