Lesiones iatrogénicas de las vías biliares / Iatrogenic lesions of the biliary tract

Las lesiones iatrogénicas de las vías biliares (LIVB) representan una complicación quirúrgica grave de la colecistectomía laparoscópica (CL). Ocurre frecuentemente cuando se confunde el conducto biliar con el conducto cístico; y han sido clasificados por Strasberg y Bismuth, según el grado y nivel de la lesión. Alrededor del tercio de las LIVB se reconocen durante la CL, al detectar fuga biliar. No es recomendable su reparación inmediata, especialmente cuando la lesión está próxima a la confluencia o existe inflamación asociada. El drenaje debe establecerse para controlar la fuga de bilis y prevenir la peritonitis biliar, antes de transferir al paciente a un establecimiento especializado en cirugía hepatobiliar compleja. En pacientes que no son reconocidos intraoperatoriamente, las LIVB manifiestan tardíamente fiebre postoperatoria, dolor abdominal, peritonitis o ictericia obstructiva. Si existe fuga biliar, debe hacerse una colangiografía percutánea para definir la anatomía biliar y controlar la fuga mediante stent biliar percutáneo. La reparación se realiza seis a ocho semanas después de estabilizar al paciente. Si hay obstrucción biliar, la colangiografía y drenaje biliar están indicados para controlar la sepsis antes de la reparación. El objetivo es restablecer el flujo de bilis al tracto gastrointestinal para impedir la formación de litos, estenosis, colangitis y cirrosis biliar. La hepáticoyeyunostomía con anastomosis en Y de Roux termino-lateral sin stents biliares a largo plazo, es la mejor opción para la reparación de la mayoría de las lesiones del conducto biliar común.

Iatrogenic bile duct injuries (IBDI) represent a serious surgical complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Often it occurs when the bile duct merges with the cystic duct; and they have been ranked by Strasberg and Bismuth, depending on the degree and level of injury. About third of IBDI recognized during LC, to detect bile leakage. No immediate repair is recommended, especially when the lesion is near the confluence or inflammation is associated. The drain should be established to control leakage of bile and prevent biliary peritonitis, before transferring the patient to a specialist in complex hepatobiliary surgery facility. In patients who are not recognized intraoperatively, the IBDI manifest late postoperative fever, abdominal pain, peritonitis or obstructive jaundice. If there is bile leak, percutaneous cholangiography should be done to define the biliary anatomy, and control leakage through percutaneous biliary stent. The repair is performed six to eight weeks after patient stabilization. If there is biliary obstruction, cholangiography and biliary drainage are indicated to control sepsis before repair. The ultimate aim is to restore the flow of bile into the gastrointestinal tract to prevent the formation of calculi, stenosis, cholangitis and biliary cirrhosis. Hepatojejunostomy with Roux-Y anastomosis termino-lateral without biliary stents long term, is the best choice for the repair of most common bile duct injury.

Diagnóstico y tratamiento del quiste del colédoco neonatal. Reporte de casos / Diagnosis and treatment strategy of neonatal choledochal cyst: Cases Report

Se reportan 2 casos de quiste de colédoco neonatal sintomáticos, uno de ellos con diagnóstico prenatal, que fueron llevados a tratamiento quirúrgico, realizando la resección de quiste del colédoco, derivación bilioentérica tipo hepático-yeyuno anastomosis en Y de Roux y colocación de drenaje de Penrose. En seguimiento de 20 meses en promedio con adecuada evolución.

We report two cases of symptomatc neonatal choledochal cysts, one of them prenatally diagnosed, who had surgical treatment with choledochal cyst resecton and Roux en Y hepato-jejunal anastomosis and Penrose drain. Follow up at 20 months (average) with good outcomes.

Clinical Significance of Biliary Dilatation and Cholelithiasis after Subtotal Gastrectomy / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The well-organized study to support that increased cholelithiasis and bile duct dilatation can occur after gastrectomy has not been reported. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of cholelithiasis and the degree of common bile duct (CBD) dilatation in patients undergoing subtotal gastrectomy, compared to those undergoing endoscopic treatment for gastric cancer. METHODS: Patients who diagnosed with gastric cancer and received treatment at six academic referral centers were investigated for the incidence and time of cholelithiasis and the degree of CBD dilatation after treatment by analysis of 5-year follow-up CTs. The operation group underwent subtotal gastrectomy without vagotomy, while in the control group endoscopic treatment was administered for gastric cancer. RESULTS: A total of 802 patients were enrolled in 5-year analysis (735 patients in the operation group and 67 patients in the control group). Cholelithiasis occurred in 47 patients (6.39%) in the operation group and 3 patients (4.48%) in the control group (p=0.7909). The incidences of cholelithiasis were 4.28% in Billoth-I and 7.89% in Billoth-II (p=0.0487). The diameter of proximal CBD and distal CBD increased by 1.11 mm and 1.41 mm, respectively, in the operation group, compared to 0.4 mm and 0.38 mm, respectively, in the control group (p<0.05). Patients with increased CBD dilatation more than 5 mm showed statistically significant increases in alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyltransferase. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of cholelithiasis was not increased due to subtotal gastrectomy without vagotomy, but the incidence was higher after Billoth-II compared to Billoth-I. In addition, significant change in the CBD diameter was observed after subtotal gastrectomy.

