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THE DEVELOPMENT of hemorrhage in the common bile duct consequent to an indwelling T-tube is one of the more serious complications of biliary surgery. Though rare, it is of importance to surgeons because it is a distressing and dangerous condition which can be combated at times only by surgical measures. A review of the literature reveals the infrequency with which this condition has been observed and reported. Its chief interest, however, lies not in its relative infrequency but in the mechanism of its formation and the dire consequences which may follow this condition if left unrecognized and untreated.
Our interest in this subject was aroused by two cases with massive bleeding from the common bile duct attributed solely to the presence of an indwelling T-tube within the duct. The bleeding in each instance was detected soon after the blood found its way through the tube to the outside. We believe