Evaluating the Surgical Treatment of Mechanical Icterus in the General Surgery Department of the Hopital Ntional Ignace Deen, Chu De Conkry

Introduction : The aim of this study was to report our experience in the surgical management of mechanical jaundice. Methods : This was a 10-year retrospective descriptive study (January 2011 to August 2022), carried out in the general surgery department of the Hôpital National Ignace Deen. Patients admitted for surgery for mechanical jaundice were included. Results : We collected 22 cases of mechanical icterus out of a total of 4739 surgical procedures performed during the study period. The mean age was 46 years, with extremes of 9 and 80 years. All our patients were seen at the frank icterus stage. Ultrasound was performed in all patients. Etiologies were dominated by tumors of the pancreatic head (54.54%), and lithiasis of the main bile duct (18.18%). The average consultation time was 5.04 months, with extremes of 9 years and 80 years. Cholecystectomy was performed in over half the cases (54.54%), including three cases associated with stone extraction (13.63%). Bilio-digestive shunts were performed in 11 cases (50%), of the choledochoduodenal (13.63%) and cholecysto-jejunal (13.63%) types. Post-operative management was straightforward in 81.81% of cases, with 4 deaths (18.18%). Conclusion : Palliative bypass, due to the delay in consultation, allows remission of the signs of cholestasis, but does not change the natural course of the pathology. Mortality depends on the etiology.