Background: This study evaluated the effectiveness of short fully covered self-expanding metal stents (FCSEMS) with an anti-migration design in treating benign biliary strictures (BBS) not related to living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 75 patients who underwent FCSEMS insertion for BBS management. Stents were initially kept for 3 months and exchanged every 3 months until stricture resolution. Adverse events and stricture recurrence after FCSEMS removal were assessed during follow-up. Results: The study outcomes were technical success, stenosis resolution, and treatment failure. Technical success was 100%, with stricture resolution in 99% of patients. The mean onset time of BBS post-surgery was 4.4 years, with an average stent indwelling period of 5.5 months. Stricture recurrence occurred in 20% of patients, mostly approximately 18.8 months after stent removal. Early cholangitis and stent migration were noted in 3% and 4% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: This study concludes that short FCSEMS demonstrate high efficacy in the treatment of non-LDLT-related BBS, with a low incidence of interventions and complications. Although this is a single-center, retrospective study with a limited sample size, the findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the use of short FCSEMS as a primary treatment modality for BBS. To substantiate these findings, further research involving multicenter studies is recommended to provide additional validation and a broader perspective.

Major bile duct injury during cholecystectomy often requires surgical reconstruction. The optimal timing of repair is debated.

To assess the association between the timing of hepaticojejunostomy and postoperative morbidity, mortality, and anastomotic stricture.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies comparing early (<14 days), intermediate (14 days-6 weeks), and late (>6 weeks) repair. Primary outcomes were postoperative morbidity, mortality, and stricture rates. Pooled risk ratios were calculated. A generalized linear model was used to estimate odds per time interval.

20 studies were included in the systematic review. Of these, data from 15 studies was included in the meta-analyses. The 20 included studies comprised a total of 3421 patients who underwent hepaticojejunostomy for bile duct injury. Early repair was associated with lower morbidity versus intermediate repair (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54-0.98). Delayed repair had lower morbidity versus intermediate (RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.16-1.93). Delayed repair had a lower stricture rate versus intermediate repair (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.07-2.20). Mortality was not associated with timing.

Reconstruction between 2 and 6 weeks after bile duct injury should be avoided given the higher morbidity and stricture rates. Delayed repair after 6 weeks may be beneficial.

Delayed biliary strictures (DBS) after cholecystectomy are uncommon and little is known of their aetiology or long-term consequences. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical and economic impact of DBS after cholecystectomy.

Patients who developed DBS after cholecystectomy were identified from a prospectively collected and maintained database. Risk factors for stricture development, quality of life (QoL) and long-term biliary complication rates were explored. Costs of treatment and follow up were determined. The same outcomes among patients with minor or major bile duct injury (BDI) were used as a comparison.

Among 44 patients, a laparoscopic converted to open procedure or post cholecystectomy bile leak affected some 18 and 12 patients respectively. Most DBS required surgical treatment (40). Over a median follow-up of 8.9 years after DBS treatment, 16 (36%) patients developed biliary complications (similar to minor, 26%, and major BDI, 40%) and 1 patient died of causes related to the biliary stricture. Costs of treating DBS and its follow up (£14,309.26 per patient), were similar to previously reported costs for major BDI (£15,784).

DBS typically occur after a technically and/or complicated cholecystectomy. Clinical, economic and QoL outcomes are similar to patients with major BDI.

A 42-year-old woman sustained complete transection of common hepatic duct during routine laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The surgery was being performed at a rural setting, and the injury was identified intraoperatively. The surgeon sought the opinion of an expert biliary surgeon via telephone and discussed the possibility of an immediate end-to-end bile duct repair. Since he lacked the experience of doing biliary-enteric anastomosis, he was advised to place a subhepatic drain and transfer the patient to the hepatobiliary centre for definitive surgery. At the referral centre, the patient was evaluated and planned an immediate biliary repair. On exploration, she was found to have a major type, Strasberg E5 injury. The transected ducts were small in calibre and required double Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy over transanastomotic stents. The postoperative recovery was uneventful. Transanastomotic stents were removed after 6 months, and the patient remained perfectly well at a follow-up of 1 year.

Common bile duct injury is a feared complication of cholecystectomy, with an incidence of 0.1% to 0.6%. A majority of injuries go unnoticed at index operation, and postoperative diagnosis can be difficult. Patient presentation can vary from vague abdominal pain to uncontrolled sepsis and peritonitis. Diagnostic evaluation typically begins with ultrasound or CT scan in the acute setting, and source control is paramount at time of presentation. In a stable patient, hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan can be useful in identifying an ongoing bile leak, which requires intervention. A variety of diagnostic techniques define biliary anatomy. Treatment often requires a multidisciplinary approach.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy - associated bile duct injury is a clinical problem with bad outcome. The study aimed to analyze the outcome of surgical management of these injuries.

