The value of bile replacement during external biliary drainage - An analysis of intestinal permeability, integrity, and microflora

Objective: To investigate the effect of bile replacement following percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, ie, external drainage, on intestinal permeability, integrity, and microflora in a clinical setting. Summary Background Data: Several authors have reported that internal biliary drainage is superior to external drainage. However, it is unclear whether bile replacement following external drainage is beneficial. Methods: Twenty-five patients with biliary cancer underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) as a part of presurgical management. All externally drained bile was replaced either per os or by administration through a nasoduodenal tube. The interval between PTBD and the beginning of bile replacement was 21.3 +/- 19.7 days, and the length of bile replacement was 20.7 +/- 9.6 days. The lactulose-mannitol test, measurement of serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity, and analyses of fecal microflora and organic acids were performed before and after bile replacement. Results: The volume of externally drained bile varied widely from patient to patient, ranging from 220 +/- 106 mL/d to 1616 +/- 394 mL/d (mean, 714 +/- 346 mL/d). Biliary concentrations of bile acids, cholesterol, and phospholipids increased significantly after bile replacement. The lactulose-mannitol (L/M) ratio decreased from 0.063 +/- 0.060 before bile replacement to 0.038 +/- 0.032 after bile replacement (P < 0.05). Serum DAO activity increased from 3.9 +/- 1.4 U/L before bile replacement to 5.1 +/- 1.6 U/L after bile replacement (P < 0.005), and the magnitude of change in serum DAO activity correlated with the length of bile replacement (r = 0.483, P < 0.05). Neither the L/M ratios nor serum DAO activities before bile replacement correlated with the interval between PTBD and the beginning of bile replacement. Fecal microflora and organic acids were unchanged. Conclusion: Impaired intestinal barrier function does not recover by PTBD without bile replacement. Bile replacement during external biliary drainage can restore the intestinal barrier function in patients with biliary obstruction, primarily due to repair of physical damage to the intestinal mucosa. Our results support the hypothesis that bile replacement during external drainage is beneficial.