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©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 21, 2007; 13(23): 3268-3270
Published online Jun 21, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i23.3268
Published online Jun 21, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i23.3268
Biliopleural fistula: A rare complication of percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage
Ming-Tsung Lee, Sheng-Chuan Hsi, Philip Hu, Kuang-Yi Liu, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Armed Forces Taoyuan General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Kuang-Yi Liu, Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Armed Forces Taoyuan General Hospital, No.168 Chung-Shin Rd, Taoyuan, Taiwan, China. sttudio2000@yahoo.com.tw
Telephone: +886-3-4799595 Fax: +886-3-4801621
Received: January 23, 2007
Revised: April 1, 2007
Accepted: April 7, 2007
Published online: June 21, 2007
Revised: April 1, 2007
Accepted: April 7, 2007
Published online: June 21, 2007
Abstract
A 79-year-old previously healthy man presented with acute acalculous cholecystitis with obstruction of the biliary tract. He was successfully treated with antibiotics and percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage, but returned to the hospital two days after discharge with a rare complication of this technique, biliopleural fistula. A thoracostomy tube was inserted to drain the pleural effusion, and the patient’s previous antibiotics reinstated. After two weeks of drainage and antibiotics, the fistula healed spontaneously without the need for further intervention.
Keywords: Biliopleural fistula, Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage, Cholecystitis, Complications, Biliary drainage