Published online Mar 7, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i9.1396
Revised: May 30, 2004
Accepted: August 12, 2004
Published online: March 7, 2005
AIM: To present a case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection following bile duct stenting in a patient with malignant biliary obstruction.
METHODS: A 78-year-old male patient was admitted to a community hospital with progredient painless jaundice lasting over two weeks, weight loss and sweating at night. Whether a stent should be implanted pre-operatively in jaundiced patients or whether these patients should directly undergo surgical resection, was discussed.
RESULTS: ERC and a biopsy from the papilla of Vater revealed an adenocarcinoma. In addition, a 7-Ch plastic stent was placed into the common bile duct. Persistent abdominal pain, increasing jaundice, weakness and indigestion led to the transfer of the patient to our hospital. A pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. Intraoperatively, bile leaked out of the transected choledochus and the stent was found to be dislocated in the duodenum. A smear of the bile revealed an infection with MRSA, leading to post-operative isolation of the patient.
CONCLUSION: As biliary stents can cause severe infection of the bile, the need for pre-operative placement of biliary stents should be carefully evaluated in each individual case.