[Repeat surgery of the biliary tract]

On the ground of 67 secondary operations on the bile ducts carried out in 64 patients in the years 1976-1988 the causes, the types of the operations, the frequency and character of complications and the postoperative morality were analysed. A more detailed analysis carried out in patients with high surgical risk, taking into account the advanced age of the patients, coexistence of mechanical icterus, choledochal calculi and opening of the bile ducts. These factors were compared to those present in the whole group of similar cases treated surgically in the analysed time period. The authors stress the importance of modern diagnostic methods which make possible limitation of the number of secondary operations after interventions on bile ducts.