Postsurgical biliary tract complications

Cholecystectomy and other biliary tract operations are being performed with an increasing frequency due to the prevalence of gallstones and pancreaticobiliary disorders among the aging population of the United States. Even in the current era of modern medicine, however, a wide spectrum of postsurgical biliary complications are encountered. Most are the result of preventable iatrogenic trauma or technical mishaps that occur with a much higher incidence during laparoscopic cholecystectomy than the conventional open procedure. These include bile leakage from an overlooked transection of normal or aberrant bile ducts, obstructive jaundice due to inadvertent ligation of the common duct or its postsurgical stricture, instrumentation injuries induced during biliary tract exploration, and the various types of biliary fistulas. These lesions are detectable by intraoperative or T-tube cholangiography, if the examination is performed and interpreted correctly. In most instances, however, the postoperative evaluation of the abdomen by computed tomography or ultrasonography will provide the initial clues to an otherwise unsuspected lesion. Radiologic imaging and interventional techniques play a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of postsurgical biliary tract complications, as illustrated in this review article.