Primary sclerosing cholangitis: biliary drainage and duct dilatation.

A further extension of the U-tube technique is described in the treatment of six patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis who developed progressive jaundice and recurrent biliary sepsis. All six patients had operative intrahepatic duct dilatation and U-tube placement. Three patients in addition had a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunal anastomosis. Five patients are improved and are well after a median follow-up period of 56 months. Two patients have had the U-tube removed electively. Three patients with progressive disease required further percutaneous catheter dilatation of intrahepatic strictures via the U-tube tract. Application of the technique permits evaluation of the biliary system by tube cholangiography and provides access in complex cases for repeated therapeutic intrahepatic stricture dilatation.