Surgery of iatrogenic bile duct injuries

Iatrogenic bile duct injury still represents a serious complication mostly connected with minimally invasive cholecystectomy. This complication has an important impact both on short- and long-term morbidity and is associated with non-negligible mortality. The objective of our study was to provide a comprehensive summary of information based on the most recent guidelines with recommendations for how to prevent a bile duct injury, how to reach an early diagnosis and finally, how to proceed should they occur in order to minimize further damage. We also present ATOM, a new classification of bile duct injuries that provides clear information not only about the extent of anatomical damage, but also about the time and mechanism of its occurrence.