Combined laparoscopic and endoscopic treatment for bile duct diseases

BACKGROUND: Clinical application of laparoscopy, duo- denoscopy and choledochoscopy has been accepted as a mini-invasive surgical therapy for bile duct diseases; but ei- ther endoscopic or laparoscopic therapy alone is disadvanta- geous in its narrow indications and in failure to give full play to the individual superiority. The present study was to evaluate the procedures and therapeutic results of combined laparoscopic and endoscopic treatment for bile duct disea- ses. METHODS: Clinical data of 1990 patients with bile duct diseases treated by combination of laparoscopy, duodenos- copy and choledochoscopy in two hospitals were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with cholecystolithiasis and choledo- cholithiasis were treated with combined laparoscopy and duodenoscopy (n =1350) in a single operation with a cure rate of 93.6%. Those with choledocholithiasis (n =332) were treated with combined laparoscopy and choledocho- scopy with a cure rate of 100%. Combined laparoscopy, duo- denoscopy and choledochoscopy was used in 258 patients with choledocholithiasis (29 of them complicated with pan- creatitis) and 24 patients with Mirizzi's syndrome, with a cure rate of 100%. Laparoscopic choledochoenterostomy and preoperative endoscopic nasobiliary drainage were done in 26 patients with a cure rate of 100%. There were no serious operative complications. A follow-up study of 1051 patients for 3 months to 12 years (mean 7.8 years) showed that 10 patients had recurrence of stones but no stenosis of the bile duct. CONCLUSION: Combined laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures are mini-invasive and cause less pain and mini- mal operative complications.

Successful endoscopic treatment of an intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct

We present a case of a 76-year-old man with right upper quadrant abdominal pain and weight loss,who was found to have an intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct(IPNB)of the pancreaticobiliary subtype,deemed curatively resectable.The patient declined surgery and opted for endoscopic therapy.He underwent two sessions of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)-guided radiofrequency ablation(RFA).Ten months later,no evidence of recurrence was identified on repeat ERCP.To our knowledge,this is the first reported case of successful use of RFA as a primary treatment modality for resectable IPNB.

Success rate and complications of endoscopic extraction of common bile duct stones over 2 cm in diameter

BACKGROUND:Clinically,common bile duct (CBD) stones >2 cm are difficult to remove by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).To evaluate this observation,the rates of successful clearance of CBD stones and complications were compared between ERCP extraction of CBD stones of >2 cm and <2 cm in diameter.METHODS:All patients who had undergone endoscopic extraction of CBD stones at the Endoscopy Center of Shanghai First People’s Hospital from May 2004 to May 2008 were reviewed.Patients with CBD stones of >2 cm in diameter were enrolled in the >2 cm group.Two matched controls with CBD stones of <2 cm in diameter were selected for each enrolled patient (<2 cm group).Patient characteristics,success rates,and complications during and after ERCP were compared.RESULTS:Seventy-two patients constituted the >2 cm group and 144 patients were in the <2 cm group.No significant differences were found in the patient characteristics,except for stone size and CBD diameter.Both the overall success rate and the success rate in the first ERCP session were lower in the >2 cm group (77.8% and 58.3%,respectively) than in the <2 cm group (91.7% and 83.3%,P<0.01).During ERCP,the incidence of hypoxemia (30.6%) and hemorrhaging papillae (18.1%) in the >2 cm group was higher than in the <2 cm group (13.2% and 6.3%,P<0.05).After ERCP,the rates of delayed papillae hemorrhage (13.9%),hyperamylasemia (23.6%),acute pancreatitis (8.3%) and biliary infection (18.1%) were higher in the >2 cm group than in the <2 cm group (3.5%,11.1%,2.1%,and 2.8%,respectively,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The success rate of endoscopic extraction of CBD stones of >2 cm in diameter was lower but the complication rate was higher than that of stones of <2 cm in diameter.

