[Iatrogenic lesions of the biliary tract]

Iatrogenic bile duct injuries (IBDI) represent a serious surgical complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Often it occurs when the bile duct merges with the cystic duct; and they have been ranked by Strasberg and Bismuth, depending on the degree and level of injury. About third of IBDI recognized during LC, to detect bile leakage. No immediate repair is recommended, especially when the lesion is near the confluence or inflammation is associated. The drain should be established to control leakage of bile and prevent biliary peritonitis, before transferring the patient to a specialist in complex hepatobiliary surgery facility. In patients who are not recognized intraoperatively, the IBDI manifest late postoperative fever, abdominal pain, peritonitis or obstructive jaundice. If there is bile leak, percutaneous cholangiography should be done to define the biliary anatomy, and control leakage through percutaneous biliary stent. The repair is performed six to eight weeks after patient stabilization. If there is biliary obstruction, cholangiography and biliary drainage are indicated to control sepsis before repair. The ultimate aim is to restore the flow of bile into the gastrointestinal tract to prevent the formation of calculi, stenosis, cholangitis and biliary cirrhosis. Hepatojejunostomy with Roux-Y anastomosis termino-lateral without biliary stents long term, is the best choice for the repair of most common bile duct injury.