Bile Duct Leak After Liver Surgery

A small hole anywhere along the bile ducts can cause bile to leak into the abdominal cavity.

Bile duct leak after liver surgery.

In addition the digestive process suffers because the proper amounts of bile are not being delivered to break down fats that are consumed. Bile leakage is defined as fluid with an increased bilirubin concentration in the abdominal drain after postoperative day 3 or as the need for radiologic intervention. Bile leaks that may result from cholecystectomy have been described by mckenzie and by foster and wayson and are caused by a slipped cystic duct ligature or a leak from an accessory or anomalous bile duct. Bile leaks are often corrected by placing a stent narrow tube in the duct to keep bile from escaping while the duct heals.

Leakage occurs as a result of a small tear or a hole anywhere in the bile duct. A small hole or tear in the bile duct may cause bile to leak into the abdomen causing pain inflammation and infection in the abdominal cavity. Leakage in bile duct can occur as a result of postoperative complication after removal of gall bladder or after liver transplantation. If a bile duct is damaged during surgery bile may leak into the abdominal cavity causing extreme pain.

At the bile duct and pancreatic diseases program part of the university of michigan s division of gastroenterology our multidisciplinary team provides the newest minimally invasive treatments for bile duct leaks. Those resulting from hepatic surgery are caused by a leak from a biliary anastomotic site dislodgement or removal of an external drainage tube or damage to a bile duct during surgery.