PERIODIC BILE CULTURES AND IRRIGATION OF THE EXTERNAL JEJUNOSTOMY FORCHOLANGITIS IN BILIARY ATRESIA

We retrospectively investigated the use of periodic bile cultures and irrigation of the external jejunostomy for prevention or treatment of postoperative cholangitis in 11 infants who had undergone the Suruga I I modification with external jejunostomy for biliary atresia. Periodic cultures obtained from bile in the external jejunostomy were done wee kly in all patients. Staphylococci were first cultured 1 week after op eration, followed by intestinal flora such as enterococci, Pseudomonas , Klebsiella, or Enterobacter: Most of the cultures revealed two or mo re microorganisms. Susceptibility testing indicated the effective anti biotics for the treatment of each case of cholangitis. Therefore, peri odic bile cultures and irrigation of the external jejunostomy provide important information for prevention or treatment of postoperative cho langitis, especially in the early postoperative period.