[Iatrogenic bile ducts injuries].

AIM

To evaluate therapeutic options and outcomes of repair of iatrogenic bile duct injuries during cholecystectomy, which were solved in our institution over the past five years. The incidence of this injury is stated in the range of 0-0.4% for open cholecystectomy and 0-0.7% for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODS

Authors present a group of ten patients who were operated on for iatrogenic bile duct injury incurred during cholecystectomy in 2005-2009. All patiens were refered from other hospitals. Three men and seven women aged 20-71 years. The bile duct injury occured twice during open procedure and during laparoscopic procedure in eight. Incomplete lesion was idenified in one case, complete lesions with tissue loss were found in nine patients. Right hepatic artery injuries were found in four patients with tissue loss injury. Nine patients required reconstruction of the biliary tract using hepaticojejunoanastomosis with Roux-Y loop.

RESULTS

The bile leak occurred in two patients after reconstruction. In one patient was required early percutaneous transhepatic drainage. The early death occurred in a patient with a complicated course, where our reconstruction of the biliary tract was already in the field of advanced biliary peritonitis as a third operation during 7 days. All other patients are monitored postoperatively at regular intervals in our clinic. They carried out clinical examinations and monitoring of liver enzymes. In the long interval from reconstruction (6-12 months) anastomotic stenosis occurred in three patients. Postoperative radiological intervention in the form of dilation of anastomosis and prolonged transient transanastomotic drainage was necessary (the duration of drainage was 6-7 months).

CONCLUSION

Iatrogenic bile duct injury is a serious condition threatening the patient's life from the progressive failure of liver function on the basis of secondary biliary cirrhosis. Due to the nature of lesions arising from laparoscopic cholecystectomy (loss tissue injuries, thermal damage to surrounding structures, the hepatic artery injuries) reconstructions are extremely difficult. For most patients reconstructive operations are the last possible surgical procedures in this area, except for liver transplantation. Hilar reconstructions have a higher probability of stenosis of the anastomosis. If they occur, there are repeated cholangitis, which pass into the secondary sclerosing cholangitis and cause secondary biliary cirrhosis, with all the consequences of disease (portal hypertension, bleeding esophageal varices). For these reasons, it is necessary for careful long-term postoperative monitoring of liver function and good interdisciplinary cooperation, especially with the intervention radiologist in management postoperatively evolving stenosis of anastomoses. It is necessary for the early identification and indication of radiological interventions in order to prevent damage to the liver parenchyma.