Introduction
Liver injury is common in patients with abdominal trauma
[1]. Early deaths in patients with liver trauma are often
related to uncontrolled bleeding and associated injuries.
Later deaths are predominantly related to septic complications.
In the majority of patients with blunt abdominal
trauma, hepatic bleeding stops spontaneously or can be
stopped with abdominal packing [2]. This perihepatic
packing is a safe damage control maneuver which
improves survival [3–7]. However, it leaves parenchymal
damage untreated and may lead to persistent low-volume
hemorrhage, abscesses, hemobilia, and bile leaks [8].
Three types of acute complications following biliary
trauma are biloma, biliary fistula, and bilhemia. The incidence
of post-traumatic biliary complications vary from 4
to 22 % [8–10]. Bilhemia occurs in1 % of liver trauma
patients [11, 12].
Some bile duct injuries will be obvious intra-operatively,
with significant bile staining and a visible disrupted
bile duct. However, it may be difficult to diagnose the
presence of traumatic bile leak during operation [13].