title: Percutaneous catheter biliary decompression.
abstract: Percutaneous catheter biliary decompression was performed in 42 patients with obstructive jaundice. Internal drainage was accomplished in 27 patients (64.3%), and external drainage in 15 patients (35.7%). Serum bilirubin levels decreased at a mean rate of 1.4 mg/dl/day. Tissue diagnosis was obtained by percutaneous aspiration biopsy in nine patients (21.4%). Complications occurred in 10 patients (23.8%): septic shock, two; bilious pleural effusion, one; hepatic subcapsular hematoma, one; sepsis, six. There was one death related to the procedure. The catheter management problems encountered included pain, catheter dislodgement or migration, lumen occlusion, and external bile leakage.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000628:therapy; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care