The authors assessed the efficacy of PTBD in a group of 72 patients with obstructive jaundice due to lithiasis or malignant obstruction, that underwent preoperatively PTBD procedure. They analysed the early and late complications and its effectiveness in decreasing the bilirubin levels. The results, in agreement with the most recent reports, suggest the uselessness of the preoperative PTBD in the treatment of the patients with a jaundice due to a biliary lithiasis. Concerning the patients with a neoplastic jaundice, this procedure seems to be more effective in the patients with a biliary obstruction due to pancreatic head or distal choledochus carcinoma: in the patients with a far advanced cancer, the PTBD procedure could be the first step to the insertion of biliary endoprosthesis; on the other hand, in the patients that may undergo a curative treatment, PTBD could be useful preoperatively both to reach an adequate water-electrolyte [correction of hydroelectrolithic] balance and nutritional status both to complete the diagnostic procedure.
