Endoscopic treatment of bile duct post-traumatic and post-operative lesions in children

Abstract

Background and study aims: The aim of this study was to assess the significance and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in diagnosing and treating bile duct injuries in children.

Patients and methods: Fourteen pediatric patients, with traumatic or postoperative bile duct injury, in which ERCP was performed, were retrospectively evaluated.

Results: We performed 46 ERCP and 12 endoscopic papillotomies in children with suspected bile duct injuries. A bile stent was primarily inserted in 13 patients and there were 20 replacements. Endoscopic treatment of bile leakage without need for bile duct sutures or reconstruction was successful in 85.7%. Post ERCP complications included cholangitis and recurrent bleeding, which occurred only in two patients each.

Conclusions: ERCP and endoscopic bile stent insertion is a highly effective, minimally-invasive treatment for bile duct injury and should be included as part of the therapeutic procedures in pediatric patients with suspected bile duct injury.

Keywords:

• Bile duct trauma
• ERCP
• bile duct stenting

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the project (Ministry of Health, Czech Republic) for conceptual development of research organization 00064203 (University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic).