Internal biliary fistula due to cholelithiasis:A single-centre experience

AIM： To discuss about the perioperative problems encountered in patients with internal biliary fistula （IBF） caused by cholelithiasis.METHODS： In our hospital, 4 130 cholecystectomies were carried out for symptomatic cholelithiasis from January 2000 to March 2004 and only 12 patients were diagnosed with IBF. The perioperative data of these 12 IBF patients were analyzed retrospectively.RESULTS： The incidence of IBF due to cholelithiasis was nearly 0.3%. The mean age was 57 years. Most of the patients presented with non-specific complaints. Only two patients were considered to have IBF when gallstone ileus was observed during the investigations. Nine patients underwent emergency laparotomy with a pre-operative diagnosis of acute abdomen. In the remaining three patients, elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy was converted to open surgery after identification of IBF. Ten patients had cholecystoduodenal fistula and two patients had cholecystocholedochal fistula. The mean hospital stay was 23 d. Two wound infections, three bile leakages and three mortalities were observed.CONCLUSION： Cholecystectomy has to be performed in early stage in the patients who were diagnosed as cholelithiasis to prevent the complications like IBF which is seen rarely. Suspicion of IBF should be kept in mind, especially in the case of difficult dissection during cholecystectomy and attention should be paid in order to prevent iatrogenic injuries.

A successful treatment of traumatic bronchobiliary fistula by endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage

Bronchobiliary fistula（BBF）is a rare condition in which there is a nonnatural communication between the biliary tract and the bronchial trees.It is usually aroused by the complications of hepatic hydatidosis,hepatic amebic,biliary obstruction,trauma,neoplasm and hepatic abscess formation.In this paper,we described a patient suffering from BBF that is secondary to trauma or surgery.Especially,BBF was detected in the left lung.Finally,we managed this case successfully without an open surgery.

A case of biliary gastric fistula following percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma

Percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation （RFA） is an effective and safe therapeutic modality in the management of liver malignancies, performed with ultrasound guidance. Potential complications of RFA include liver abscess, ascites, pleural effusion, skin burn, hypoxemia, pneumothorax, subcapsular hematoma, hemoperitoneum, liver failure, tumour seeding, biliary lesions. Here we describe for the first time a case of biliary gastric fistula occurred in a 66-year old man with a Child＇s class A alcoholic liver cirrhosis as a complication of RFA of a large hepatocellular carcinoma lesion in the nl segment. In the light of this case, RFA with injection of saline between the liver and adjacent gastrointestinal tract, as well as laparoscopic RFA, ethanol injection （PEI）, or other techniques such as chemoembolization, appear to be more indicated than percutaneous RFA for large lesions close to the gastrointestinal tract.

Cholecystoenteric fistula in a patient with advanced gallbladder cancer: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Cholecystoenteric fistula(CEF)involves the formation of a spontaneous ano-malous tract between the gallbladder and the adjacent gastrointestinal tract.Chronic gallbladder inflammation can lead to tissue necrosis,perforation,and fistulogenesis.The most prevalent cause of CEF is chronic cholelithiasis,which rarely results from malignancy.Because the symptoms and laboratory findings associated with CEF are nonspecific,the condition is often misdiagnosed,pre-senting a challenge to the surgeon when detected intraoperatively.Therefore,a preoperative diagnosis of CEF is crucial.We present the case of a 57-year-old male with advanced gallbladder cancer(GBC)who arrived at the emergency room with persistent vomiting,abdominal pain,and diarrhea.An abdominopelvic computed tomography scan revealed a contracted gallbladder with bubbles in the fundus connected to the second por-tion of the duodenum and transverse colon.We suspected that GBC had invaded the adjacent gastrointestinal tract through a cholecystoduodenal fistula(CDF)or a cholecystocolonic fistula(CCF).He underwent multiple examinations,including esophagogastroduodenoscopy,an upper gastrointestinal series,colo-noscopy,and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography;the results of these tests con-firmed a diagnosis of synchronous CDF and CCF.The patient underwent a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy and loop ileostomy to address the severe adhesions that were previously observed to cover the second portion of the duodenum and hepatic flexure of the colon.His symptoms improved with supportive treatment while hospitalized.He initiated oral targeted therapy with lenvatinib for further anticancer treatment.CONCLUSION The combination of imaging and surgery can enhance preoperative diagnosis and alleviate symptoms in patients with GBC complicated by CEF.

