Usefulness of the rendezvous technique for biliary stricture after adult right-lobe living-donor liver transplantation with duct-to-duct anastomosis.
OBJECTIVE
Replacement of a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) catheter with inside stents using endoscopic retrograde cholangiography is difficult in patients with angulated or twisted biliary anastomotic stricture after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We evaluated the usefulness and safety of the rendezvous technique for the management of biliary stricture after LDLT.


METHODS
Twenty patients with PTBD because of biliary stricture after LDLT with duct-to-duct anastomosis underwent the placement of inside stents using the rendezvous technique.


RESULTS
Inside stents were successfully placed in the 20 patients using the rendezvous technique. The median procedure time was 29.6 (range, 7.5-71.8) minutes. The number of inside stents placed was one in 12 patients and two in eight patients. One mild acute pancreatitis and one acute cholangitis occurred, which improved within a few days. Inside stent related sludge or stone was identified in 12 patients during follow-up. Thirteen patients achieved stent-free status for a median of 281 (range, 70-1,351) days after removal of the inside stents.


CONCLUSIONS
The rendezvous technique is a useful and safe method for the replacement of PTBD catheter with inside stent in patients with biliary stricture after LDLT with duct-to-duct anastomosis. The rendezvous technique could be recommended to patients with angulated or twisted strictures.
Chang
Jae Hyuck
JH
Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
In Seok
IS
Chun
Ho Jong
HJ
Choi
Jong Young
JY
Yoon
Seung Kyoo
SK
Kim
Dong Goo
DG
You
Young Kyoung
YK
Choi
Myung-Gyu
MG
Choi
Kyu-Yong
KY
Chung
In-Sik
IS