Radiology, Vol 146, 643-645, Copyright © 1983 by Radiological Society of North America
Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with the Chiba needle in patients with biliary calculi
P Juttijudata, C Palavatana, C Chiemchaisri and S Churnratanakul
In a prospective study, 276 consecutive patients were evaluated using
percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) with a Chiba needle prior
to surgery for cholestasis. Biliary calculi were diagnosed in 109 patients.
The success rate was 92.4% overall, 93.6% among patients with biliary
calculi, 83.3% in those with cholelithiasis, 97.3% in those with
choledocholithiasis, and 100.0% in those with intrahepatic stones. The
overall morbidity rate was 4.6%, including hemoperitoneum in 1.8% and bile
leakage in 2.8%. There were no deaths. This technique offers a more
definitive diagnosis than noninvasive procedures, especially with small
calculi, but is also more traumatic. PTC may play an important role when
noninvasive methods are inconclusive or in difficult cases, particularly
following surgery on the common bile duct.
