[Closed traumatic lesions of the bile ducts]

Three cases of traumatic rupture of the extrahepatic biliary passages are reported. One patient had complete rupture of the common bile duct, associated with retroperitoneal rupture of the duodenum and pancreatic injury. The other two patients had partial rupture of the common bile duct, associated in one with rupture of the duodenum. The diagnosis in all three patients was established during emergency operation for peritonitis. The operative intervention in one patient was performed late after a rather quiet interval of 30 days when signs of local biliary peritonitis persisted which did not necessitate immediate operative intervention after the trauma. The causes, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of these lesions are discussed. The operative methods being applied were direct suture of the lesion, drainage by Kerr's technique and bypass biliodigestive anastomosis. Associated lesions were independently treated. One patient died. The remote results in the two survived a patients were considered very good.