Postoperative Bile Duct Injuries

Injuries of the bile ducts commonly occur iatrogenically, as a complication of surgical procedures. Such injuries contribute to significant morbidity and even death in affected patients. Management of postoperative bile duct injuries continues to evolve, but traditional surgical management strategies have been increasingly replaced by minimally invasive therapies in the past decade. Endoscopic therapies figure prominently in this field, and the role of this approach is increasingly supported by data from larger prospective series. This section will review bile duct injuries, particularly those after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and liver transplantation. Management of these injuries, with emphasis on endoscopic therapies and outcomes, will be presented.