Subcapsular liver hematoma after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in a liver transplant recipient

Abstract

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is commonly performed in patients after liver transplantation. The most common indications for ERCP include treatment of bile leaks and anastomotic and nonanastomotic biliary strictures. In this report we describe an unusual complication of ERCP in a liver transplant recipient with a bile leak two months after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). After confirming a bile leak, a hydrophilic guide wire was placed in the intrahepatic duct, an endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed, and a biliary plastic stent was successfully placed over the wire across the bile leak. Within the following 24 hours the patient developed a sharp right-sided upper quadrant pain and a drop in his hemoglobin level. An abdominal CT scan demonstrated a subcapsular hepatic hematoma that was successfully managed conservatively.

Keywords

• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• subcapsular hepatic hematoma
• liver transplantation
• bile leak
• biliary complications