ePoster
Talk Description
Institution: Canterbury Hospital - NSW, Australia
Purpose: Anatomical variants of the biliary tree are common however, an important consideration in patients with gallbladder pathology is the duct of Luschka. Here we present a case of a 40 year-old female who presented with cholecystitis and post laparoscopic cholecystectomy, was found to have a bile leak from the duct of Luschka.
Methodology: This case report was collated using data from the electronic medical record, including investigations and documentation that was retrospectively analysed.
Results: This patient initially presented to the emergency department with five days of right upper quadrant pain and anorexia. She had a background of reflux and known gallstones. Otherwise well. On presentation, an abdominal ultrasound was performed which demonstrated cholelithiasis and cholecystitis and subsequent, she underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intra-operative cholangiogram (IOC) which was completed with no issues. Post-operative day three, she was reviewed for pain crisis on the ward and investigated with a CT cholangiogram. This demonstrated a bile leak from the gallbladder bed, suspicious for duct of Luschka injury. As such, she underwent a laparoscopic washout and transferred to a larger centre for an ERCP where a 10Fr straight plastic stent was deployed. She made a good recovery, and this stent was removed approximately three weeks later.
Conclusion: While the duct of Luschka is a known anatomical variant of the bile duct, it is not routinely identified pre-operatively and is at risk during gallbladder dissections. Review of anatomical imaging does not always reveal this duct and as such, post-operative complications should be monitored and injury to accessory ducts and anatomical variants should be considered for timely management.
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Authors
Dr Fatema Mohammed Ali - , Dr Jay Abeysinghe -
