Percutaneous interventional therapy for anastomotic biliary strictures after orthotopic liver transplantation / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To describe the technique, efficacy, and safety of percutaneous interventional therapy for anastomotic biliary strictures after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).Methods From May 2004 to December 2009, 25 patients with anastomotic biliary strictures afte OLT were enrolled in our study. The modalities of biliary drainage included external drainage in 22patients, and external-internal drainage in 3 patients who underwent re-transplantation. All patients accepted percutaneous interventional therapy in our hospital, including single PTBD in 4 patients,PTBD combined with balloon dilation in 14 patients, balloon dilation and plastic stent implantation in 5 patients, balloon dilation and metallic stent implantation in 2 patients. The drainage catheters were exchanged every 1 to 3 months. Results The success rate of PTBD was 100%. Of the all 25patients, 15 (60 %) patients were cured, and 10 (40 %) patients were improved. The effective rate was 100 %. The drainage catheters failed to pass through the narrow bile duct when initial PTBD in 7 patients, and success was achieved in 3 patients by operation again after biliary drainage for one week.In the other 4 patients, anastomotic bile ducts were occluded, which was confirmed by cholangiography after biliary drainage for 4 to 8 weeks. The rate of biliary tract infection was 24 % (6/25). No serious procedure-related complications occurred in the all 25 patients. Conclusion PTBD combined with balloon dilation and biliary stenting is a effective and safe therapeutic modality for anastomotic biliary strictures after OLT, which can improve the patients' clinical symptoms and elevate patients' quality of life. To avoid bile duct occlusion, the drainage catheters should be passed through the narrow segments of bile duct when initial PTBD.