SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF RECURRENT CHOLANGITIS WITH ANTIBIOTIC MAINTENANCE THERAPY

The impact of antibiotic maintenance therapy on the incidence of bilia ry tract infection was evaluated in patients with recurrent cholangiti s after resection of a malignancy at the hepatic confluence. Thirty-ei ght of 54 patients (70 %) experienced episodes of cholangitis. In 14 o f the 38 patients recurrent episodes of cholangitis caused a severe in terruption of their daily life. These 14 were selected for antibiotic maintenance therapy. During maintenance therapy six patients experienc ed no further episodes of cholangitis and five patients a marked decre ase in the frequency of episodes, while in three patients no improveme nt was seen. Antibiotic maintenance therapy can be highly successful i n the treatment of recurrent cholangitis after resection of a malignan cy at the hepatic hilum.