©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Hepatol. Jan 27, 2021; 13(1): 66-79
Published online Jan 27, 2021. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i1.66
Published online Jan 27, 2021. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i1.66
Post-liver transplant biliary complications: Current knowledge and therapeutic advances
Irina Boeva, Ivan Tishkov, Department of Interventional Gastroenterology, Acibadem City Clinic Tokuda Hospital, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
Petko Ivanov Karagyozov, Department of Interventional Gastroenterology, Clinic of Gastroenterology, Acibadem City Clinic Tokuda Hospital, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to this paper.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Petko Karagyozov has received fees for proctoring SpyGlass DS procedures from Boston Scientific Corp.
Corresponding author: Petko Ivanov Karagyozov, MD, PhD, Chief Doctor, Department of Interventional Gastroenterology, Clinic of Gastroenterology, Acibadem City Clinic Tokuda Hospital, 51B N. Vapzarov Blvd, Sofia 1407, Bulgaria. petko.karagyozov@gmail.com
Received: June 14, 2020
Peer-review started: June 14, 2020
First decision: October 21, 2020
Revised: November 1, 2020
Accepted: December 2, 2020
Article in press: December 2, 2020
Published online: January 27, 2021
Processing time: 226 Days and 8.3 Hours
Peer-review started: June 14, 2020
First decision: October 21, 2020
Revised: November 1, 2020
Accepted: December 2, 2020
Article in press: December 2, 2020
Published online: January 27, 2021
Processing time: 226 Days and 8.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Liver transplantation is the current standard of care for end-stage liver disease. Biliary complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among recipients and despite the advances in surgical techniques they are seen in up to 25% of cases. Surgery, interventional endoscopy and percutaneous approaches are the available therapeutic options. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography when possible is the most recommended therapeutic modality, replacing more aggressive surgical interventions. New techniques such as cholangioscopy overcome many of the limitations of conventional endoscopy. This article discusses the most common post-transplant biliary complications and the advances in treatment modalities.