Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography: an experience with the Chiba needle.

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) with a "skinny" Chiba needle identified the biliary tree in 30 of 31 patients (97%) with extrahepatic obstructive cholestasis (EHC). The method was successful in only eight of 18 patients who had cirrhosis with unexplained jaundice. The biliary tree was visualized after one or two attempts in 23 of 31 patients with EHC (74%). The success rate was significantly greater (p greater than 0.001) in those patients with EHC than in those with EHC, in whom the biliary tree was visualized in 9 of 27 (33%). Difficulties in correctly interpreting the PTC findings in four patients are described.