Diagnosis and treatment of mucobilia: report of 8 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To better understand mucobilia as well as its diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS: The etiological factors, diagnosis, and treatment of 8 patients with mucobilia were discussed.

RESULTS: Mucobilia characterized by copious mucin secretion in the extrahepatic bile duct resulted in obstructive jaundice and cholangitis. Four patients receiving curative resection of primary lesions were free from jaundice and cholangitis while the other 4 who had had palliative biliary drainage showed persistent symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS: Mucobilia is attributable to biliary mucous metaplasia, and benign or malignant biliary tumors. Cholangioscopy and biopsy can offer precise information about the location and extension of the primary lesion. The best choice of treatment is curative resection of the primary lesion.