Ultrasonographic Diagnosis of Biliary Atresia Based on a Decision-Making Tree Model

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic value of various ultrasound (US) findings and to make a decision-tree model for US diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2008 to January 2014, the following US findings were retrospectively evaluated in 100 infants with cholestatic jaundice (BA, n = 46; non-BA, n = 54): length and morphology of the gallbladder, triangular cord thickness, hepatic artery and portal vein diameters, and visualization of the common bile duct. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the features that would be useful in predicting BA. Conditional inference tree analysis was used to generate a decision-making tree for classifying patients into the BA or non-BA groups. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that abnormal gallbladder morphology and greater triangular cord thickness were significant predictors of BA (p = 0.003 and 0.001; adjusted odds ratio: 345.6 and 65.6, respectively). In the decision-making tree using conditional inference tree analysis, gallbladder morphology and triangular cord thickness (optimal cutoff value of triangular cord thickness, 3.4 mm) were also selected as significant discriminators for differential diagnosis of BA, and gallbladder morphology was the first discriminator. The diagnostic performance of the decision-making tree was excellent, with sensitivity of 100% (46/46), specificity of 94.4% (51/54), and overall accuracy of 97% (97/100). CONCLUSION: Abnormal gallbladder morphology and greater triangular cord thickness (> 3.4 mm) were the most useful predictors of BA on US. We suggest that the gallbladder morphology should be evaluated first and that triangular cord thickness should be evaluated subsequently in cases with normal gallbladder morphology.

Clinical Characteristics of Autoimmune Pancreatitis / 대한소화기학회지

Korean autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) criteria 2007 was aimed to diagnose the wide spectrum of AIP with high sensitivity. The most crucial issue when caring for patients with suspected AIP is to differentiate AIP from pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer can be distinguished from AIP by pancreatic imaging, measurement of serum IgG4 levels, endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration and trucut biopsy, and steroid trial. Autoimmune pancreatitis is a rare systemic fibroinflammatory disease which can affect not only the pancreas, but also a variety of organs such as the bile ducts, salivary glands, retroperitoneum, and lymph nodes. Organs affected by AIP have a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate rich in IgG4-positive cells. This inflammatory process responds dramatically to oral steroid therapy. Granulocytic epithelial lesion (GEL) positive AIP patients differ from GEL negative AIP patients in clinical features such as equal gender ratio, younger mean age, no increase in serum IgG4, no association with extrapancreatic involvement, no relapse, and frequent association with inflammatory bowel disease. Further investigation is needed to clarify the pathogenic mechanisms including more definite serological markers for theses two entities.

A Case of Clonorchiasis Presenting as Common Bile Duct Mass / 대한소화기학회지

No abstract available.

Fatal Biliary-Systemic Air Embolism during Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: A Case with Multifocal Liver Abscesses and Choledochoduodenostomy

We report a rare case of a massive fatal embolism that occurred in the middle of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and retrospectively examine the significant causes of the event. The patient was a 50-year old female with an uncertain history of previous abdominal surgery for multiple biliary stones 20 years prior. The patient presented with acute right upper quadrant pain. An abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed the presence of multiple stones in the common bile duct (CBD) and intra-hepatic duct (IHD) with biliary obstruction, multifocal liver abscesses, and air-biliarygram. Emergency ERCP showed a wide and straight opening of choledochoduodenostomy, which may have been created during a previous surgery, and multiple filling defects in the CBD. With the use of a forward endoscope, mud stones were extracted through the opening of the choledochoduodenostomy. Cardiac arrest suddenly developed during the procedure, and despite immediate resuscitation, the patient died due to a massive systemic air embolism. We reviewed previously reported fatal cases and accessed factors facilitating air embolisms in this case.

