Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage

Over the past three decades, endoscopic and percutaneous biliary drainage have become readily available in most hospital settings and these minimally invasive techniques have revolutionized the treatment of patients with biliary obstruction. In the past, treatment of biliary obstruction had required surgery under general anesthesia and an extended hospital stay. Currently, the same patient can most often be treated either endoscopically as an outpatient or during a short hospital stay after percutaneous drainage under moderate sedation. This article reviews the indications and technique of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and biliary drainage.