Spontaneous biliary perforation in a child: case report and review

Abstract

Spontaneous perforation of the external biliary tract is an extremely rare pathology in childhood, presented in the literature by description of clinical cases. To date, a unified approach to the treatment of children with this pathology has not been developed. The paper presents a clinical case of spontaneous perforation of the anterior wall of the common hepatic duct in a child of seven months, with the development of bilioperitoneum against the background of obstruction of the common bile duct by bilirubin calculi. CASE REPORT. The disease began acutely with repeated vomiting, stool acholia, dark urine, and an increase in the size of the abdomen in a 7-month-old child. Examination in the hospital revealed ascites, cholecystitis and shadows of calculi in the projection of the hepatoduodenal ligament. According to the results of laparocentesis, bilioperitoneum was noted. The patient underwent laparotomy, 300 ml of serous-biliary effusion was removed from the abdominal cavity. On the anterior semicircle of the common hepatic duct there is a defect from which bile flows. Suturing of the perforation of the biliary tree, cholecystectomy and drainage of the external bile ducts through the stump of the cystic duct were performed. The cholangiostomy was removed after 1.5 months. Follow-up 1 year and 3 months, pathology is not determined during the examination. CONCLUSIONS. Sewing up the site of primary perforation with drainage of the external biliary tract can help accelerate the reparative process with a decrease in the risk of developing a biliary fistula. Performing primary reconstructive interventions on the abdominal cavity compromised by bilioperitoneum, in our opinion, is too risky.