title: The role of interventional radiology in biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation: a single-center experience.
abstract: This study evaluated interventional radiological experience in the management of biliary complications of OLT at the National Cancer Institute of Milan. Seventeen patients who had undergone orthotopic liver transplantation in various hospital were referred to our unit with biliary complications. Group I consisted of 8 patients with anastomotic biliary fistula who came to our attention a short time after transplantation. Group II consisted of 9 patients with anastomotic strictures who came to our attention in a longer period. Two different interventional radiological approaches were used: (a) percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) in the presence of fistulas in patients of group I; and (b) percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage combined with dilatation of the strictures with a balloon catheter in patients of group II. On the whole resolution of the biliary complications was achieved in 13 of the 17 cases treated (76.5%), 5 of 8 in group I and 8 of 9 in group II. No secondary stenosis after PTBD were observed in group I, whereas two patients of group II needed a second dilatation. Percutaneous biliary drainage is indicated as a valid treatment in the management of biliary complications, either to allow closure of the fistula either to perform balloon dilatation of stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Immagini per Diagnosi e Terapia, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milano, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy. civelli@istitutotumori.mi.it
authors.forename: Enrico Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Civelli
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meroni
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milella
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Suman
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vercelli
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Severini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D001658:Biliary Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D002404:Catheterization; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D011859:Radiography; D015642:Radiology, Interventional