Fully covered self-expandable metallic stents in the management of complex biliary leaks: preliminary data – a case series

Biliary leaks typically occur following traumatic injury [1] [2] or surgical intervention, such as cholecystectomy, partial hepatic resection, and liver transplantation. A clinically significant postoperative bile leak occurs in 0.1 % – 0.5 % of open cholecystectomies [3], 0.8 % – 2 % of laparoscopic cholecystectomies [3] [4] [5] [6], about 12 % of cadaveric liver transplantations [7], and 6 % – 14 % of hepatic resections [8].