Caudate lobectomy by the third porta hepatis anatomical method: a study of 16 cases

BACKGROUND: The treatment for primary tumor in the caudate lobe of the liver is difficult because of its unique anatomical location. This study was undertaken to improve operative techniques and results by a new anatomical method of caudate lobectomy. METHODS: Clinical data of 16 patients who had had caudate lobectomy for the liver from January 1996 to November 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. The third porta hepatis anatomical method was performed in all 16 patients. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications were recorded. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 13 patients with caudate lobe carcinoma were followed up. Anatomical status, operative routes, operative procedures, liver blood supply were evaluated. RESULTS: The operation was successful in the 16 patients. The operative time was 255±70 minutes and blood loss 740±402 ml. None of the patients died from massive bleeding during the operation, nor did complications such as biliary fistula and liver failure occurred. In 13 patients with malignant tumor, 7 died from recurrence and metastasis of the tumor and the other 6 are still alive at the end of follow-up. One patient has survived for 6 years. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates in the 13 patients were 83.9%, 58.7% and 39.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Caudate lobectomy by the third porta hepatis anatomical method can improve operative effect and increase the resection probability for solitary tumor in the caudate lobe.

Pathogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma in the porta hepatis and infection of hepatitis virus

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation between human cholangiocarcinoma in the porta hepatis and the infection of hepatitis virus. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect HBxAg and HCV-C protein in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples taken from 68 patients with cholangiocarcinoma in the porta hepatis. The findings were reviewed against the clinical records of the patients. RESULTS: Six patients (8.8%) were positive for HBxAg and 24 (35%) for HCV-C protein, respectively. One patient was positive for both HBxAg and HCV-C protein. There were statistically differences in the extent of differentiation, invasion, lymph-node metastasis, and treatment between the patients with cholangiocarcinomas in the porta hepatis with HB(C) V infection and those without infection. CONCLUSIONS: HB(C) V infection is correlated to the development of cholangiocarcinoma in the porta hepatis. The tumor with HB(C) V infection may have a higher malignancy biologically and poorer prognosis. HBxAg and HCV-C protein may play an important role in the pathogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma in the porta hepatis.

Radiological insights of ectopic thyroid in the porta hepatis: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Ectopic thyroid is defined as a rare developmental anomaly where thyroid tissues are atypically found in locations other than its normal anatomical position:Anterolateral to the second,third,and fourth tracheal cartilages.An intemperate descent or a migration failure of the thyroid anlage results in sub-diaphragmatic thyroid ectopia,a sparse clinical entity.CASE SUMMARY This case portrays a 63-year-old female patient presenting with chronic abdominal discomfort at a local hospital whereby a computed tomography(CT)scan revealed a well-defined mass in the hepatic entrance.For further examination,the patient underwent a CT scan with contrast,magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),and CT-angiography(CTA)at our department.The CT scan showed a welldefined and high attenuated mass measuring 43 mm×38 mm in the hepatic entrance with calcification.The CTA revealed an additional finding:Blood supply to the mass from the right hepatic artery.MRI of the upper abdomen demonstrated a mass with mixed signal intensity on T1 and T2 weighted images in the hepatic entrance.The patient underwent surgery with resection of the mass which was sent for histopathology.Ectopic thyroid at the level of porta hepatis with nodules was the definitive diagnosis since histopathological report revealed presence of thyroid tissue in the resected liver mass.CONCLUSION This case delivers a rare insight of pre-operative radiological imaging of an ectopic thyroid located in the liver.These findings can aid in narrowing down potential differential diagnosis when managing a patient with those subsequent findings.

Porta Hepatis Tuberculous Lymphadenopathy: Clinical and Imaging Features of 10 Cases

Porta hepatis tuberculous lymphadenopathy(TL)is rare,and the clinical and imaging manifestations often mimic tumors.To offer a bet-ter understanding of porta hepatis TL and thus improve its diagnosis and treatment,here,we retrospectively reviewed and analyzed 10 porta hepatis TL cases between May 2017 and November 2022.In this study,porta hepatis TL occurred predominantly in women(70%),with a mean age of 43.1 years(range,16-70 years).Among the patients,60%were initially suspected of malignancy(metastatic lymphadenopathy and lymphoma).The clinical manifestations were nonspecific,such as fever and weight loss,without overt abdominal malaise.Many patients showed high concentrations of serum C-reactive protein,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,alkaline phosphatase,γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and carbohydrate antigen 125.Peripheral rim-like enhancement was a characteristic finding on contrast-enhanced CT for all the patients.Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis in 90%of patients with caseous granulo-matous inflammation and positive results of Xpert MTB/RIF,quantitative real-time PCR and/or metagenomic next-generation sequenc-ing assays.All patients underwent antituberculosis therapy with a median treatment duration of 13.5 months(range,1-43 months).They all showed satisfactory therapeutic responses with improved symptoms and resolution on imaging after treatment.Pathological examination by biopsy remains the primary diagnostic method.A combination of the characteristic epidemiologic,clinical,imaging fea-tures and lesion biopsy for histopathology are essential for the diagnosis and treatment of TL.

Hepatic trisegmentectomy for 29 patients with huge liver neoplasms

Objective: To evaluate retrospectively the feasibility and effect of hepatic trisegmentectomy in therapy of huge neoplasms of the liver. Methods: From July 1993 to October 1999, 29 pa- tients with huge hepatic neoplasms underwent hepatic trisegmentectomy. Of these, 23 patients suffered from primary liver cancer, 1 hepatic infiltration of gallbladder cancer, 1 metastasis of colon cancer, 1 hepatic angiosarcoma, 1 hepatic neurofibroma, and 2 huge liver cysts. Twenty-six patients were subjected to right trisegmentectomy and the rest 3 left triseg- mentectomy. All trisegmentectomies were performed under normothermic interruption of the porta hepatis at single time and these interruptions lasted 15 to 40 minutes. Results: The relatively good effect was seen in our se- ries. The 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates for primary liver cancer patients were 63.6%, 36.4% and 27.3 %, respectively. The survival period for the pa- tients with hepatic infiltration of gallbladder cancer and liver metastasis of colon cancer was 6 months. Those with hepatic angiosarcoma, hepatic neurofi- broma and huge liver cysts have been surviving 35, 26, 25 and 40 months, respectively. Major complica- tions were noted in 5 patients, and one (3.4%, 1/29) died. Conclusion: Hepatic trisegmentectomy is safe and ef- fective in treatment of huge hepatic neoplasms if its indications and operative techniques are properly mastered.