Long-term drainage following PTCD for treatment of ischemic-type biliary lesion after liver transplantation

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness, safety and clinical feasibility of long-term drainage following percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage (PTCD) for the treatment of ischemic-type biliary lesion (ITBL) after liver transplantation. Methods There were 11 patients with ITBL after liver transplantation. Of the 11 patients with a mean age of 42. 3, 10 were male and 1 female. All 11 cases were diagnosed by PTC or ERC (endocopic retiogiade cholangiogiaphy) before PTCD, and they responded poorly to medication or draining and stenting with ERCP. Long-term drainage following PTCD was performed, whereas adjuvant percutaneous aspiration through double guidewire technique was used for the patients with large quantities of chole mud. Results There were three types of ITBL: type Ⅰ (extrahepatic lesions, n=7), type Ⅱ (intrahepatic lesions, n= 1), and type Ⅲ (intra- and extra-hepatic alterations, n=3). PTCD was performed in all 11 patients successfully. The values of total bilirubin (TBIL) and direct reacting bilirubin (DBIL) were 206.70±54.18μmol/L, 170. 65±53. 97μmol/L and 90. 63± 13.00μmol/L, 63. 83± 13.61μmol/L before and 1 week after PTCD, respectively. The follow-up period was from 3 through 71 months (mean 20 months). During the follow-up, TBIL values ranged between 23.70 μmol/L and 241.0 μmol/L (mean 55.3±15.6 μmol/L), and DBIL values were between 8. 1 and 162.0 μmol/L (mean 32. 53±10. 21 μmol/L). Hepatic functions were good in 9 cases including 5 cases in which the drainage tube was withdrawn after long-time drainage (6～ 12 months, mean= 8.2 months) and 4 cases in which drainage continued. The other 2 cases received liver retransplantation for the grafts dyssynthesis of albumen after drainage for 3 and 8 months. Conclusion Long-term drainage following PTCD is an effective and safe approach for ITBL following liver transplantation. Key words: Liver transplantation; Ischemic-type biliary lesion; Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and drainage