RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the experience in ameliorating curative resection rate and major postoperative complication rate for treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Respective analysis was made on the clinical data of 54 consecutive cases who underwent resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma from Jan. 1998 to Dec. 2004.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In this group 54 cases received tumor resection with a resection rate of 63.5%. Combined partial hepatectomy was performed in 14 patients, while combined pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple) in 3 patients, and combined resection of portal vein in 2 patients and combined resection of hepatic artery in 2 patients. Thirty patients had curative resection. The curative resection rate was greatly increased from 27.0% (before 2001) to 41.7% (after 2001) in this group with well controlled perioperative mortality and postoperative complications rate (e.g. hepatic failure and major infection). The gross 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates for the whole group were 67.4%, 28.1% and 13.5% respectively. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates for curative resection were 87%, 36% and 24% respectively. The 1-, 2-year survival rates for palliative resection were 42% and 18%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Enhanced surgical technique resulted in better clinical outcomes.</p>