Bile duct disruption after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

The reported prevalence of biliary tract disruption following laparoscopic cholecystectomy has ranged from 0% to 7% in early reports. We have reviewed the first 823 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at our institution and found 13 symptomatic biliary complications necessitating further therapy (prevalence 1.6%). This finding represents a decrease from the 2.7% prevalence found in our earlier series. The incidence of biliary complications will likely continue to vary depending on patient selection, operator experience, and new developments in laparoscopic technique. Bile duct injury and bile leaks are often difficult to diagnose but must be strongly considered in postoperative patients with abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, or continued bilious drainage from a surgical drain. Whereas computed tomography (CT) and sonography are sensitive in detecting perihepatic or free peritoneal fluid collections, they are nonspecific and definitive diagnosis of biliary tract injury requires hepatobiliary scintigraphy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), or percutaneous aspiration. Disruption of the biliary tree has commonly been treated with reoperation or percutaneous drainage. More recently, endoscopic management has shown encouraging results for bile leaks and strictures in small series.