Management of post-surgical biliary leakage with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and occlusion balloon (OB) in patients without dilatation of the biliary tree: preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the outcome of patients affected by biliary leak after major biliary surgery and treated with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) alone with that of similar patients treated with PTBD and concurrent positioning of an occlusion balloon (PTBD-OB).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the results of the use of PTBD or PTBD-OB performed at our institution from 2004 to 2008 in patients with post-surgical biliary leak. Sixteen patients entered the evaluation. PTDB alone was performed in 9 men (age 59.7 +/- 13.4 years [mean +/- standard deviation]; median 60 years), while PTBD-OB was performed in 7 patients (5 men, 2 women, age 71.3 +/- 9.3 years; median 68 years).


RESULTS
No significant difference between groups was found regarding age (p = 0.064) and sex (p = 0.175) distribution, number of procedures (3.1 +/- 1.62; 2 vs 1.7 +/- 1.1; 1, p = 0.151), and days of disease before recovery, death or modification of treatment (51.6 +/- 66.8; 23 vs 18.6 +/- 15.1; 14, p = 0.266). The number of patients treated with PTBD-OB who fully recovered (7/7, 100%) was significantly higher than that of patients treated with PTBD alone (4/9, 44%, p = 0.034).


CONCLUSIONS
This procedure appears to be clinically effective, being associated with a higher probability of recovery in patients treated for post-surgical biliary leak. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.
Pedicini
Vittorio
V
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Humanitas Clinical Institute, Via Manzoni 56, 20098, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
Poretti
Dario
D
Mauri
Giovanni
G
Trimboli
Manuela
M
Brambilla
Giorgio
G
Sconfienza
Luca Maria
LM
Cornalba
Gianpaolo
G
Sardanelli
Francesco
F
D000368:Aged; D021721:Balloon Occlusion / Q000379:methods*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002758:Cholangiography; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome