Percutaneous biliary drainage: an alternative treatment for biliary fascioliasis

Abstract

Fascioliasis initially involves the liver parenchyma and then the biliary ducts. The disease can mimic most hepatobiliary diseases at different stages of involvement. We report a case in which the final diagnosis was reached by microscopic demonstration of Fasciola hepatica eggs in bile obtained by percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Computed tomographic findings that were misinterpreted as metastatic liver disease are presented, and the roles of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and biliary drainage are discussed.