Urgent endoscopic drainage for acute suppurative cholangitis.

105 patients with acute calculous cholangitis who did not respond to conservative management underwent urgent endoscopic drainage of the biliary system at a mean of 1.5 days after admission. Treatment was successful in 102 (97%) patients. 3 of the patients in whom drainage was not successful underwent emergency surgery, with 1 death. 3 patients died of uncontrolled sepsis despite successful endoscopic drainage. 1 patient died of a stroke. The overall mortality was 4.7%. Among those in shock 2 out of 4 drained after 72 h died, compared with 3 out of 38 drained before 72 h. There were no deaths in the group without shock irrespective of the timing of drainage.