Safety and efficacy of Kaffes intraductal self-expanding metal stents in the management of post-liver transplant anastomotic strictures

BACKGROUND Endoscopic management is the first-line therapy for post-liver-transplant anas-tomotic strictures.Although the optimal duration of treatment with plastic stents has been reported to be 8-12 months,data on safety and duration for metal stents in this setting is scarce.Due to limited access to endoscopic retrograde cholan-giopancreatography(ERCP)during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in our centre,there was a change in practice towards increased usage and length-of-stay of the Kaffes biliary intraductal self-expanding stent in patients with suitable anatomy.This was mainly due to the theoretical benefit of Kaffes stents allowing for longer indwelling periods compared to the traditional plastic stents.METHODS Adult liver transplant recipients aged 18 years and above who underwent ERCP were retrospectively identified during a 10-year period through a database query.Unplanned admissions post-Kaffes stent insertion were identified manually through electronic and scanned medical records.The main outcome was the incidence of complications when stents were left indwelling for 3 months vs 6 months.Stent efficacy was calculated via rates of stricture recurrence between patients that had stenting courses for≤120 d or>120 d.RESULTS During the study period,a total of 66 ERCPs with Kaffes insertion were performed in 54 patients throughout their stenting course.In 33 ERCPs,the stent was removed or exchanged on a 3-month interval.No pancreatitis,perfor-ations or deaths occurred.Minor post-ERCP complications were similar between the 3-month(abdominal pain and intraductal migration)and 6-month(abdominal pain,septic shower and embedded stent)groups-6.1%vs 9.1%respectively,P=0.40.All strictures resolved at the end of the stenting course,but the stenting course was variable from 3 to 22 months.The recurrence rate for stenting courses lasting for up to 120 d was 71.4%and 21.4%for stenting courses of 121 d or over(P=0.03).There were 28 patients that were treated with a single ERCP with Kaffes,21 with removal after 120 d and 7 within 120 d.There was a significant improvement in stricture recurrence when the Kaffes was removed after 120 d when a single ERCP was used for the entire stenting course(71.0%vs 10.0%,P=0.01).CONCLUSION Utilising a single Kaffes intraductal fully-covered metal stent for at least 4 months is safe and efficacious for the management of post-transplant anastomotic strictures.

Recurrence of choledocholithiasis following endoscopic bile duct clearance: Long term results and factors associated with recurrent bile duct stones

AIMTo evaluate the rate of recurrence of symptomatic choledocholithiasis and identify factors associated with the recurrence of bile duct stones in patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) for bile duct stone disease. METHODSAll patients who underwent ERCP and EST for bile duct stone disease and had their bile duct cleared from 1/1/2005 until 31/12/2008 was enrolled. All symptomatic recurrences during the study period (until 31/12/2015) were recorded. Clinical and laboratory data potentially associated with common bile duct (CBD) stone recurrence were retrospectively retrieved from patients&rsquo; files. RESULTSA total of 495 patients were included. Sixty seven (67) out of 495 patients (13.5%) presented with recurrent symptomatic choledocholithiasis after 35.28 &plusmn; 16.9 mo while twenty two (22) of these patients (32.8%) experienced a second recurrence after 35.19 &plusmn; 23.2 mo. Factors associated with recurrence were size (diameter) of the largest CBD stone found at first presentation (10.2 &plusmn; 6.9 mm vs 7.2 &plusmn; 4.1 mm, P = 0.024), diameter of the CBD at the first examination (15.5 &plusmn; 6.3 mm vs 12.0 &plusmn; 4.6 mm, P = 0.005), use of mechanical lithotripsy (ML) (P = 0.04) and presence of difficult lithiasis (P = 0.04). Periampullary diverticula showed a trend towards significance (P = 0.066). On the contrary, number of stones, angulation of the CBD, number of ERCP sessions required to clear the CBD at first presentation, more than one ERCP session needed to clear the bile duct initially and a gallbladder in situ did not influence recurrence. CONCLUSIONBile duct stone recurrence is a possible late complication following endoscopic stone extraction and CBD clearance. It appears to be associated with anatomical parameters (CBD diameter) and stone characteristics (stone size, use of ML, difficult lithiasis) at first presentation.

