Biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation in rats

We recently experienced a high frequency of biliary complications after ort hotopic liver transplantation in rats (22 of 25 cases (88%): biloma, 20 cas es; biliary peritonitis, 2 cases). These complications seemed to be rare in general, but some researchers reported such cases and addressed them mainl y through rearterialization. The biliary complications we encountered were found to be associated with necrosis of the donor bile duct and an opportun istic infection of Enterobacteriaceae. After administering appropriate anti biotics, the complications significantly diminished (2 of 25 eases (8%), P = 0.0001). The nonarterialized bile duct, which becomes ischemic soon after liver transplantation, appears to be susceptible to infections. Such oppor tunistic infections may prevent the development of arterial collaterals, ca using bile duct necrosis and the subsequent leakage of bile juice, When bil iary complications frequently occur after nonarterialized fiver transplanta tion in rats, the possibility of an opportunistic infection should thus be considered.