Objective: To determine the influence of biliary drainage catheter placement on bile duct wall thickness, we performed intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) in patients before and after biliary drainage.
Methods: Patients underwent IDUS before and after either short-term (n = 9, 6 to 8 days) or long-term (n = 9, 14 to 35 days) biliary drainage using a thin (2.0 mm diameter), 20 MHz probe inserted by means of a transpapillary route or a percutaneous tract. The bile duct wall thickness (mean +/- standard deviation) was retrospectively measured at the upper portion of the common hepatic duct.
Results: The bile duct wall thickness increased from 0.8+/-0.4 mm (predrainage) to 2.0+/-1.6 mm (post-drainage) in the long-term group (p < 0.001) but was not significantly increased in the short-term group.
Conclusions: The bile duct wall thickness as measured on IDUS appears to be increased after placement of biliary drainage catheters.