Life-threatening biliary complications after percutaneous nephro-lithotomy: a case report.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is an option for the management of kidney stones. Rarely, life-threatening complications occur. A case of severe necrosis of the extrahepatic biliary tree after percutaneous neprolithotomy is hereby reported. A 55 years old woman underwent an emergency nephrectomy for bleeding the day after this procedure. One week later she developed an acute abdomen due to biliary peritonitis originating from necrosis of the choledochus and associated duodenal perforation. External biliary derivation, duodenal exclusion and gastro-jejunal anastomosis were carried out. Putative risk factors are in the following discussed.