Potentially fatal haemobilia due to inappropriate use of an expanding biliary stent

AIM: To highlight the fatal complication caused by expanding biliary stents and the importance of avoiding use of expanding stent in potentially curable diseases.METHODS: Arteriobiliary fistula is an uncommon cause of haemobilia. We describe a case of right hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm causing arteriobiliary fistula and presenting as severe malena and cholangitis, in a patient with a mesh metal biliary stent. The patient had lymphoma causing bile duct obstruction.RESULTS: Gastroduodenoscopy failed to establish the exact source of bleeding and hepatic artery angiography and selective embolisation of the pseudo aneurysm successfully controlled the bleeding.CONCLUSION: Bleeding from the pseudo aneurysm of the hepatic artery can be fatal. Mesh metal stents in biliary tree can cause this complication as demonstrated in this case.So mesh metal stent insertion should be avoided in potentially benign or in curable conditions. Difficulty in diagnosis and management is discussed along with the review of the literature.

Endoscopic management of postcholecystectomy biliary leakage

BACKGROUND: Biliary leak is an uncommon but significant complication following cholecystectomy. Endotherapy is an established method of treatment. However, the optimal intervention is not known. METHOD: Eighty-five patients with postcholecystectomy biliary leaks from July 2000 to March 2009 were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: The study population was 20 males and 65 females with a mean age of 42.47 years. Patients presented with abdominal pain (46), jaundice (23), fever (23), abdominal distension (42), or bilious abdominal drain (67). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography detected a leak at the cystic duct stump in 45 patients, stricture with middle common bile duct leak in 4, leak from the right hepatic duct in 3, and a ligated common bile duct in 32. Twelve also had bile duct stones. One had a broken T-tube with stones Endotherapy was possible in 53 patients. Three patients with stones, one with a broken T-tube with stones, and 4 with stricture of the common bile duct with a leak were managed with sphincterotomy and stenting. Eight patients with a cystic duct stump leak with stones were managed with sphincterotomy and stone extraction. Three outpatients and 12 inpatients with a cystic duct stump leak were managed with sphincterotomy and stent and sphincterotomy and nasobiliary drain, respectively. Five patients with a cystic duct stump leak were managed with stenting. Sixteen with coagulopathy were managed with only nasobiliary drain (9) or stent (7). Leak closure was achieved in 100% patients Four developed mild pancreatitis which improved with conservative treatment.CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic intervention is a safe and effective method of treatment of postcholecystectomy biliary leaks. However, management should be individualized based on factors such as outpatients or inpatients, presence of stone, stricture, ligature, or coagulopathy.

Cholecystoduodenal fistula presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A case report

BACKGROUND Cholecystoduodenal fistula is a rare complication of cholelithiasis.Symptoms are usually non-specific and often indistinguishable from those of etiologic diseases,but it rarely presents as severe gastrointestinal bleeding.Bleeding associated with cholecystoduodenal fistula usually requires surgery because significant bleeding from the cystic artery is unlikely to be resolved by conservative management or endoscopic hemostasis.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of cholecystoduodenal fistula that presented with hematemesis which was diagnosed by endoscopy and computed tomography.Endoscopic hemostasis could not be achieved,but surgical treatment was successful.Additionally,we have presented a literature review.CONCLUSION Cholecystoduodenal fistula should be considered as differential diagnosis when a patient with history of gallstone disease presents with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Endoscopic management of postoperative bile leaks