We retrospectively analyzed 69 patients underwent surgical management of laparoscopic cholecystectomy related major bile duct injuries in the period from the beginning of 2013 to the beginning of 2018.

Regarding injury type; the Leaking, Obstructing, leaking + obstructing, leaking + vascular, and obstructing + vascular injuries were 43.5%, 27.5%, 18.8%, 2.9%, and 7.2% respectively. However, the Strasberg classification of injury was as follow E1 = 25, E2 = 32, E3 = 8, and E4 = 4. The definitive procedures were as follow: end to end biliary anastomosis with stenting, hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) with or without stenting, and RT hepatectomy plus biliary reconstruction with stenting in 4.3%, 87%, and 8.7% of patients respectively. According to the time of definitive procedure from injury; the immediate (before 72 h), intermediate (between 72 h and 1.5months), and late (after1.5 months) management were 13%, 14.5%, and 72.5% respectively. The hospital and/or 1month (early) morbidity after definitive treatment was 21.7%, while, the late biliary morbidity was 17.4% and the overall mortality was 2.9%, on the other hand, the late biliary morbidity-free survival was 79.7%. On univariate analysis, the following factors were significant predictors of early morbidity; Sepsis at referral, higher Strasberg grade, associated vascular injury, right hepatectomy with biliary reconstruction as a definitive procedure, intra-operative bleeding with blood transfusion, liver cirrhosis, and longer operative times and hospital stays. However, the following factors were significantly associated with late biliary morbidity: Sepsis at referral, end to end anastomosis with stenting, reconstruction without stenting, liver cirrhosis, operative bleeding, and early morbidity.

Sepsis at referral, liver cirrhosis, and operative bleeding were significantly associated with both early and late morbidities after definitive management of laparoscopic cholecystectomy related major bile duct injuries, so it is crucial to avoid these catastrophes when doing those major procedures.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy - associated bile duct injury is a clinical problem with bad outcome. The study aimed to analyze the outcome of surgical management of these injuries.

We retrospectively analyzed 69 patients underwent surgical management of laparoscopic cholecystectomy related major bile duct injuries in the period from the beginning of 2013 to the beginning of 2018.

Regarding injury type; the Leaking, Obstructing, leaking + obstructing, leaking + vascular, and obstructing + vascular injuries were 43.5%, 27.5%, 18.8%, 2.9%, and 7.2% respectively. However, the Strasberg classification of injury was as follow E1 = 25, E2 = 32, E3 = 8, and E4 = 4. The definitive procedures were as follow: end to end biliary anastomosis with stenting, hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) with or without stenting, and RT hepatectomy plus biliary reconstruction with stenting in 4.3%, 87%, and 8.7% of patients respectively. According to the time of definitive procedure from injury; the immediate (before 72 h), intermediate (between 72 h and 1.5months), and late (after1.5 months) management were 13%, 14.5%, and 72.5% respectively. The hospital and/or 1month (early) morbidity after definitive treatment was 21.7%, while, the late biliary morbidity was 17.4% and the overall mortality was 2.9%, on the other hand, the late biliary morbidity-free survival was 79.7%. On univariate analysis, the following factors were significant predictors of early morbidity; Sepsis at referral, higher Strasberg grade, associated vascular injury, right hepatectomy with biliary reconstruction as a definitive procedure, intra-operative bleeding with blood transfusion, liver cirrhosis, and longer operative times and hospital stays. However, the following factors were significantly associated with late biliary morbidity: Sepsis at referral, end to end anastomosis with stenting, reconstruction without stenting, liver cirrhosis, operative bleeding, and early morbidity.

Sepsis at referral, liver cirrhosis, and operative bleeding were significantly associated with both early and late morbidities after definitive management of laparoscopic cholecystectomy related major bile duct injuries, so it is crucial to avoid these catastrophes when doing those major procedures.

