[Bile duct lesions in liver trauma]

Injuries of the biliary tract remain an important concomitant lesion following liver trauma. Intra- and extrahepatic bile duct injuries differ substantially in etiology and choice of surgical procedure. Intrahepatic bile duct injuries gain clinical relevance postoperatively following primary surgical liver treatment. Characteristic consequences of intrahepatic bile duct injuries are: infected necrosis, abscess, bilious fistula, bilhemia, hemobilia and biliary duct stricture. In contrast, concomitant organ or vessel injury are of primary importance in extrahepatic biliary duct injury. Lesions of the distal biliary duct, always associated with duodenal or pancreatic injury, remains a particular thrill in general surgery. The approach to surgical treatment in case of biliary duct injury and its consequences are outlined and discussed in detail.