A case of rare obstructive jaundice induced by concealed displacement of T-tube

Abstract

We present the case of a 32-year-old woman who was ultimately diagnosed with obstructive jaundice. She exhibited persist jaundice, liver dysfunction with normal drainage of T-tube (400–500 ml per day), and normal stools. Prior to her admission to our department, she had undergone a cholecystectomy and T-tube placement following common bile duct exploration for cholelithiasis. Although her serum bilirubin levels initially decreased post-surgery, it rose sharply after T-tube cholangiography. The diagnosis remained unclear until we performed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which revealed that the obstructive jaundice was induced by improper T-tube placement. There were few such presentations reported before, and it’s particularly unusual to encounter jaundice following T-tube placement. Moreover, diagnosing and treating this condition can be challenging when T-tube drainage appears normal. Thus, our case report provides a unique contribution to the literature on obstructive jaundice.