title: Spontaneous extra-hepatic bile duct perforation postpartum.
abstract: Spontaneous bile duct perforation is an unusual cause of acute abdomen. It is an extremely rare condition and rarely suspected or correctly diagnosed pre-operatively. A case of a 29 year old adult female, presenting with peritonitis, 2 days post partum is presented. Exploratory laparotomy showed biliary peritonitis secondary to a perforated common bile duct. She had a cholecystectomy and closure of the perforation over a T-tube. She recovered well and was discharged home. Awareness of spontaneous common bile duct perforation as a rare cause of biliary peritonitis, avoids undue delay in the diagnosis and thus improve prognosis. Cholecystectomy and drainage of bile duct using a T-tube is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, P.O. Box 77, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: A A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bediako-Bowan
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, P.O. Box 77, Accra, Ghana ; Department of Surgery, University of Ghana Medical School, P.O. Box 4236, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: J C B
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dakubo
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, P.O. Box 77, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asempa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D003137:Common Bile Duct Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Bile duct perforation; Cholangiogram; Peritonitis; Pre-eclampsia; Pregnancy