Biliary pleural fistula detected by hepatobiliary scintigraphy.
A biliary pleural fistula is a rare complication secondary to trauma, infection, malignancy, biliary disease, malignancies, or percutaneous procedures. Its presence may be suggested by the development of a right pleural effusion in a patient with such history and can be confirmed with a hepatobiliary scan or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Patients are treated with antibiotics and the fistula usually spontaneously closes. If after 2 weeks the fistula persists, percutaneous drainage, sphincterotomy, or biliary stent placement can be performed to promote healing of the fistula. In complicated cases, open thoracic surgery or video-assisted thoracic surgery may be required.
Yong
May L
ML
Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Joyce
Judith M
JM
Weinberg
Lee M
LM
Christie
Neil A
NA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001658:Biliary Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging