Recovery patterns of liver function after surgical drainage of obstructing biliary system have not been studied properly, particularly after a single-lobe biliary decompression where atrophic-hypertrophic changes of the liver may affect the recovery of liver functions.

Thirty patients with malignant obstructive jaundice had their liver functions evaluated biochemically both 1 week and 1 day preoperatively, and at 4 points postoperatively: 3 days, 1 week, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks. Half of them underwent complete biliary drainage procedures, whereas the remaining half had partial drainage (decompression of the left lobe only by means of segment III duct-enteric bypass).

For those with complete drainage, serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were 40% to 50% of preoperative levels 3 days after surgery (P <0.005), and were about twice the norm at 6 weeks. Their serum total and direct bilirubins (TB, DB) were approximately 60% reduced 1 week after the drainage (P <0.05). For partial drainage, serum AP and GGT decreased by 50% at 1 week (P <0.05), but were still very high 6 weeks after the drainage. The TB and DB decreased significantly 1 week postoperatively, and were three times the norm at 6 weeks. Serum albumin decreased sharply at 3 days and returned to normal levels 3 weeks after either complete or partial biliary drainage. Aminotransferase enzymes responded differently between the two groups. The levels dramatically declined one week after complete drainage and were slightly higher than normal thereafter. Following partial drainage, the enzyme levels were unchanged throughout the study period.

Complete biliary drainage can nearly normalize the liver functions by 6 weeks, and biliary drainage of one lobe of the liver can effectively recover the liver functions.