[The symptom hemobilia (author's transl)].

A 46-year-old woman with a histologically, immunoserologically and biochemically confirmed chronic destructive non-suppurative cholangitis in the stage of incipient primary biliary cirrhosis developed an erosive, hemorrhagic cholangitis of obscure etiology with massive life-threatening bleeding from the biliary tracts. Hemobilia could be diagnosed endoscopically and confirmed by exploratory laparotomy. Postoperatively the biliary tracts were washed out with Tachostyptan, Ugurol and Trasylol through a T drain. The bleeding stopped within 48 hours and has not recurred since.