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Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram - Risks

Alternative Names

PTCA; Cholangiogram - PTCA

What the risks are:

There is a slight chance of an allergic reaction to the contrast medium (iodine).

There is a slight chance of damage to nearby organs, excessive blood loss, blood poisoning (sepsis), and inflammation of the bile ducts.

Special considerations:

This test has been mostly replaced by an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) test, which can also treat the blockage. This test may be done if an ERCP test cannot be performed or has failed.

A magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a newer, noninvasive imaging method, based on MRI. It provides similar views of the bile ducts, but is not always possible to perform. It cannot be used to treat the blockage.

  • Reviewed last on: 1/31/2011
  • David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jason Levy, MD, Northside Radiology Associates, Atlanta, Georgia. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Lidofsky S. Jaundice. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 20.

Wael E.A. Saad, Michael J. Wallace, Joan C. Wojak, Sanjoy Kundu. Quality Improvement Guidelines for Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography, Biliary Drainage, and Percutaneous Cholecystostomy. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology Vol. 21, Issue 6, Pages June 2010. 789-795.

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