Abstract
To examine the bacterial characteristics of bile, 51 patients treated with ERBD were studied. Some bacterial strains were found to invade into the bile after the procedure of ERBD in all cases. Enterococcus and intestinal flora were the most frequently observed ones and anaerobes were found in 8.4%. Number of bacterial strains and bacteria quantity in bile had no relation to drainage period. Soon after the ERBD tube insertion, several bacterial strains were found in bile, but they had no tendency to be increased with time in cases where no obstruction of ERBD tube occurred. In patients with longstanding ERBD, bacterial strains had changed frequently in number, which indicated the evolution of resistance to some antibiotics previously effective. Therefore, at present, it is important for keeping patency of the tubes to wash ERBD tube or to exchange ERBD tube periodically.
