Treatment of Major Laparoscopic Bile Duct Injury: A Long-Term Follow-up Result

The goal of this study is to present the multiple institutions experience comparing the outcome of management between initial laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) surgeon and specialist as well as the outcome of different operative procedures to major bile duct injury (BDI) after LC. We have retrospectively collected data of 77 cases of perioperatively detected major BDI in LC at 15 general surgical institutions from 1997 to 2007. We classified 42 cases treated by an experienced biliary surgeon as Group A and 35 cases treated by the initial LC surgeon as Group B. Forty-eight cases were treated with duct-to-duct anastomosis as Group C and 29 cases were treated with Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy as Group D. The median duration of follow-up was 62 months. The outcome of groups was compared. In Group A, 7 of 42 (16.7%) patients developed a failure. Two of seven (28.6%) patients were treated by a secondary operation. In Group B, 24 of 35 (68.6%) patients developed a failure. Seventeen of 24 (70.8%) patients were treated by a secondary operation. One of 35 (2.85%) patients died. The significant differences were observed in failure and secondary operations (16.7 vs 68.6%, P < 0.01 and 28.6 vs 70.8%, P < 0.01). There is no significant difference Group C and Group D in failure rate (28.5 vs 11.7%, P > 0.05). A multiple institutional cooperative methodology between the local surgical institution and tertiary care centers provided a good way to limit further operations, failure. The reconstructive strategy is important and should be selected according to the type of injury and the diagnosed status of major BDI.