Sepsis in the management of complicated biliary disorders.

Postoperative sepsis developed in 72 per cent of 25 patients with noncalculous proximal biliary tract obstruction. Six episodes of shock and one death resulted. Twenty-eight per cent of septic events occurred despite the administration of prophylactic antibiotics. The incidence of septic complications was similar regardless of the biliary drainage procedure used. Despite the advent of broad spectrum antibiotics and improved surgical techniques for biliary decompression, sepsis remains a serious and frequent complication in patients with chronic bile duct obstruction.