Management of post-cholecystectomy bile duct injuries under endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Abstract

Introduction: laparoscopic cholecystectomy has replaced traditional cholecystectomy due to its multiple advantages, however it is associated to the increase of bile duct injury against which the option of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a main tool, among different therapeutic approaches.
Objective: to describe a series of cases with postsurgical bile duct injuries managed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
Methods: It was performed a descriptive, cross-sectional study on patients treated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography from February 23rd 2010 up to November 30th 2013, being the study population  13 patients with a diagnose of post laparoscopic cholecystectomy bile duct injury. The following variables were analyzed: age, gender, kind of injury, associated choledocholithiasis, treatment, treatment results and complications. Injuries were classified according to Amsterdam classification. Leakages were also classified as high and low degree.
Results: female genre prevailed and the patients mean age was 49,9. The most frequent injury was type A, associated to choledocholithiasis which was solved by endoscopic sphincterotomy and stones removal. There was only one case with post ERCP complications, without mortality.
Conclusions: the introduction of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in Matanzas province has allowed using it as a helpful tool in the treatment of bile duct injuries resulting from laparoscopic cholecystectomy.