The aim of the study was to improve the results of treatment of patients with intrahepatic cholangiolithiasis for hepaticojejunostomy stricture with use of miniinvasive methods. In our centre during the period from 2002 till 2016 were treated in 58 patients with hepaticojejunostomy strictures. Thirteen patients from their was coexistant intrahepatic cholangiolithiasis. Forty-six (79.3%) patients was performed rehepaticojejunostomy. Twelve patients was performed a minimally invasive intervention such as laser recanalisation using double balloon enteroscopy (7 patients) and lithoextraction with double balloon enteroscopy (1), transhepatic cholangioscopy (2 patients) with laser lithotripsy (1), balloon dilatation of the stricture rehepaticojejunostomosis (4), lithoextraction (4), including with double balloon enteroscopy ("randevoux" procedure) (1), stenting (2). We observed several complication such as cholangitis (5); recurrent cholangiolithiasis (1); restricture of rehepaticojejunostomosis (2). Miniinvasive endoscopic techniques treatment and endobiliary correction of rehepaticojejunostomosis strictures and cholangiolithiasis have shown good results.

Intraoperative assessment of biliary tract anatomy is relevant for a number of benign and malignant hepatobiliary diseases. During biliary reconstruction, drainage of all relevant bile ducts is imperative to prevent atrophy of undrained segment, cholangitis and secondary biliary cirrhosis. Intraoperative cholangiography, though widely used for intraoperative imaging of the biliary tract, involves heavy equipment use, radiation risk and has a limited role in the evaluation of isolated segmental bile ducts.

We evaluated the use of a novel technique of intraoperative ultrasonography of the biliary tract using normal saline as a contrast agent. It involves injecting saline in any part of the biliary system while performing real-time intraoperative 2-dimensional ultrasonography.

This procedure was carried out in intraoperative situations to delineate complex biliary anatomy involving segmental bile ducts. Excellent image quality was obtained in the form of opacification and demarcation of the liver segment to which the duct belongs. The flow of saline microbubbles was clearly visible on real-time ultrasound images, leading to accurate identification of the duct.

Intraoperative ultrasonography with saline as a contrast agent can accurately identify small isolated segmental bile ducts and help in surgery of the biliary tract. It is a simple and inexpensive technique that can be performed with minimal resources.

Presence of portal hypertension (PH) adversely affects perioperative and long-term outcome in patients with post-cholecystectomy benign biliary stricture (PCBBS). Identification of factors related to the development of PH will help to prevent this complication.

From September 2010 to December 2012, 30 patients with PCBBS were studied prospectively for correlation of portal pressure (PP) with injury repair interval (IRI), biliary pressure (BP), severity of hepatic fibrosis (FS), severity of hepatic inflammation (IS) and obstructive biliary pathology score (OBPS). Appropriate statistical methods employed and P ≤ 0.05 (two-sided) was considered statistically significant.

Mean PP, mean BP and median IRI were 19.4 ± 4.74 mmHg, 20.1 ± 3.99 mmHg and 145 days, respectively. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (P-value) of PP with IRI, FS, IS and OBPS were 0.564 (0.001), 0.502 (0.004), 0.752 (0.0001) and 0.242 (0.19), respectively. Pearson correlation of PP with BP was r = 0.383 (r(2)  = 0.146, P = 0.03). Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (P-value) of FS with IS and OBPS were 0.561 (0.003) and 0.371 (0.04), respectively. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient of serum bilirubin with OBPS was 0.550 (P = 0.001). Incidence of PH was 33.3% and mean fall of PP following biliary repair was 6.2 ± 1.98 mmHg (P < 0.0001).

PP in patients with PCBBS has a good correlation with IS, and a fair correlation with both FS and IRI whereas PP was not directly related to BP and OBPS; further prospective trials are mandatory to confirm this correlation, and to evaluate mechanism of fall in PP following biliary decompression.

To develop technique incorporating favorable aspects of gastroenterostomy in common hepatic duct anastomosis, providing bile drainage into duodenum and preventing duodenobiliary reflux.

It is presented developed operations for high strictures of extrahepatic bile ducts using enteric autotransplant of variable diameter.

Good remote postoperative results were observed in 10 survived patients. There were no recurrence of stricture, cholangitis and normal biochemical parameters were observed. It has been proved that suggested methods may be alternative to Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.

