Abstract
The interventional radiologist plays an increasing role in the management of patients
with benign biliary disease. This article summarizes the percutaneous management of
patients with benign biliary strictures and includes a discussion of currently available
techniques. The techniques of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and biliary
drainage will be reviewed. This includes anatomic and technical considerations of
the right mid-axillary and left subxyphoid percutaneous approaches, a review of percutaneous
dilation of biliary strictures, and the management of patients with chronic indwelling
biliary drainage catheters (i.e., periodic catheter exchanges, catheter flushing,
etc). The article concludes with a discussion of biliary drainage catheters and the
clinical and physiological parameters used in making a decision to remove the tube.
