Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) in surgical emergencies.

Twelve patients, presenting with an acute abdomen of suspected biliary tract origin, had endoscopic retrograde cholangiography performed. Eight patients had either traumatic, spontaneous, or postoperative biliary tract fistulas with five leading to the peritoneal cavity, one to the colon, one to the bronchial tree, and one to the liver parenchyma from a ruptured gall-bladder. Each was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. Four patients with jaundice, following traumatic rupture of the liver, had a pathological communication between the intrahepatic biliary tracts and the hepatic vascular system. It is concluded that ERC is a reliable method for obtaining precise localization of biliary tract problems in surgical emergencies both pre- and post-operatively.