Usefulness of the rendezvous technique for biliary stricture after adult right-lobe living-donor liver transplantation with duct-to-duct anastomosis

Background/aims: Replacement of a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) catheter with inside stents using endoscopic retrograde cholangiography is difficult in patients with angulated or twisted biliary anastomotic stricture after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We evaluated the usefulness and safety of the rendezvous technique for the management of biliary stricture after LDLT.

Methods: Twenty patients with PTBD because of biliary stricture after LDLT with duct-to-duct anastomosis underwent the placement of inside stents using the rendezvous technique.

Results: Inside stents were successfully placed in the 20 patients using the rendezvous technique. The median procedure time was 29.6 (range, 7.5-71.8) minutes. The number of inside stents placed was one in 12 patients and two in eight patients. One mild acute pancreatitis and one acute cholangitis occurred, which improved within a few days. Inside stent related sludge or stone was identified in 12 patients during follow-up. Thirteen patients achieved stent-free status for a median of 281 (range, 70-1,351) days after removal of the inside stents.

Conclusions: The rendezvous technique is a useful and safe method for the replacement of PTBD catheter with inside stent in patients with biliary stricture after LDLT with duct-to-duct anastomosis. The rendezvous technique could be recommended to patients with angulated or twisted strictures.