General Surgeon Fails to Protect Bile Duct During Gallbladder Surgery

ByMichael Talve, CEO

Updated on

General Surgeon Fails to Protect Bile Duct During Gallbladder Surgery

Case Overview

This case involves a fifty-six-year-old male patient who underwent a single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The procedure was met with some complication as it was noted that the patient had an intrahepatic gallbladder with severe scarring at the triangle of Calot that proved to be a difficult dissection. Postoperatively, the patient was said to be recovering fine and was discharged soon after. The patient was readmitted to the hospital three weeks later for severe pain and jaundice and was noticed to have a large fluid collection that required drainage via ERCP along with a percutaneous left biliary drain placement. A cholangiogram was performed after the drainage which showed significant biliary damage that required referral for an extensive biliary reconstruction procedure.

Questions to the General Surgery expert and their responses

Q1

How often is the bile duct injured during this procedure?

The estimated incidence of bile duct injury in cholecystectomies performed laparoscopically varies from 0.3-2.7%. In contrast, biliary tract injuries were noted to occur in 0.25-0.5% of open cholecystectomies.

Q2

What are the most likely causes?

A major risk factor for bile duct injury is the experience of the surgeon and other risk factors are the presence of aberrant biliary tree anatomy and the presence of local acute or chronic inflammation.

About the expert

This expert has been practicing for about 15 years. Aside from his medical degree, he hold a Masters degree in Health Care Policy and an MBA, which make him ideally suited for this case. He has been an ad hoc reviewer of various medical journals for the general thoracic surgery field. He's won many honors and awards and also served in the military. He's also extremely well published, gives invited presentations, and continues to perform research and investigations.

Expert headshot

E-004465

Specialties:

About the author

Michael Talve, CEO

Michael Talve, CEO

Michael Talve stands at the forefront of legal innovation as the CEO and Managing Director of Expert Institute. Under his leadership, the Expert Institute has established itself as a vital player in the legal technology arena, revolutionizing how lawyers connect with world-class experts and access advanced legal technology. Michael's role involves not only steering the company's strategic direction but also ensuring the delivery of unparalleled intelligence and cutting-edge solutions to legal professionals. His work at Expert Institute has been instrumental in enhancing the capabilities of attorneys in case preparation and execution, making a significant impact on the legal industry's approach to expert consultation and technological integration. Michael's vision and execution have positioned the Expert Institute as a key facilitator in the intersection of law and technology.

Find an expert witness near you

What State is your case in?

What party are you representing?

background image

Subscribe to our newsletter

Join our newsletter to stay up to date on legal news, insights and product updates from Expert Institute.