Original ResearchDelayed referral to specialist centre increases morbidity in patients with bile duct injury (BDI) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC)

•Bile duct injury management in a tertiary, multidisciplinary centre has favorable outcomes.•Late referral to specialist centres after BDIis associated with high incidence of complications and longer recovery period.•When a BDI is suspected, early referral provides the best possible outcome and is strongly encouraged.

BackgroundThere is still a debate regarding the optimal management of bile duct injury following cholecystectomy. Our aim was to ascertain if delayed referral influenced clinical outcomes for patients with BDI treated in our institution.Materials and methodsWe interrogated a prospectively maintained database, including all patients with BDI (Bismuth and Strasberg classifications) post LC managed in our unit from 2000-2014. Referrals were arbitrarily defined as early (<96 h from the injury) and delayed (>96 h).Results68 patients with BDI were managed. Patient demographics, referral time, level of injury and morbidity data was collected. 50 patients (77%) required a surgical bile duct reconstruction. The Early referral Group included 33 patients (52.4%) and Delayed referral group 30 (47.6%).The patients referred late had a significantly high incidence of right hepatic artery injury (23% vs. 3%) and the overall number of complications (0.0001). The average number of surgical interventions (2.5 vs 1.8, p < 0.05) and invasive procedures (4 vs. 2.5, p < 0.05) per patient was high in the late referral group.There was significant difference in the interval between BDI-to-reconstruction (median 3 vs. median 88 days, p < 0.05) and referral-to-hospital discharge (median 9 vs. median days 59, p < 0.05).On multivariate analysis only delayed referral (OR 7.58, 95% CI 2.1-26.6) and Strasberg-E injuries (OR 4.86, 95% CI 1.1-20.9) were significant.ConclusionA late referral was associated with a higher incidence of post-treatment complications, greater need for invasive procedures and a longer recovery period. These observations support the need for early patient transfer to a tertiary institution following BDI.