Comparison of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)and Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography(MRCP)in Bile Duct Imaging

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in diagnosing bile duct pathologies. Materials and Methods: We documented the data of 171 patients with both ERCP and MRCP between January 2009 and December 2010 at the Konya Education and Research Hospital. Results: Of the 171 patients, 100 (58.5%) were female and 71 (41.5%) were male. The median age was 63 (55 to 89). ERCP was used to diagnose bile duct stones in 102 (59%) patients, bile duct tumour in 14 (8%) patients, hydatic cysts opening up to the bile duct in 4 (2%) patients and bile duct stenosis in 3 (1.8%) patients. For the detection of bile duct stones, MRCP had a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 74% and a diagnostic accuracy of 83%. For bile duct tumours, MRCP had a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 98% and a diagnostic accuracy rate of 92%. Conclusion: In our centre, the results of MRCP and ERCP were similar for the last two years. However, MRCP was superior with respect to diagnosis as it was cheaper and non-invasive. Thus, ERCP should be preferred for therapeutic processes.

Duplication of the common bile duct manifesting as recurrent pyogenic cholangitis:A case report

BACKGROUND Duplication of the extrahepatic bile duct(DCBD)is an extremely rare congenital anomaly of the biliary system.There are five types of DCBD according to the latest classification.Among them,Type V is characterized by single drainage of the extrahepatic bile ducts.Reports on DCBD Type V are scarce.CASE SUMMARY A 77-year-old woman presented with recurrent epigastric pain but without fever or chills.Computed tomography revealed a dilated common bile duct(CBD)that harboured multiple choledocholithiasis.Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)was performed,and the stones were extracted using a Dormia basket.She was discharged without any complications;however,she visited the emergency department a day after she was discharged due to epigastric pain and fever.Laboratory findings were suggestive of cholestasis.After urgent ERCP for stone removal,magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography was performed to evaluate remnant choledocholithiasis.Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed a DCBD Type Va and remnant choledocholithiasis in the right CBD.Both CBDs were accessed,and the stones were cleared successfully during a subsequent ERCP.CONCLUSION In this article,we report an extremely rare case of DCBD manifesting as recurrent pyogenic cholangitis.This case highlights the importance of recognizing DCBD because stones in the unrecognized bile duct could make the patient’s prognosis critical.

Surgical treatment of the biliary ductal stricture complicating localized left hepatolithiasis

AIM To summarize the experience in the clinical treatment of the biliary ductal strictures complicating localized left hepatolithiasis in recent two decades.

Mirizzi syndrome in an anomalous cystic duct:A case report

Mirizzi syndrome is a rare complication of gallstone disease,and results in partial obstruction of the common bile duct or a cholecystobiliary fistula. Moreover,congenital anatomical variants of the cystic duct are common,occurring in 18%-23% of cases,but Mirizzi syndrome underlying an anomalous cystic duct is an important clinical consideration. Here,we present an unusual case of typeⅠMirizzi syndrome with an uncommon anomalous cystic duct,namely,a low lateral insertion of the cystic duct with a common sheath of cystic duct and common bile duct.

Association of extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease in a province of western Hungary with disease phenotype:Results of a 25-year follow-up study

