Common hepatic duct rupture due to excessive balloon dilation. Case report

Abstract

As balloon catheters have been refined, they have been used with increasing frequency for percutaneous procedures in almost all systems, including the biliary. We report a case in which bile duct dilation was only partially successful using the new combined percutaneous and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) technique due to the rigid fibrotic nature of the obstruction. During a subsequent dilation through the percutaneous tract, the common hepatic duct was ruptured, which resulted in severe bleeding into the ducts in addition to extravasation of contrast into the extraductal tissues. Conservative measures precluded the need for surgical intervention.