The ART and Craft of Biliary T-Tube Use

Abstract

Introduction: Biliary surgery has matured substantially over recent decades. The use of Hans Kehr’s universally adopted T-tube in the early twentieth century, has shifted from ‘routine’ in frequent bile duct explorations to highly selective and occasional. This evolution is primarily a consequence of improved interventional endoscopy, interventional radiology and hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery. Unfortunately, it has also resulted in far less exposure to this technique for surgical trainees.