A bile duct injury sustained during cholecystectomy can change the life of patients who submit themselves to a seemingly innocuous surgery. It has far-reaching medical, socioeconomic, and legal ramifications. Attention to detail, proper interpretation of variant anatomy, use of intraoperative cholangiography, and conversion to an open procedure in cases of difficulty can avoid/lessen the impact of some of these injuries. Once suspected, the aims of investigation are to establish the type and extent of injury and to plan the timing and mode of intervention. The principles of treatment are to control sepsis and to establish drainage of all liver segments with minimum chances of restricturing. Availability of expertise, morbidity, mortality, and quality of life issues dictate the modality of treatment chosen. Endoscopic intervention is the treatment of choice for minor leaks and provides outcomes comparable to surgery in selected patients with lateral injuries and partial strictures. A Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) by a specialist surgeon is the gold standard for high strictures, complete bile duct transection and has been shown to provide excellent long-term outcomes. Percutaneous intervention is invaluable in draining bile collections and is useful in treating post-HJ strictures. Combined biliovascular injuries, segmental atrophy, and secondary biliary cirrhosis with portal hypertension are special circumstances which are best managed by a multidisciplinary team at an experienced center for optimal outcomes.

Iatrogenic bile duct injuries (IBDI) are still a challenge for surgeons. The most frequently, they are caused by laparoscopic cholecystectomy which is one of the commonest surgical procedure in the world. Endoscopic techniques are recommended as initial treatment of IBDI. When endoscopic treatment is not effective, surgery is considered. Different surgical biliary reconstructions are performed in most patients in IBDI. Roux-Y hepaticojejunostomy is the commonest biliary reconstruction for IBDI. In some patients with complex IBDI, hepatectomy is required. Recently, Li et al analyzed the factors that had led to hepatectomy for patients with IBDI after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Authors concluded that hepatectomy might be necessary to manage early or late complications after LC. The study showed that proximal IBDI (involving hepatic confluence) and IBDI associated with vascular injuries were the two independent risk factors of hepatectomy in this series. Authors distinguished two main groups of patients that require liver resection in IBDI: those with an injury-induced liver necrosis necessitating early intervention, and those in whom liver resection is indicated for treatment of liver atrophy following long-term cholangitis. In this commentary, indications for hepatectomy in patients with IBDI are discussed. Complex biliovascular injuries as indications for hepatectomy are presented. Short- and long-term results in patients following liver resection for IBDI are also discussed. Hepatectomy is not a standard procedure in surgical treatment of IBDI, but in some complex injuries it should be considered.

The clinical presentation, management and outcome of all patients with bile duct injury who presented to our tertiary care centre at various stages after cholecystectomy were analyzed. The patients were categorized into three groups: group A-patients in whom the injury was detected during cholecystectomy, group B-patients who presented within 2 weeks of cholecystectomy and group C-patients who presented after 2 weeks of cholecystectomy. Our team acted as rescue surgeons and performed 'on-table' repair for injuries occurring in another unit or in another hospital. Strasberg classification of bile duct injury was followed. In group A, partial and complete transections were managed by repair over T-tube and high hepaticojejunostomy, respectively. Patients in group B underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram and/or magnetic resonance cholangiogram to evaluate the biliary tree. Those with intact common bile duct underwent endoscopic papillotomy and stenting in addition to drainage of intra-abdominal collection when present. For those with complete transection, early repair was considered if there was no sepsis. In presence of intra-abdominal sepsis an attempt was made to create controlled external biliary fistula. This was followed by hepatico jejunostomy at least after 3 months. Group C patients underwent hepaticojejunostomy at least 6 weeks after the injury. The outcome was graded into three categories: grade A-no clinical symptoms, normal LFT; grade B-no clinical symptoms, mild derangement of LFT or occasional episodes of pain or fever; grade C-pain, cholangitis and abnormal LFT; grade D-surgical revision or dilatation required. Fifty nine patients were included in the study and the distribution was group A-six patients, group B-33 patients and group C-20 patients. In group A, one patient with complete transection of the right hepatic duct (type C) and partial injury to left hepatic duct (LHD) underwent right hepaticojejunostomy and repair of the LHD over stent. Two patients with type D and three patients with type E 2 injury underwent repair over T-tube and hepaticojejunostomy, respectively. In group B, all except one of the 18 patients with type A injury underwent endoscopic papillotomy and stenting. The bile leak subsided at a mean interval of 8 days in all, except one patient who died of fulminant sepsis. Of the 15 patients with type E injury, five underwent hepaticojejunostomy after a minimum gap of 3 months. Early repair was considered in 10 patients. Twenty patients in group C underwent hepaticojejunostomy. In a mean follow-up of 40 months, the outcome was grade A in 54 patients, grade B in three patients (one from each of the three groups) and grade D in one patient (group C). The latter patient with a type E3 injury developed recurrent stricture and cholangitis necessitating percutaneous transhepatic dilatation. The high success rate of bile duct repair in the present study can be attributed to the appropriate timing, meticulous technique and the tertiary care experience.