[Non-surgical biliary drainage for cholelithiasis].

Non-operative methods to treat obstructive jaundice and cholangitis caused by cholelithiasis are endoscopic and percutaneous biliary drainage. Usually, endoscopic papillotomy and stone removal by basket catheter is available for treating choledocholithiasis. It is necessary to place a drainage catheter into the bile duct in patients who have severe cholangitis or remaining stones. On the other hand, percutaneous biliary drainage is useful in case of emergency and in patients reconstructed by the Billroth II method. Biliary drainage is necessary to treat severe cholangitis as soon as possible, for it sometimes causes endotoxin shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and multiple organ failure (MOF).