Purpose: Biliary ductal injuries are challenging to treat, and often lead to severe morbidity and mortality. The first-line approach involves endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with sphincterotomy and, in case of refractory leakage, long-lasting percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, endoscopic or percutaneous injection of sclerosing agents and/or coiling can be used. We describe a treatment procedure using microcatheter-mediated percutaneous or endoscopic argon plasma coagulation (APC).
Materials and methods: Three patients (7-year-old male, 14-year-old male, 81-year-old female) with refractory postsurgical and/or post-traumatic bile leaks underwent percutaneous (n = 2) or endoscopic (n = 1) APC through a detachable microcatheter.
Results: The procedure was technically feasible in all patients. Postoperative imaging showed complete occlusion of biliary leakage. The technique was uneventful intraoperatively with no adverse events occurring during recovery or follow-up.
Conclusion: Our initial experience demonstrates that refractory bile duct leaks may be successfully treated with microcatheter-mediated APC endoscopically or percutaneously. Further research is needed to confirm the safety, efficacy, and clinical indications for this innovative technique.
Keywords: Argon plasma coagulation; Bile duct leaks; Sphincterotomy; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
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