Hemobilia: another complication associated with anti-thrombotic therapy

Abstract

It is generally accepted that anti-thrombotic therapy increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, and concurrent therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor is the standard treatment for patients receiving aspirin. Therefore, much attention has been paid to the prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding in such patients; however, it should be noted that patients on anti-thrombotic therapy always carry a risk of hemorrhage from any organ, including the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we present a case with formation of a common bile duct stone caused by hemobilia associated with anti-thrombotic therapy. This case suggests that we need to be aware of the possibility of intrabiliary hemorrhage as well as gastrointestinal bleeding in patients receiving anti-thrombotic therapy. Patients with such complications show a variety of symptoms including liver abscess, cholangitis, pancreatitis, and duodenal bleeding.