Risk Factors for Recurrent Bile Duct Stones after Endoscopic Clearance of Common Bile Duct Stones / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to explore the risk factors contributing to the recurrence of common bile duct (CBD) stones after successful endoscopic stone clearance, focused on the anatomical factors of CBD and presence or absence of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)/Rowachol(R) medication. METHODS: One hundred fourteen patients who underwent CBD stone(s) extraction by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincterotomy at our institution from August 2004 to January 2007 were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses for the risk factors including the distal CBD angle, length of the distal CBD arm and medication such as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and/or Rowachol(R) for recurrent CBD stone(s) were performed. RESULTS: The recurrence of CBD stone(s) was found in 22 (19.3%) patients. On univariate analysis, presence of pneumobilia, presence of type 1 or type 2 periampullary diverticulum, mechanical lithotripsy and multiple sessions of ERCP were significant contributors for the recurrence of CBD stone(s). On multivariate analysis, the presence of type 1 periampullary diverticulum (OR 7.90, 95% CI: 1.56-40.16) and multiple sessions of ERCP (OR 7.56, 95% CI: 2.21-25.87) were significant contributors. Acute distal CBD angulation (< or =135degrees), shorter distal CBD arm (< or =36 mm), technical difficulty of CBD stone(s) clearance, and the prescription of UDCA and/or Rowachol(R) were not significantly associated with the recurrence of CBD stone(s). CONCLUSIONS: The recurrence of CBD stone(s) was more commonly found in the patients group with type 1 periampullary diverticulum and multiple sessions of ERCP. Therefore, patients with these risk factors should be on regular follow up.

Treatment of Malignant Biliary Obstruction with a PTFE-Covered Self-Expandable Nitinol Stent

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to determine the technical and clinical efficacy of using a PTFE-covered self-expandable nitinol stent for the palliative treatment of malignant biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with common bile duct strictures caused by malignant disease were treated by placing a total of 37 nitinol PTFE stents. These stents were covered with PTFE with the exception of the last 5 mm at each end; the stent had an unconstrained diameter of 10 mm and a total length of 50-80 mm. The patient survival rate and stent patency rate were calculated by performing Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The bilirubin, serum amylase and lipase levels before and after stent placement were measured and then compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The average follow-up duration was 27.9 weeks (range: 2-81 weeks). RESULTS: Placement was successful in all cases. Seventy-six percent of the patients (28/37) experienced adequate palliative drainage for the remainder of their lives. There were no immediate complications. Three patients demonstrated stent sludge occlusion that required PTBD (percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage) irrigation. Two patients experienced delayed stent migration with stone formation at 7 and 27 weeks of follow-up, respectively. Stent insertion resulted in acute elevations of the amylase and lipase levels one day after stent insertion in 11 patients in spite of performing endoscopic sphincterotomy (4/6). The bilirubin levels were significantly reduced one week after stent insertion (p < 0.01). The 30-day mortality rate was 8% (3/37), and the survival rates were 49% and 27% at 20 and 50 weeks, respectively. The primary stent patency rates were 85%, and 78% at 20 and 50 weeks, respectively. CONCLUSION: The PTFE-covered self-expandable nitinol stent is safe to use with acceptable complication rates. This study is similar to the previous studies with regard to comparing the patency rates and survival rates.

A Case of Primary Small Cell Carcinoma Arising from the Common Bile Duct / 대한소화기학회지

Small cell carcinoma is usually seen in the lung, but rarely involves the gastrointestinal tract including biliary tract. A 65 year-old man was admitted because of obstructive jaundice. A smooth-surfaced round intraluminal mass with proximal bile duct dilatation was seen in the proximal common bile duct on endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram. Under the diagnosis of bile duct cancer, pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was done. Pathology revealed a 2 cm sized small cell carcinoma in the proximal common bile duct and distal common hepatic duct. On immunohistochemical stain, the tumor cells were positive for neuroendocrine markers CD56 and synaptophysin. After surgery, the patient received 5 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with VIP (etoposide, ifosfamide, and cisplatin) regimen. However, the patient died of liver metastasis 12 months after the diagnosis. We report a case of extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma arising from the common bile duct.

Ultra sonographic measurements of the normal liver and spleen among Egyptians 10-50 years old

to determine reference values of ultra sonographic [US] measurements of the normal liver, spleen portal vein, right and left periportal thickness, gall bladder wall thickness and comon bile duct diameter of Egyptians. community-based cross sectional study. Kalama village in Nile Delta, 40 kilometers north of Cairo. 10% systematic sample of people above 10 years of age. Selection criteria included normal clinical examination, normal liver functions by ALT, absence of hepatitis B and C virus markers and liver or spleen pathology by US. organometery of the liver, spleen, portal vein, right and left periportal thickness, gall bladder wall thickness and common bile duct diameter by US. 217 subjects were admitted to the study out of 700 examined. All measured parameters increased with age till 20 years. There was no significant difference in measurements between males and females. The means, standard deviation and 95th percentiles of all measurements were higher than those recorded in other studies. Egyptian norms for US organometery of the liver, spleen, portal vein and gall bladder are different from those of other countries. We suggest that Egyptian sonologists use these norms in routine practice

Ultrasound diagnosis of an injury of the main biliary duct

An 8 months old undiagnosed injury of the main biliary duct which occured during a cholecystectomy and which was assumingly repaired in a second operation was revealed by an ultrasonographic investigation. This report emphasizes the value of ultrasound in the etiologic diagnosis of obstructive jaundice and in some surgical complications