Biloma: aspiration for diagnosis and treatment.

Post-traumatic and postsurgical collections of encysted bile (biloma) can be difficult to diagnose. Certain radiographic features may suggest the diagnosis, but puncture of the cystic lesion is essential. Moreover, the lesions may be treated by percutaneous insertion of a drainage catheter without need for surgical exploration. In the last 31/2 years we have encountered 3 patients with this condition, 2 of whom were successfully drained by percutaneous technique. In 1 patient the overall radiographic appearance was suggestive of delayed rupture of the spleen, and the biloma was drained by simple needle aspiration intraoperatively.