Alternative Techniques for Cannulation of Biliary Strictures Resistant to the 0.035" System Following Living Donor Liver Transplantation

OBJECTIVE To assess the clinical efficacy of alternative techniques for biliary stricture cannulation in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), after cannulation failure with a conventional (0.035-inch guidewire) technique. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Of 293 patients with biliary strictures after LDLT, 19 (6%) patients, 11 men and 8 women of mean age 48.5 years, had the failed cannulation of the stricture by conventional techniques. Recannulation was attempted by using two alternative methods, namely a micro-catheter set via percutaneous access and a snare (rendezvous) technique using percutaneous and endoscopic approaches. RESULTS Strictures were successfully cannulated in 16 (84%) of the 19 patients. A microcatheter set was used in 12 and a snare technique in four patients. Stricture cannulation failed in the remaining three patients, who finally underwent surgical revision. CONCLUSION Most technical failures using a conventional technique for biliary stricture cannulation after LDLT can be overcome by using a microcatheter set or a snare (rendezvous) technique.