Evaluation of the outcomes of biliary-enteric reconstruction in robotic radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a single-center propensity score matching analysis.

Although robotic radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) has been reported in some large hepatobiliary centers, biliary-enteric reconstruction (BER) remains a critical step that hampers the operation's success. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and quality of BER in robotic radical resection of HCCA and propose technical recommendations. A retrospective study was conducted on patients with HCCA who underwent minimally invasive radical resection at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital between January 2016 and July 2023. A 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM), widely used to reduce selection bias, was performed to evaluate the outcomes, especially BER-related data, between the robotic and laparoscopic surgery. Forty-six patients with HCCA were enrolled; ten underwent robotic-assisted resection, while the others underwent laparoscopic surgery. After PSM at a ratio of 1:2, 10 and 20 patients were assigned to the robot-assisted and laparoscopic groups, respectively. The baseline characteristics of both groups were generally well-balanced. The average liver resection time was longer in the robotic group than in the laparoscopic group (139.5 ± 38.8 vs 108.1 ± 35.8 min, P = 0.036). However, the former had less intraoperative blood loss [200 (50-500) vs 310 (100-850) ml], despite no statistical difference (P = 0.109). The number of residual bile ducts was 2.6 ± 1.3 and 2.7 ± 1.2 (P = 0.795), and anastomoses were both 1.6 ± 0.7 in the two groups (P = 0.965). The time of BER was 38.4 ± 13.6 and 59.1 ± 25.5 min (P = 0.024), accounting for 9.9 ± 2.8% and 15.4 ± 4.8% of the total operation time (P = 0.001). Although postoperative bile leakage incidence in laparoscopic group (40%) was higher than that in robotic group (10%), there was no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.204); 6.7 ± 4.4 and 12.1 ± 11.7 days were observed for tube drawing (P = 0.019); anastomosis stenosis and calculus rate was 10% and 30% (P = 0.372), 0% and 15% (P = 0.532), respectively. Neither group had hemorrhage- or bile leakage-related deaths. Robotic radical resection for HCCA may offer perioperative outcomes comparable to conventional laparoscopic procedures and tends to be advantageous in terms of anastomosis time and quality. We are optimistic about its wide application in the future with the improvement of surgical techniques and experience.

Caracterización clínica-epidemiológica de quiste de colédoco en la población infantil atendida en el Hospital Materno Infantil

Objetivo: Realizar caracterización clínica-epidemiológica de quiste de colédoco en la población infantil atendida en el Hospital Materno Infantil. Material y Método: Estudio transversal, retrospectivo, descriptivo. La población del estudio consistió en los expedientes con diagnóstico de quiste de colédoco (QC) en el servicio de cirugía pediátrica. Criterios de inclusión: desde el nacimiento hasta los 18 años, operados en este hospital, diagnóstico clínico e imagenológico. Análisis estadístico: base de datos Epi Info.12.0, usando medidas de frecuencia, como la media y varianza. Resultados: Un total de 12 pacientes, la relación entre mujer hombre fue de 3:1, con predominio en mujeres. El grupo etario con mayor frecuencia fue el preescolar con 41,7%. El síntoma más frecuente fue el dolor abdominal con 83,3%; el tipo de QC más frecuente fue el tipo I con 75%, todos fueron resecados y la reconstitución de tránsito más utilizada fue la hepaticoyeyuno anastomosis en Y de Roux (HYYR) con 83,3%. Discusión: El grupo etario, el sexo y el tipo de QC en este estudio, coincide con la literatura citada. El ultrasonido puede ser suficiente para el diagnóstico de QC, la colangiopancreatografia por resonancia magnética permite identificar el subtipo de quiste y planificar la intervención quirúrgica. Conclusión: en nuestro hospital hay poca experiencia en la realización de hepaticoduodeno anastomosis (HD) y ninguna experiencia en la realización de HD y HYYR laparoscópicas, por lo cual, se plantea la necesidad de mejorar las opciones terapéuticas según estándares internaciones. Además, tomando este estudio como base, se deben realizar investigaciones posteriores con mayor complejidad metodológica.