AIM:IBD is a systemic disease associated with a large number of extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs).Our aim was to determine the prevalence of EIMs in a large IBD cohort in Veszprem Province in a 25-year follow-up study. METHODS:Eight hundred and seventy-three IBD patients were enrolled (ulcerative colitis/UC/:619,m/f:317/302, mean age at presentation:38.3 years,average disease duration:11.2 years;Crohn's disease/CD/:254,m/f:125/129, mean age at presentation:32.5 years,average disease duration:9.2 years).Intestinal,extraintestinal signs and laboratory tests were monitored regularly.Any alteration suggesting an EIMs was investigated by a specialist. RESULTS:A total of 21.3% of patients with IBD had EIM (UC:15.0%,CD:36.6%).Age at presentation did not affect the likelihood of EIM.Prevalence of EIMs was higher in women and in CD,ocular complications and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) were more frequent in UC.In UC there was an increased tendency of EIM in patients with a more extensive disease.Joint complications were more frequent in CD (22.4% vsUC 10.2%,P<0.01).In UC positive family history increased the risk of joint complications (OR:3.63).In CD the frequency of type-1 peripheral arthritis was increased in patients with penetrating disease (P=0.028).PSC was present in 1.6% in UC and 0.8% in CD.Dermatological complications were present in 3.8% in UC and 10.2% in CD,the rate of ocular complications was around 3% in both diseases.Rare complications were glomerulonephritis,autoimmune hemolytic anaemia and celiac disease. CONCLUSION:Prevalence of EIM in Hungarian IBD patients is in concordance with data from Western countries.The high number of EIM supports a role for complex follow-up in these patients.

Endoscopic management of biliary strictures after liver transplantation

Bile duct strictures remain a major source of morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Biliary strictures are classifi ed as anastomotic or non-anastomotic strictures according to location and are defi ned by distinct clinical behaviors. Anastomotic strictures are localized and short. The outcome of endoscopic treatment for anastomotic strictures is excellent. Nonanastomotic strictures often result from ischemic and immunological events, occur earlier and are usually multiple and longer. They are characterized by a far less favorable response to endoscopic management, higher recurrence rates, graft loss and need for retransplantation. Living donor OLT patients present a unique set of challenges arising from technical factors, and stricture risk for both recipients and donors. Endoscopic treatment of living donor OLT patients is less promising. Current endoscopic strategies for biliary strictures after OLT include repeated balloon dilations and placement of multiple side-by-side plastic stents. Lifelong surveillance is required in all types of strictures. Despite improvements in incidence and long term outcomes with endoscopic management, and a reduced need for surgical treatment, the impact of strictures on patients after OLT is signifi cant. Future considerations include new endoscopic technologies and improved stents, which could potentially allow for a decreased number of interventions, increased intervals before retreatment, and decreased reliance on percutaneous and surgical modalities. This review focuses on the role of endoscopy in biliary strictures, one of the most common biliary complications after OLT.

Biloma: An unusual complication in a patient with pancreatic cancer

The term biloma describes an encapsulated collection of bile within the abdomen, usually secondary to bile duct disruption. The commonest causes reported in the literature are iatrogenic （secondary to hepatobUiary surgery）, trauma or complications due to choledocho- lithiasis. A few cases have been reported as complica- tions of cholangiocarcinoma or acute cholecystitis. We report the case of a 64-year-old man initially diagnosed with a non-obstructive malignancy of the pancreas, who developed a spontaneous intrahepatic biloma 8 mo later. This was identified following a 1-wk history of fever, rigors and icterus. The biloma was identified on computed tomography and subsequently drained under ultrasound guidance. Forty-eight hours later, a stent was inserted endoscopically into his common bile duct and he made an uneventful in-hospital recovery. We believe this is the first documented case of spontaneous intrahepatic biloma to occur secondary to pancreatic malignancy.

Beneficial effects of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation against ischemic bile duct in rats

Background Bone marrow cell transplantation has been shown to induce angiogenesis and thus improve ischemic disease.This study evaluated the effect of bone marrow mononuclear cell （BM-MNCs） implantation on neovascularization in rats with ischemic bile duct.Methods We established an animal model for ischemic biliary stenosis by clamping manipulation.There were 10 rats in each group：BM-MNCs implantation group,control group and normal group.Rat femur BM-MNCs were isolated using density gradient centrifugation.BM-MNCs or phosphate buffered saline were injected into three points around bile duct tissue in the three groups （25 μl/point）.Control rats received injections of saline under similar conditions.At the 21 days after operation,cholangiography was performed.Differentiation of the engrafted cells and capillary density in the bile duct were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining.Results Engrafted cells could differentiate into endothelial cells.The stricture rate in the implantation group was 40%,significantly lower than that in the control group （100%）.The capillary density in the implantation group was significantly higher than in the control group or the normal group.Conclusions The implantation of BM-MNCs induced neovascularization in the ischemic bile duct.It improved the blood supply of the ischemic bile duct to prevent or decrease biliary ischemic stricture.

