Percutaneous treatment of cholangitic abscesses

Cholangitic abcesses were treated radiologically in 11 patients. Treatment consisted of percutaneous abscess drainage in one patient, percutaneous biliary drainage in six patients, and a combination of both techniques in the remaining four patients. The choice of the technique was mainly determined by the size and number of abscesses in relation to the degree of bile duct dilatation as determined from US or CT. Three of four patients with benign disease were cured by percutaneous treatment. In five of seven patients with malignant obstruction the abscesses were treated successfully, but the patients' courses were determined by the underlying malignant biliary obstruction. The authors consider percutaneous abscess drainage, percutaneous biliary drainage, or a combination of both methods the treatment of choice for cholangitic abscess