A Novel Cause of Biliary Peritonitis after Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: Case Report and Literature Review

Background. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can lead to several complications such as duodenal or bile duct perforation. The incidence of pneumoperitoneum post-ERCP is rarely seen (<1%) and is associated with perforations of the duodenum or common bile duct in therapeutic ERCP after sphincterotomy. In this case, we disclose a novel cause of biliary peritonitis after ERCP. Case Presentation. A 65-year-old man presented with abdominal pain and distended abdomen after uneventful ERCP with sphincterotomy. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) was performed whose finding indicated duodenal perforation. The patient was rushed to an emergency laparotomy where only a rupture of an otherwise normal subcapsular intrahepatic bile duct was found. The surrounding liver parenchyma was healthy. The cause of this condition was probably post-ERCP pneumobilia and the increase of pressure in the biliary tract. Conclusions. This is the first case in literature describing the rupture of a subcapsular healthy bile duct as cause of biliary peritonitis after ERCP. This case also suggests that in the management of post-ERCP complications, the cooperation of radiologists and surgeons is vital for the patient’s wellbeing.

Simultaneous Early Surgical Repair of Post-Cholecystectomy Major Bile Duct Injury and Complex Abdominal Evisceration: A Case Report

Background: Major bile duct injuries (BDIs) are hazardous complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (0.4%-0.6% of all laparoscopic cholecystectomies) [1, 2-4]. Major BDIs usually require surgery, ideally either within one week or after 3 three months after index surgery [1]. We describe the case of iatrogenic transection of the common bile duct (CBD) complicated by a complex full midline abdominal evisceration presented on day 12 after emergency laparotomy for biliary peritonitis. Case Presentation: A 65-year-old male underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a district general hospital and was discharged on the same day, following apparently uneventful surgery. He, however, re-presented two days later with biliary peritonitis when emergency ERCP showed full CBD transection. The local surgical team performed midline exploratory laparotomy, washout, and external drainage aside the leaking CBD and referred the case to our tertiary HPB service. While awaiting transfer (due to bed shortage), full wound dehiscence occurred. On transfer arrival at our HPB service on postoperative day 11, the patient presented extensive evisceration with loss of domain and persisting high-volume biliary spillage aside bowels. Following assessment and fast literature review, we considered operation undeferrable and planned multi-stage surgeries, including primary Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) and progressive abdominal wall closure in multiple sessions under general anaesthesia, aided by vacuum-assisted wound closure and intraperitoneally mesh-mediated fascial traction-approximation (VAWCM) with permeable mesh. An expected late incisional hernia was eventually repaired through component separation and biological mesh. Discussion and Conclusion: The complexity of our case lies in the coexistence of 2-weeks biliary peritonitis following early BDI with massive midline evisceration, in combination, both representing over 40% mortality risk, requiring immediate, simultaneous repair. Roux-en-Y HJ and VAWCM have proven safe and effective.

Biliary peritonitis due to liver cyst rupture in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

Background Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most frequent genetic kidney disease and polycystic liver disease is its major extrarenal manifestation, however biliary peritonitis due to a liver cyst rupture is extremely rare. Case presentation The patient was a 71-year-old Japanese woman who was diagnosed with ADPKD 3 years previously and developed right abdominal pain suddenly 1 month previously. As abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a ruptured liver cyst in the right lobe, she was admitted to our hospital. Her symptoms improved with conservative management and she was discharged from the hospital after 1 week. Although she was asymptomatic for a while, she noticed abdominal distension and general malaise at 1 month after hospital discharge. Since abdominal CT showed massive ascites, she was admitted to our hospital again. A physical examination revealed abdominal distention without tenderness. Her serum creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, and CA19-9 were elevated. Abdominal paracentesis revealed amber transparent ascites and the bilirubin and CA19-9 concentrations were high. She was diagnosed with biliary peritonitis due to a ruptured liver cyst. Hemodialysis treatment was initiated with drainage of the ascites. The outflow of the ascites was no tendency to decrease and drip infusion cholangiography (DIC)-CT revealed a communication between the ruptured cyst and an intrahepatic bile duct. On day 31, she was transferred to a university hospital and abdominal surgery was performed. After removing the necrotic roof of the ruptured cyst on the right liver lobe, the orifice of the bile leakage was sutured. Cholecystectomy was performed and cholangiography showed no stones in the common bile duct. Abdominal CT one month after the operation showed no recurrence of ascites and she was discharged on day 49. Hemodialysis treatment was discontinued immediately after discharge because urine volume increased and her creatinine level decreased. There has been no recurrence of ascites since then. Conclusions While rare, biliary peritonitis can occur in association with the rupture of a liver cyst in ADPKD patients due to communication between the cyst and the intrahepatic bile duct, and DIC-CT should be recommended when biliary cyst rupture is suspected.