[Hemobilia (author's transl)].

Hemobilia is a syndrome caused by hemorrhage into the biliary ducts. It is characterized by colicky pains, jaundice, and intestinal bleeding; a correct diagnosis of this syndrome is made rather rarely. The most common cause is trauma; inflammatory or tumorous disease of the liver and bile duct system, bile stones and aneurysms of the hepatic artery are rarer causes. The diagnosis can be established and the arterio-biliary fistula localized by selective arteriography. A case is described, which shows, that, in addition, duodenoscopy with retrograde cholangiography is of diagnostic value. Other helpful diagnostic procedures are: splenoportography, liver scanning, and intraoperative cholangiography. Therapy must be surgical exclusively; palliative operations lead to high rates of relapses and letality. Best results are achieved by ligature of the hepatic artery in cases of central, or by partial resection of the liver in cases of peripheral localization of the fistula.