Near-infrared cholangiography with intragallbladder indocyanine green injection in minimally invasive cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)remains one of the most commonly performed procedures in adult and paediatric populations.Despite the advances made in intraoperative biliary anatomy recognition,iatrogenic bile duct injuries during LC represent a fatal complication and consist an economic burden for healthcare systems.A series of methods have been proposed to prevent bile duct injury,among them the use of indocyanine green(ICG)fluorescence.The most commonly reported method of ICG injection is the intravenous administration,while literature is lacking studies investigating the direct intragallbladder ICG injection.This narrative mini-review aims to assess the potential applications,usefulness,and limitations of intragallbladder ICG fluorescence in LC.Authors screened the available international literature to identify the reports of intragallbladder ICG fluorescence imaging in minimally invasive cholecystectomy,as well as special issues regarding its use.Literature search retrieved four prospective cohort studies,three case-control studies,and one case report.In the three case-control studies selected,intragallbladder near-infrared cholangiography(NIRC)was compared with standard LC under white light,with intravenous administration of ICG for NIRC and with standard intraoperative cholangiography(IOC).In total,133 patients reported in the literature have been administered intragallbladder ICG administration for biliary mapping during LC.Literature includes several reports of intragallbladder ICG administration,but a standardized technique has not been established yet.Published data suggest that NIRC with intragallbladder ICG injection is a promising method to achieve biliary mapping,overwhelming limitations of IOC including intervention and radiation exposure,as well as the high hepatic parenchyma signal and time interval needed in intravenous ICG fluorescence.Evidence-based guidelines on the role of intragallbladder ICG fluorescence in LC require the assessment of further studies and multicenter data collection into large registries.

Postoperative biliary adverse events following orthotopic liver transplantation: Assessment with magnetic resonance cholangiography

Biliary adverse events following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) are relatively common and continue to be serious causes of morbidity, mortality, and transplant dysfunction or failure. The development of these adverse events is heavily influenced by the type of anastomosis during surgery. The low specificity of clinical and biologic findings makes the diagnosis challenging. Moreover, direct cholangiographic procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography present an inadmissible rate of adverse events to be utilized in clinically low suspected patients. Magnetic resonance (MR) maging with MR cholangiopancreatography is crucial in assessing abnormalities in the biliary system after liver surgery, including liver transplant. MR cholangiopancreatography is a safe, rapid, non-invasive, and effective diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of biliary adverse events after liver transplantation, since it plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and management of these events. On the basis of a recent systematic review of the literature the summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity of MR cholangiopancreatography for diagnosis of biliary adverse events following OLT were 0.95 and 0.92, respectively. It can provide a non-invasive method of imaging surgical reconstruction of the biliary anastomoses as well as adverse events including anastomotic and non-anastomotic strictures, biliary lithiasis and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction in liver transplant recipients. Nevertheless, conventional T2-weighted MR cholangiography can be implemented with T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MR cholangiography using hepatobiliary contrast agents (in particular using Gd-EOB-DTPA) in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy in the adverse events’ detection such as bile leakage and strictures, especially in selected patients with biliary-enteric anastomosis.

Prospective evaluation of magnetic resonance cholangiography in patients with suspected common bile duct stones before laparoscopic cholecystectomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) in selected patients before laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: Patients with risk factors for common bile duct (CBD) stones scheduled for elective LC from March 1999 to May 2001, underwent MRC followed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) to detect the stones and the accuracy of MRC. Selection of suspected patients was based on clinical, ultrasonographic, and laboratory criteria. RESULTS: During a 26-month period, a total of 267 patients were studied. Seventy-eight MRC identified patients were found to have CBD stones by ERC or laparoscopic cholangiography in the study. Seven of 78 patients were misdiagnosed as having CBD stones by MRC. In this study, MRC had a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 96.3%, a positive predictive value of 91.8%, and a negative predictive value of 100% for the detection of common bile duct stones. CONCLUSIONS: With the use of LC, ERC is frequently performed before LC to detect CBD stones; but it is invasive with a well-documented complication rate. MRC is a simple non-invasive method for preoperative screening for CBD stones in at-risk patients. In this study if ERC had been limited to patients with a positive MRC, it would have reduced the need for ERC by 68.2%, and the complications of preoperative examination would be minimized significantly.

