Clinical analysis and significance of cholangiography for biliary cast/stone after orthotopic liver transplantation

Abstract

Cholangiography is an important method for the diagnosis of biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation. The cholangiography after orthotopic liver transplantation presents special challenges, especially in patients with biliary cast/stone and biliary stenosis. We described the T-tube cholangiography combined therapeutic fibro-choledochoscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary cast following after orthotopic liver transplantation. Fourteen patients who developed biliary cast/stone after liver transplantation were analyzed retrospectively. The complications were divided into three temporal stages, early, medium, and late. Hepatic functions and the characteristics of the bile duct were observed by T-tube cholangiography and endoscopy. The biliary cast after liver transplantation was divided into three categories: Solitary, multiple, and columnar. Three months after liver transplantation, bile ducts appeared fuzzy by T-tube cholangiography, but no evidence of biliary cast was found. The bile duct was feculent with flocculation during the middle stage 3-6 months after liver transplantation. At six months after transplantation, bile ducts (especially intrahepatic bile ducts) were distended; cholangiectasis was obvious with biliary cast. The intrahepatic bile duct stricture was observed on occasion by T-tube cholangiography and the intrahepatic bile duct could be thin and distended, and resembled withered branches or strings of beads. The intrahepatic bile ducts even disappeared at this stage; hepatic functions were usually unacceptable and the icterus gradually aggravated. Four cases were diagnosed earlier according to the categories of stone and stage. Curative therapy was performed promptly and the clinical outcome was acceptable. Biliary tracts of the transplanted livers could be observed by T-tube channels and biliary complications were treated effectively by therapeutic fibro-choledochoscopy. It is necessary to combine T-tube cholangiography with fibro-choledochoscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation.