Emergency percutaneous biliary drainage in patients post liver transplantation

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of emergent biliary drainage in post-liver-transplant patients. We reviewed the results of 17 biliary drainages in 15 post-liver-transplant patients. After biliary drainage there was a 72.8% decrease in direct bilirubin and 52.5% decrease in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP). Anastomotic stricture was the most common cause of biliary obstruction. Emergent biliary decompression in post-liver-transplant patients is a life-saving procedure with a high success rate and immediate positive results.