Incidence and management of biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation: ten years' experience at King Fahad National Guard Hospital

Abstract

Background: Despite technical modifications and application of various surgical techniques, biliary tract complications remain a major source of morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation. We sought to assess the incidence and management of biliary complications at a single liver transplant unit.

Methods: Among 184 consecutive deceased donor liver transplants performed between February 1994 and July 2004, 66 were female patients and 118 male patients of age range 2(1/2) to 69 years. We retrospectively reviewed the data regarding biliary complications in liver transplant recipients, after 115 duct-to-duct anastomoses and 65 hepaticojejunostomy. We analyzed the incidence and type of biliary complications, management sequence, and success rate. We analyzed the correlation between the modality of biliary reconstruction and the type/incidence of biliary complications.

Results: Thirty-two patients developed biliary complications, giving an overall incidence of 17.4%. There was a higher incidence of complications among patients in the hepaticojejunostomy group (21.5%) than the duct-to-duct technique (15.1%). Bile leakage occurred in 12 patients, including eight successful cases (66.6%) of endoscopic stent insertion/radiological techniques and surgery in four cases (33.3%). Among the 12 patients with initial leaks, six developed a subsequent stricture (50%). There were 26 cases of biliary stricture, including 22 (84.6%) who were initially managed using nonsurgical techniques with a success rate of 59%.

Conclusion: Biliary complications remain an important cause of morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation. They can usually be managed percutaneously or endoscopically; however, tight strictures and major leaks frequently required surgical intervention.