[Retrograde endoscopic cholangiography after biliary surgery]

Retrograde cholangiography was conducted in 310 patients early or late after biliary system surgery. Principal indications for the investigation were angiocholitis (37% of cases), isolated jaundice (30%) or acute hepatic colic (17%). Biliary tract lesions were excluded in 7% of patients while in the remaining 93% it was possible to determine the precise cause of the disorder. In 30% of cases the disorder was unrelated to the previous operation or the lithiasic disease, whereas in 63% it was related to the latter (remaining or reformed stone, odditis) or to the surgical procedure (stenosis, common bile duct ligature or injury to main bile duct). These results, and those reported in the ligature, suggest that retrograde cholangiography can provide a precise diagnosis and ensure adapted therapy after biliary surgery.