Frequency of biliary complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy detected by ERCP: experience at a large tertiary referral center

Background Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has a higher incidence of bile-duct injuries than open cholecystectomy. Although a learning curve phenomenon was attributed to biliary injuries early after its introduction, we were interested in trends in biliary injury rates over time as laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become a mature technology. Objective To analyze the frequency and anatomic distribution of bile-duct injuries referred after laparoscopic cholecystectomy over a 10-year period. Design Retrospective, case-series. Setting Tertiary, referral hepatobiliary unit. Patients Referrals to ERCP unit for diagnosis and treatment of biliary injuries after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Intervention ERCP to diagnose level and severity of bile duct injury. Main Outcome Measurements Type and anatomy of bile-duct injury, reason for cholecystectomy, mean time between injury and diagnosis, presenting symptoms, ratio of bile-duct injuries diagnosed over total ERCPs done per year. Results There were 87 bile-duct leaks, 28 leaks with stones, 51 strictures, and 17 complete duct transactions. The bile-duct injury rate calculated per 100 ERCPs per year was 0.84 (1994), 0.99 (1995), 1.36 (1996), 1.41 (1997), 1.03 (1998), 1.31 (1999), 0.84 (2000), 0.75 (2001), 1.15 (2002), and 0.94 (2003). Limitations Single institution, retrospective analysis, unknown denominator of cholecystectomies done in referral area per year to calculate true bile-duct injury rate. Conclusions Static incidence in frequency, anatomic distribution, and rate per 100 ERCPs per year of postcholecystectomy bile-duct injuries at a tertiary referral hepatobiliary unit over a 10-year period of observation.