BACKGROUND: Significant bile leak as an uncommon complication after biliary tract surgery may constitute a serious and difficult management problem. Surgical management of biliary fistulae is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Biliary endoscopic procedures have become the treatment of choice for management of biliary Gstulae. METHODS: Ninety patients presented with bile leaks after cholecystectomy ( open cholecystectomy in 45 patients, cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration in 20 and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 25). The presence of bile leaks was confirmed by ERCP and the appearance of bile in percutaneous drainage of abdominal collections. Of the 90 patients with postoperative bile leaks, 18 patients had complete transaction of the common bile duct by ERCP and were subjected to bilioenteric anastomosis. In the remaining patients after cholangiography and localization of the site of bile leaks. therapeutic procedures like sphinctero-tomy, biliary stenting and nasobiliary drainage ( NBD ) were performed. If residual stones were seen in the common bile duct, sphincterotomy was followed by stone extraction using dormia basket. Nasobiliary drain or stents of 7F size were placed according to the standard techniques. The NBD was removed when bile leak stopped and closure of the fistula confirmed cholangiographically. The stents were removed after an interval of 6-8 weeks. RESULTS: Bile leaks in 72 patients occurred in the cystic duct (38 patients), the common bile duct (30 ), and the right hepatic duct (4). Of the 72 patients with post-operative bile leak, 24 had associated retained common bile duct stones and 1 had ascaris in common bile duct. All the 72 patients were subjected to therapeutic procedures including sphincterotomy with stone extraction followed by biliary stenting (24 patients), removal of ascaris and biliary stenting (1), sphincterotomy with biliary stenting (18), sphincterotomy with NBD (12), biliary stenting alone (12), and NBD alone (5). Bile leaks stopped in all patients at a median interval of 3 days (range 3-16 days) after endoscopic in- terventions. No difference was observed in efficacy and in time for the treatment of bile leak by sphincterotomy with endoprosthesis or endoprosthesis alone in patients with bile leak after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Post-cholecystectomy bile leaks occur most commonly in the cystic duct and associated common bile duct stones are found in one-third of cases. Endoscopic therapy is safe and effective in the management of bile leaks and fistulae after surgery. Sphincterotomy with endoprosthesis or endoprosthesis alone is equally effective in the management of postoperative bile leak.

Another new variant of Bouveret's syndrome

Although Bouveret's syndrome,i.e.gastric outlet obstruction by a large gallstone impacted in the proximal duodenum secondary to a cholecystoduodenal fistula,is rare,its pathogenesis and clinical features are well characterized.However,existence of variant forms of the syndrome are not well known,and as far as we know,only two cases of variant Bouveret's syndrome have been described in the English-language literature.We present a case of another new variant of Bouveret's syndrome in a 54-year-old Korean woman.

Pediatric T-tube in adult liver transplantation:Technical refinements of insertion and removal

BACKGROUND With the increasing use of extended-criteria donor organs,the interest around Ttubes in liver transplantation(LT)was restored whilst concerns regarding T-tuberelated complications persist.AIM To describe insertion and removal protocols implemented at our institution to safely use pediatric rubber 5-French T-tubes and subsequent outcomes in a consecutive series of adult patients.METHODS Data of consecutive adult LT patients from brain-dead donors,treated from March 2017 to December 2019,were collected(i.e.,biliary complications,adverse events,treatment after T-Tube removal).Patients with upfront hepaticojejunostomy,endoscopically removed T-tubes,those who died or received retransplantation before T-tube removal were excluded.RESULTS Seventy-two patients were included in this study;T-tubes were removed 158 d(median;IQR 128-206 d)after LT.In four(5.6%)patients accidental T-tube removal occurred requiring monitoring only;in 68(94.4%)patients Nelaton drain insertion was performed according to our protocol,resulting in 18(25%)patients with a biliary output,subsequently removed after 2 d(median;IQR 1-4 d).Three(4%)patients required endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)due to persistent Nelaton drain output.Three(4%)patients developed suspected biliary peritonitis,requiring ERCP with sphincterotomy and nasobiliary drain insertion(only one revealing contrast extravasation);no patient required percutaneous drainage or emergency surgery.CONCLUSION The use of pediatric rubber 5-French T-tubes in LT proved safe in our series after insertion and removal procedure refinements.