Abstract

• Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD) is an effective nonsurgical method for combined external/interal catheter decompression of obstructed extrahepatic bile ducts.
  In the past 41 months, 17 patients have undergone PTBD in our institution.
  The results were as follows :
  1) The male to female ratio was 1.4 : 1, and the 7th decade was the most common.
  2) The cause of obstructive jaundice included 16 malignant diseases, and 1 benign disease. Maligant disease were 6 cases of metastases, 5 cases of bile duct cancer, 3 cases of pancreas cancer, and 2 cases of GB cancer. Benign disease was 1 case of benign bile duct stricture.
  3) The most common indication was palliative drainage of obstruction secondary to malignant tumor in 16 patients.
  4) Decline in serum bilirubin level was found in 13 patients with the most rapid decline within first week after the procedure.
  5) Complication rate of the procedure was 20%.