ATC Abstracts

American Transplant Congress abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2022 American Transplant Congress
    • 2021 American Transplant Congress
    • 2020 American Transplant Congress
    • 2019 American Transplant Congress
    • 2018 American Transplant Congress
    • 2017 American Transplant Congress
    • 2016 American Transplant Congress
    • 2015 American Transplant Congress
    • 2013 American Transplant Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
    • 2021 Resources
    • 2016 Resources
      • 2016 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2016 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2015-2016
      • AST Board of Directors 2015-2016
    • 2015 Resources
      • 2015 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2015 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2014-2015
      • AST Board of Directors 2014-2015
      • 2015 Conference Schedule
  • Search

Patients With Biliary Complications Following Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Can Be Successfully Managed By Serial Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-pancreatography

R. Kaur, I. C. Morales, D. Dhillon, M. S. Ilias, S. Nagai, D. Venkat, A. Yoshida, S. Jafri

Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI

Meeting: 2019 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: B307

Keywords: Liver transplantation, Surgical complications

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session B: Liver Retransplantation and Other Complications

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Sunday, June 2, 2019

Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm

 Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm

Location: Hall C & D

*Purpose: We evaluated the quality of endoscopic intervention for biliary complications after liver transplantation in a diverse urban center.

*Methods: A retrospective chart review of liver transplant recipients from 2015-2018 were included. Exclusion criteria included age >18, pre-transplant biliary complications including strictures, leaks, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and previous cholecystectomy. Background information included age, race, and donor type (deceased brain death (DBD), deceased cardiac death (DCD), and living donor transplant (LDT)). 1st and 2nd ERCP data included biliary complications. Analysis was performed using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.

*Results: 320 patients received a liver transplantation over the course of academic years 2015 (Y1, n=36), 2016 (Y2, n=29), and 2017 (Y3, n=29) respectively. 63.8% were male, 72.3% Caucasian, with mean age 57.4 years (range 23-71). Donors were 7.4% LDT, 78.7% DBD, and 13.8% DCD. ERCP was performed on an average of 1.97 months from transplant and an average of 2.96 times per patient. Patients undergoing ERCP for Y1 was 35.6%, Y2 23.2%, and Y3 31.5% of total transplantations (p=0.111). Initial ERCP showed abnormal findings in 90.2% including strictures (76.1%), biliary sludge (28%), stones (16.1%) and bile leak (7.5%). 80% required a follow up ERCP, with 65.8% having persistence of initial findings requiring repeat treatment. 28.6% of patients with bile leak who underwent repeat ERCP had persistent leak. Presence of biliary complications did not significantly increase mortality. Death among patients receiving ERCP was 8.5% versus 8.0% of those not needing ERCP (p=0.871). Repeat biliary surgery was needed in 4.3% (p=0.054), 42.9% (p=0.008), and 20% (p=0.081) of patients with strictures, bile leak and stones on initial ERCP respectively. Death among patients with stricture, bile leak and biliary stones was 4/66 (6.1%), 1/7 (14.3%), and 0/15 (0%) respectively. There was no statistical difference between Y1, Y2 and Y3 for overall positive findings on initial ERCP (p=1.000), strictures (p=0.980), bile leak (p=0.886) or stones (p=1.000). There was a trend towards increased bile leak among patients with history of intraoperative thrombectomy versus those without (20% vs 7.5%). There were no differences between LDT, DCD and DBD for overall positive findings on initial ERCP (p=0.814), strictures (p=0.167), bile leak (p=0.575) or stones (p=0.167).

*Conclusions: Initial ERCP when indicated, had a high likelihood of positive findings. Treatment on ERCP was most likely to be needed for patients with a stricture. Biliary complications did not significantly impact death. ERCP alone was able to resolve the biliary issue in the vast majority of patients with abnormal findings.

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Kaur R, Morales IC, Dhillon D, Ilias MS, Nagai S, Venkat D, Yoshida A, Jafri S. Patients With Biliary Complications Following Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Can Be Successfully Managed By Serial Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-pancreatography [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2019; 19 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/patients-with-biliary-complications-following-orthotopic-liver-transplantation-can-be-successfully-managed-by-serial-endoscopic-retrograde-cholangio-pancreatography/. Accessed May 11, 2025.

« Back to 2019 American Transplant Congress

Visit Our Partner Sites

American Transplant Congress (ATC)

Visit the official site for the American Transplant Congress »

American Journal of Transplantation

The official publication for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) »

American Society of Transplantation (AST)

An organization of more than 3000 professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation. »

American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

The society represents approximately 1,800 professionals dedicated to excellence in transplantation surgery. »

Copyright © 2013-2025 by American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Preferences