[Indications and technic of percutaneous external biliary drainage]

After focusing the high surgical morbidity and mortality of icteric patients, the Authors describe their technique of insertion of percutaneous bile drainage after percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. They insert drainage via the epigastric region, usually in the left hepatic duct. One case is described where the Authors associated percutaneous transhepatic drainage to regional chemotherapy through the catheter used for bile drainage. After for cycles of chemotherapy with 5-FU both intravenously and in the catheter, the Authors obtained the patency of the main bile duct which was previously obstructed by a methastases of stomach cancer.