Pre-operative preparation
For all patients, full medical history, clinical examination, routine laboratory investigations including liver function tests were performed. Imaging studies were also carried out in the form of abdominal ultrasonography (US), computerized tomography scan (CT) of the abdomen and magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) if indicated.Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed in most cases whether for diagnosis or therapeutic trial. All cases received low molecular weight heparin (Clexane