Rendezvous procedure for the treatment of bile leaks and injury following segmental hepatectomy

Abstract

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a minimally invasive procedure used for the evaluation and management of biliary injuries. At times, ERCP fails and percutaneous modalities may be required. Rendezvous procedures are combined endoscopic and percutaneous techniques that have been used to restore anatomic continuity and biliary drainage in cases where retrograde and/or transhepatic access alone has failed either due to anatomic variation or traumatic injury with biloma formation.

Aims: To assess if the Rendezvous technique plays a role in establishing biliary continuity in patients with a bile leak after segmental hepatectomy.

Methods: We herby present a series of 3 patients who had complex bile leaks after segmental liver resection and underwent a combined percutaneous and endoscopic Rendezvous procedure to establish biliary continuity.

Results: This technique was successful in restoring biliary continuity and avoiding hepaticojejunostomy in 2 of the 3 patients.

Conclusion: The Rendezvous technique may play a role in establishing biliary continuity in patients with biliary leak secondary to hepatic surgery.