Factors affecting morbidity and mortality after surgery for obstructive jaundice: A review of 373 patients

Abstract

A retrospective study of 373 patients undergoing surgery for relief of bile duct obstruction identified three independent factors associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. These three factors were: (i) an initial haematocrit of 30% or less; (ii) an initial plasma bilirubin of greater than 200 μmol/l; (iii) a malignant obstructing lesion. The presence of two or all three of these risk factors identified a group of patients with a one third postoperative mortality and it is in this group of patients that preliminary non-operative or definitive non-operative biliary drainage might prove most useful.