[Echinococcosis damaging the junction of the hepatic duct and causing severe obstructive icterus]

Complications of the hydatid cyst of the liver on bile ducts appear in 5-25% representing almost two third of all complications of the hydatid liver cysts. Fortunately a damage to the bile ducts causes only an infection of the cyst usually without major consequences. More serious complications such as cholangitis and deep obstructive jaundice are much rarer. The defect of the bile duct usually is a periferal one. Damage to the major ducts are rarer and those on the confluence of hepatic ducts itself are the rarity. In that case biliary reconstruction may be a serious challenge. The authors present a 23 year-old man in whom a centrally localised hydatid cyst made a major damage of the confluence of all three hepatic ducts causing deep obstructive jaundice. After standard procedure for hydatid cyst an intracavital mucosa to mucosa hepaticojejunostomy was carried out with excellent success. More then six years after surgery the patient stayed symptom-free with bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase within normal limits.