Palliative percutaneous transhepatic drainage for inoperable obstructive jaundice.

A technique of percutaneous transhepatic drainage under local anaesthesia is described for the relief of intractable pruritus in patients with obstructive jaundice due to inoperable carcinoma. After standard percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography a polyethylene catheter is introduced into one of the large dilated bile ducts and left in situ, thereby establishing external retrograde biliary drainage. The technique has been used successfully in 6 cases with reduction in serum bilirubin levels and relief of pruritus.