title: [Bile duct injuries after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy].
abstract: Eight years after the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy a decrease of the incidence of bile duct injuries is reported in the literature. The incidence of a bile duct injury after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now slightly higher than after open cholecystectomy. A minority of these injuries are detected during surgery. Most patients have a delayed identification of the bile duct injury, even after discharge from the hospital. An early diagnostic work-up with ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is mandatory in every patient with persisting symptoms (more than 48 hours) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Still, one-third of the patients are subjected to a 'diagnostic' exploratory laparotomy without preoperative visualization of the biliary tract by ERCP or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. Minor lesions are mostly treated successfully by endoscopy with a stent. After transection of the bile duct surgical reconstruction by a hepaticojejunostomy has to be performed. A delayed elective reconstruction was associated with fewer complications than acute repair under suboptimal circumstances such as local inflammatory changes and bile leakage.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D002758:Cholangiography / Q000379:methods; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012086:Reoperation; D014463:Ultrasonography