Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review

The biliary anastomosis remains a common site of postoperative complications in liver transplantation (LT). Biliary complications have indeed been termed the “Achilles’ heel” of LT, and while their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment have continued to evolve over the last two decades, various chall...

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Main Authors: Patrick T. Koo, Valentina Medici, James H. Tabibian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Hepatology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4707389
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author Patrick T. Koo
Valentina Medici
James H. Tabibian
author_facet Patrick T. Koo
Valentina Medici
James H. Tabibian
author_sort Patrick T. Koo
collection DOAJ
description The biliary anastomosis remains a common site of postoperative complications in liver transplantation (LT). Biliary complications have indeed been termed the “Achilles’ heel” of LT, and while their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment have continued to evolve over the last two decades, various challenges and uncertainties persist. Here we present the case of a 33-year-old man who, 10 years after undergoing LT for idiopathic recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis, was noted to have developed pruritus and abnormalities in serum liver biochemistries during routine post-liver transplant follow-up. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a linear, 1.5 mm hyperechoic filling defect in the common bile duct; magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography demonstrated a curvilinear filling defect at the level of the choledochocholedochostomy, corresponding to the ultrasound finding, as well as an anastomotic biliary stricture (ABS). On endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC), a black tubular stricture with overlying sludge was encountered and extracted from the common bile duct, consistent with a retained 5 Fr pediatric feeding tube originally placed at the time of LT. The patient experienced symptomatic and biochemical relief and successfully underwent serial ERCs with balloon dilatation and maximal biliary stenting for ABS management. With this case, we emphasize the importance of ensuring spontaneous passage or removal of intraductal prostheses placed prophylactically at the time of LT in order to minimize the risk of chronic biliary inflammation and associated sequelae, including cholangitis and ABS formation. We also provide herein a brief review of the use of prophylactic internal transanastomotic prostheses, including biliary tubes and stents, during LT.
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spelling doaj-art-3e887be6ae5644ae90dc0200fcbe9b242025-08-20T02:08:20ZengWileyCase Reports in Hepatology2090-65872090-65952018-01-01201810.1155/2018/47073894707389Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and ReviewPatrick T. Koo0Valentina Medici1James H. Tabibian2Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USADivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USADivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USAThe biliary anastomosis remains a common site of postoperative complications in liver transplantation (LT). Biliary complications have indeed been termed the “Achilles’ heel” of LT, and while their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment have continued to evolve over the last two decades, various challenges and uncertainties persist. Here we present the case of a 33-year-old man who, 10 years after undergoing LT for idiopathic recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis, was noted to have developed pruritus and abnormalities in serum liver biochemistries during routine post-liver transplant follow-up. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a linear, 1.5 mm hyperechoic filling defect in the common bile duct; magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography demonstrated a curvilinear filling defect at the level of the choledochocholedochostomy, corresponding to the ultrasound finding, as well as an anastomotic biliary stricture (ABS). On endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC), a black tubular stricture with overlying sludge was encountered and extracted from the common bile duct, consistent with a retained 5 Fr pediatric feeding tube originally placed at the time of LT. The patient experienced symptomatic and biochemical relief and successfully underwent serial ERCs with balloon dilatation and maximal biliary stenting for ABS management. With this case, we emphasize the importance of ensuring spontaneous passage or removal of intraductal prostheses placed prophylactically at the time of LT in order to minimize the risk of chronic biliary inflammation and associated sequelae, including cholangitis and ABS formation. We also provide herein a brief review of the use of prophylactic internal transanastomotic prostheses, including biliary tubes and stents, during LT.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4707389
spellingShingle Patrick T. Koo
Valentina Medici
James H. Tabibian
Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review
Case Reports in Hepatology
title Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review
title_full Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review
title_fullStr Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review
title_full_unstemmed Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review
title_short Anastomotic Biliary Stricture Development after Liver Transplantation in the Setting of Retained Prophylactic Intraductal Pediatric Feeding Tube: Case and Review
title_sort anastomotic biliary stricture development after liver transplantation in the setting of retained prophylactic intraductal pediatric feeding tube case and review
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4707389
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AT valentinamedici anastomoticbiliarystricturedevelopmentafterlivertransplantationinthesettingofretainedprophylacticintraductalpediatricfeedingtubecaseandreview
AT jameshtabibian anastomoticbiliarystricturedevelopmentafterlivertransplantationinthesettingofretainedprophylacticintraductalpediatricfeedingtubecaseandreview