[Endoscopic Management of Biliary Complications Following Hepatobiliary Surgery]

Biliary complications are frequent after hepatic surgery and may greatly influence postoperative morbidity and mortality. Most of these are leaks or strictures to the bile duct, most frequently leaks after cholecystectomy and liver resection. Strictures are an important problem after liver transplantation. Patients after orthotopic liver transplantation are particularly vulnerable, as they are different from biliary complications after liver resection and must be treated very sensitively and carefully. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography is an excellent procedure for treating these complications. The therapeutic properties include endoscopic sphincterotomy, insertion of prostheses and dilatations. These procedures can give success rates of up to 90% of cases. For hepatico-jejunostomies, there are alternative possibilities of intervention, such as balloon- or motor-supported antegrade enteroscopy, percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage or the increasing use of endosonographically supported procedures.