Objective: To perform a clinical-epidemiological characterization of choledochal cyst in the pediatric population attended at the Hospital Materno Infantil. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive study. The study population consisted of records with a diagnosis of choledochal cyst (CC) in the pediatric surgery service. Inclusion criteria: from birth to 18 years of age, operated in this hospital, clinical and imaging diagnosis. Statistical analysis: Epi Info.12.0 database, using frequency measures, such as mean and variance. Results: A total of 12 patients, female to male ratio was 3:1, with female predominance. The age group with the highest frequency was preschool with 41.7%. The most frequent symptom was abdominal pain with 83.3%, the most frequent type of CC was type I with 75%, all of them were resected and the most frequent reconstruction was Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) with 83.3%. Discussion: The age group, sex and type of CC in this study coincides with the literature cited. Ultrasound may be sufficient for the diagnosis of CC, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography allows identification of the subtype of cyst and planning of surgical intervention. Conclusion: In our hospital there is little experience in performing hepaticoduodenostomy (HD) and no experience in performing laparoscopic HD and HJ, therefore, there is a need to improve the therapeutic options according to international standards. Furthermore, taking this study as a basis, further research with greater methodological complexity should be carried out.

Short-term and long-term outcomes after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy versus hepaticoduodenostomy following laparoscopic excision of choledochal cyst in children.

BACKGROUND: Choledochal cysts are congenital dilations of the biliary tree. Complete cyst excision and biliary-enteric reconstruction have been the standard operations. In our center, more than 95% of choledochal cyst excision is now performed laparoscopically. Majority of current studies describe laparoscopic-assisted reconstruction using Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ). However, only a few have studied laparoscopic hepaticoduodenostomy (HD) as an alternative method of biliary-enteric reconstruction. In this study, we focused on comparing longer-term outcomes between laparoscopic HJ and HD reconstruction following choledochal cyst excision. METHODS: We performed retrospective analysis of 54 children who had undergone laparoscopic choledochal cyst excision and biliary-enteric reconstruction between October 2004 and April 2018. Short-term outcomes including operative time, complications such as anastomotic leakage and bleeding, and hospital stays were included. Long-term outcomes including contrast reflux into biliary tree, cholangitis, anastomotic strictures, and need of reoperation were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 54 patients, 21 of them underwent laparoscopic HD and 33 underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y HJ anastomosis reconstruction. There were no significant differences in gestation, gender, age at operation, antenatal diagnosis, and Todani type of choledochal cyst between HD and HJ group. Operative time was significantly shortened in HD group (p = 0.001). Median time to enteral feeding was 3 days in both groups. Median intensive care unit (p = 0.001) and hospital stay (p = 0.019) were significantly shorter in HD group. There was no perioperative mortality. There was no significant difference in anastomotic leakage requiring reoperation (p = 0.743). There were no significant differences in long-term outcomes including anastomotic stricture (p = 0.097), cholangitis (p = 0.061), symptoms of recurrent abdominal pain or gastritis (p = 0.071), or need of reoperation (p = 0.326). All patients had normal postoperative serum bilirubin level. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic excision of choledochal cyst with HD reconstruction is safe and feasible with better short-term outcomes and comparable long-term outcomes compared to Roux-en-Y HJ reconstruction.

Robot-assisted Excision of a Huge Choledochal Cyst and Roux-en-Y Hepaticojejunostomy using the da Vinci(TM) Surgical System / 대한내시경복강경외과학회지

Choledochal cysts are cystic dilatations of the extrahepatic biliary tree, the intrahepatic bile ducts or both. Because they can develop malignant components, the principle treatment is total excision of the cyst with biliary-enteric reconstruction, and this has been attempted with using minimally invasive techniques. But most reports have uniformly emphasized the technical challenge of laparoscopically correcting a choledochal cyst because of the restricted movements of the laparoscopic equipment. On the other hand, a robotic surgical system with three-dimensional visualization, tremor reduction, motion scaling and wristed instrumentation was introduced in the recent years. Herein, we present a case of the robotic approach to a huge choledochal cyst in an adult.