Abstract:Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in management of biliary complications after liver transplantation. Methods: The clinical data of 8 patients undergoing ERCP for biliary complications after liver transplantation between August 2002 and December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the patients, 5 cases had biliary stricture (4 cases of anastomotic biliary stricture and one case of intrahepatic biliary stricture), one case had developed bile leakage, and 2 cases had biliary calculi and biliary sludge. ERCP was performed 21 times in the 8 patients, and was combined with endoscopic sphincterotomy, dilation of the bile duct, nasobiliary drainage and stent placement for those with biliary stricture, with endoscopic nasobiliary drainage and placement of plastic stent for the one with bile leakage, and with endoscopic sphincterotomy, nasobiliary drainage and stone extraction via basket for the two cases with bile duct stones. Results: ERCP was successfully carried out 21 times (100% success rate). The 4 patients with anastomotic biliary stricture, one patient with bile leakage and 2 patients with bile duct stones were all cured after ERCP, but there was one treatment failure in the patient with intrahepatic biliary stricture, for whom a second liver transplantation was recommended. The incidence of biliary tract infection and pancreatitis after ERCP was 14.3% (3/21) and 19.0% (4/21) respectively, which were all resolved after symptomatic treatments. Conclusion: ERCP is a minimally invasive, safe and effective treatment modality for biliary complications following liver transplantation.