Donation after cardio-circulatory death liver transplantation

The renewed interest in donation after cardio-circulatory death (DCD) started in the 1990s following the limited success of the transplant community to expand the donation after brain-death (DBD) organ supply and following the request of potential DCD families. Since then, DCD organ procurement and transplantation activities have rapidly expanded, particularly for nonvital organs, like kidneys. In liver transplantation (LT), DCD donors are a valuable organ source that helps to decrease the mortality rate on the waiting lists and to increase the availability of organs for transplantation despite a higher risk of early graft dysfunction, more frequent vascular and ischemia-type biliary lesions, higher rates of re-listing and re-transplantation and lower graft survival, which are obviously due to theinevitable warm ischemia occurring during the declaration of death and organ retrieval process. Experimental strategies intervening in both donors and recipients at different phases of the transplantation process have focused on the attenuation of ischemia-reperfusion injury and already gained encouraging results, and some of them have found their way from pre-clinical success into clinical reality. The future of DCD-LT is promising. Concerted efforts should concentrate on the identification of suitable donors (probably Maastricht category Ⅲ DCD donors), better donor and recipient matching (high risk donors to low risk recipients), use of advanced organ preservation techniques (oxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion, normothermic machine perfusion, venous systemic oxygen persufflation), and pharmacological modulation (probably a multi-factorial biologic modulation strategy) so that DCD liver allografts could be safely utilized and attain equivalent results as DBD-LT.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis:A review and update

Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is a rare,chronic,cholestatic liver disease of uncertain etiology characterized biochemically by cholestasis and histologically and cholangiographically by fibroobliterative inflammation of the bile ducts.In a clinically significant proportion of patients,PSC progresses to cirrhosis,end-stage liver disease,and/or hepatobiliary cancer,though the disease course can be highly variable.Despite clinical trials of numerous pharmacotherapies over several decades,safe and effective medical therapy remains to be established.Liver transplantation is an option for select patients with severe complications of PSC,and its outcomes are generally favorable.Periodic surveillance testing for pre-as well as post-transplant patients is a cornerstone of preventive care and health maintenance.Here we provide an overview of PSC,including its epidemiology,etiopathogenesis,clinical features,associated disorders,surveillance,and emerging potential therapies.

Trends in etiologies of chronic pancreatitis within 20 years： analysis of 636 cases

Background The prevalence of chronic pancreatitis has increased during recent years in Asia-Pacific areas as well as in China. The etiologies vary in different regions and periods. This study aimed to investigate the changing etiologies of chronic pancreatitis within 20 years at Peking Union Medical College Hospital in China. Methods Retrospective analysis of the etiologies of 636 cases of chronic pancreatitis at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1990 to 2010 was performed. Patients were divided into two groups according to two time periods （1990-2000 and 2001-2010）. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test. Results The morbidity rate of chronic pancreatitis in China has recently increased. The main etiology changed from biliary diseases in the 1990s （decreased from 36.8% to 28.1%） to alcohol abuse after the year 2000 （increased from 26.5% to 36,8%）. The main etiology of biliary diseases is stones in the cholecyst or bile duct, and the percentage of choLecystitis cases has increased. Autoimmune disease, inctuding autoimmune pancreatitis, has increased quickly and currently accounts for 7.3% of cases because a greater number of autoimmune pancreatitis cases are being diagnosed. Approximately 9.5% of chronic pancreatitis cases are caused by multiple factors such as alcohol abuse and bile duct stones. Other factors include cholecystectomy and acute pancreatitis. Conclusions The main etiology of chronic pancreatitis has changed from biliary disease to alcohol abuse in recent years. Autoimmune factors have also obviously increased.