Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in 107 patients

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage has played a major role in treatment of patients of patients with biliary tract disease, especially obstruction by malignant disease. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage was performed 128 times in 107 patients of obstructive jaundice for recent 2 years and 8 months from July, 1981 to March, 1984 at department of radiology, Seoul National University Hospital. The results were as follows: 1) The male to female ratio was 2:1 and the age ranged from 19 to 88 with average of 54/ 2) The causes of obstructive jaundice included 94 malignant diseases and 13 benign diseases. Malignant diseases were 48 cases of bile duct cancer, 20 cases of metastasis, 20 cases of pancreatic cancer, 4 cases of gallbladder cancer, 1 case of ampulla Vater cancer, and 1 case of duodenal cancer. Benign diseases were 8 cases of common bile duct stone and 3 cases of benign stricture and 2 cases of cholangitis. 3) The most common indication was palliative drainage of obstruction secondary to malignant tumor in 78 cases. 4) The overall success rate was 93.7%. Internal drainage was achieved in 34 (26.5%) and external drainage was accomplished in 86 (67.2%). 5) Decline in serum bilirubin level was found in 100 cases (93.3%) with the most rapid decline within 1 week after the procedure. 6) Acute major complication occurred in 6 of 107 cases (5.6%). Percutaneous transheaptic biliary drainage is a proven technique for non-operative biliary decompression and established alternative to surgery