Could recurrent cholangitis after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy be explained by motor intestinal anomalies? A manometric study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe the motor patterns found in two patients with recurrent cholangitis episodes after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. In one patient, cholangitis was due to a stenosis of the anastomosis between the limb and the left intrahepatic bile duct, while motility of the limb, duodenum, and distal jejunum was normal. In the second patient, no anatomical explanation was found for cholangitis attacks. However, although the duodenal motor activity was normal, the motility of the limb and of the jejunum below the jejunojejunal anastomosis was grossly abnormal: permanent minute rhythm, phase IIIs absent or rare and slowly propagated, all motor abnormalities that could promote bacterial overgrowth in the limb. This stresses the interest in performing motor studies of the Roux-limb when cholangitis remains unexplained after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.