[Diagnosis and treatment of mechanical jaundice]

Various instrumental methods of examination were applied in 364 cases with obstructive jaundice. Drainage of the biliary tract in 190 patients was conducted by laparoscopic cholecystostomy, percutaneous, transhepatic cholangiostomy, endoscopic papillosphincterotomy. The results of 167 operations performed at the peak of obstructive jaundice were compared with those of 81 operations undertaken after successful preoperative drainage of the biliary tract. The incidence of complications reduced from 40.5% to 22%, the death rate from 22% to 9.8%.