ABSTRACT
PTC was performed in 86 patients with obstructive jaundice, between February/80--March/81 diagnosing 20 cases of the hepatic hilium carcinoma, 14 of pancreatic carcinoma, and 2 multiplex abscess of the liver. PTC-D was successfully attempted on 16 patients, catheterizing the intrahepatic biliary tree in 15 and maintaining a good biliary flow in 10 of them. The catheter was on the correct position into the biliary tree in 6 patients, and the drainage continued for 7-20 days. General improvement was obtained in 83.33
, itching decreased in 40
and disappeared in 60
, cholestasis was reduced in 100
and sepsis in 75
. Complications of the technique were: pain during the introduction of the guide wire (18.75
) and transitory hemobilia (31.21
). PTC-D seems to be a procedure with a precisely indication in every transitory obstructive jaundice, in order to put the patient in better conditions to a definitive therapy: 1) Surgery 2) Prosthesis 3) External-internal biliary drainage.