Vol. 5, Issue 4, Part A (2019)

Abstract
Bile leaks post laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an infrequent but quite feared complication for surgeons. Surgery was previously regarded as the gold standard approach to these cases but with advent of newer modalities of biliary endoscopic treatment, there has been a wide shift in general approach to manage this dreaded complication. In this study we evaluated the best modality of treatment for managing post laparoscopic cholecystectomy bile leak by endoscopic biliary procedures, percutaneous biliary drainage and open surgical treatment wherever applicable. We got most patients sufficed with endoscopic sphincterotomy with or without stenting or percutaneous drainage or by conservative management. The endoscopic method was effective and successful in managing most of the cases with post laparoscopic cholecystectomy bile leak. Endoscopic treatment can easily substitute surgery in all cases of simple bile leak however complex bile leaks should be managed following a protocol combining endoscopic and surgical methods.