COMMON BILE-DUCT STENOSIS CAUSED BY CHRONIC-PANCREATITIS AFTER LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION FOR ALCOHOLIC CIRRHOSIS

Background. The prevalence of chronic pancreatitis in patients with al coholic cirrhosis ranges from 7% to 11% and is not considered a contra indication for liver transplantation. Methods. Among 59 liver transpla nt recipients grafted for alcoholic cirrhosis, we report two observati ons of common bile duct stenosis due to chronic pancreatitis. Results. In both cases, pretransplant work-up disclosed no clinical or radiolo gical evidence of chronic pancreatitis. The diagnosis of common bile d uct stricture was made 6 and 60 months after liver transplantation. On e patient was reoperated upon, and his choledochocholedochostomy was c onverted into a Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy. The second patient ex perienced metastatic laryngeal carcinoma and died before reoperation. Conclusions. These observations suggest that common bile duct strictur e caused by chronic pancreatitis may occur after liver transplantation for alcoholic cirrhosis, even after a long-standing history of abstin ence.