Bile leaks are a rare but serious complication of gallbladder surgery. If a bile duct is damaged during surgery, bile may leak into the abdominal cavity, causing extreme pain. Bile leaks are often corrected by placing a stent (narrow tube) in the duct to keep bile from escaping while the duct heals.
Biliary reconstruction describes a variety of surgical procedures that are performed to rebuild damaged portions of the biliary system. Some conditions that may require biliary reconstruction include bile duct obstructions and bile duct leaks. Such reconstruction can be performed using interventional radiology or ERCP.