Adult-to-adult right lobe living donor liver transplantation:Comparison of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with standard T2-weighted magnetic resonance cholangiography for evaluation of donor biliary anatomy

AIM: To compare the value of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) and standard T2-weighted magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) in the evaluation process as adult-to-adult right lobe living donor liver transplantation (LDLTx) demands a successful outcome, and exact knowledge of the biliary tree is implicated to avoid biliary complications, postoperatively.METHODS: After starting the LDLTx program, 18 liver transplant candidates were selected for LDLTx by a stepwise evaluation process. ERC and standard T2-weighted MRC were performed to evaluate the biliary system of the donor liver. The anatomical findings of ERC and MRC mapping were compared using the Ohkubo classification. RESULTS: ERC allowed mapping of the whole biliary system in 15/15 (100%) cases, including 14/15 (93.3%) with biliary variants while routine MRC was only accurate in 2/13 (15.4%) cases. MRC was limited in depicting the biliary system proximal of the hepatic bifurcation. Postoperative biliary complications occurred in 2 donors and 8 recipients. Biliary complications were associated with Ohkubo type C, E or G in 6/8 recipients, and 2/3 recipients with biliary leak received a graft with multiple (≥2) bile ducts. CONCLUSION: Pretransplant ERC is safe and superior over standard MRC for detection of biliary variations that occur with a high frequency. However, precise knowledge of biliary variants did not reduce the incidence of postoperative biliary complications.

Routine magnetic resonance cholangiography compared to intra-operative cholangiography in patients with suspected common bile duct stones

BACKGROUND:Magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC)is a non-invasive method for imaging biliary ducts.When used to exclude common bile duct(CBD) stones,MRC may obviate the need for intra-operative cholangiography(IOC).In this prospective study,MRC and IOC were compared for the diagnosis of suspected stones of the CBD. METHODS:Thirty patients with gallstones and suspected CBD lithiasis(abnormal serum liver tests and CBD>7 mm on ultrasound)had MRC followed by open cholecystectomy and IOC.MR imaging was done using a 1.5-T whole body scanner(Signa,General Electric Medical Systems).A torso phased-array coil with a 4-channel receiver was used for data acquisition. RESULTS:Over a period of 18 months,30 patients(average age 53.9±13.3 years;range 38-76 years)were enrolled in this study.Eleven patients were male(36.7%)and 19 female(63.3%).MRC revealed CBD stones in 19 patients, while IOC revealed CBD stones in 22.The sensitivity of MRC in detecting CBD stones was 81.8%,and the specificity was 87.5%.The positive predictive value was 94.7%,and the negative predictive value was 63.3%. CONCLUSIONS:Pre-operative MRC may obviate the need for IOC.MRC reduces operative time,is less invasive, and may also alleviate damage to the CBD that can occurduring IOC.MRC can identify CBD stones pre-operatively and can help surgeons plan safe procedures.Pre-operative MRC should be done routinely in patients whose clinical or biochemical findings suggest the possibility of CBD stones.

Utility of fluorescent cholangiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A systematic review

AIM: To verify the utility of fluorescent cholangiography for more rigorous identification of the extrahepatic biliary system.METHODS: MEDLINE and Pub Med searches were performed using the key words "fluorescent cholangiography", "fluorescent angiography", "intraoperative fluorescent imaging", and "laparoscopic cholecystectomy" in order to identify relevant articles published in English, French, German, and Italian during the years of 2009 to 2014. Reference lists from the articles were reviewed to identify additional pertinent articles. For studies published in languages other than those mentioned above, all available information was collected from their English abstracts. Retrieved manuscripts(case reports, reviews, and abstracts) concerning the application of fluorescent cholangiography were reviewed by the authors, and the data were extracted using a standardized collection tool. Data were subsequently analyzed with descriptive statistics. In contrast to classic meta-analyses, statistical analysis was performed where the outcome was calculated as the percentages of an event(without comparison) in pseudo-cohorts of observed patients.RESULTS: A total of 16 studies were found that involved fluorescent cholangiography during standard laparoscopic cholecystectomies(n = 11), singleincision robotic cholecystectomies(n = 3), multiport robotic cholecystectomy(n = 1), and single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy(n = 1). Overall, these preliminary studies indicated that this novel technique was highly sensitive for the detection of important biliary anatomy and could facilitate the prevention of bile duct injuries. The structures effectively identified before dissection of Calot's triangle included the cystic duct(CD), the common hepatic duct(CHD), the common bile duct(CBD), and the CD-CHD junction. A review of the literature revealed that the frequenciesof detection of the extrahepatic biliary system ranged from 71.4% to 100% for the CD, 33.3% to 100% for the CHD, 50% to 100% for the CBD, and 25% to 100% for the CD-CHD junction. However, the frequency of visualization of the CD and the CBD were reduced in patients with a body mass index > 35 kg/m2 relative to those with a body mass index < 35 kg/m2(91.0% and 64.0% vs 92.3% and 71.8%, respectively).CONCLUSION: Fluorescent cholangiography is a safe procedure enabling real-time visualization of bile duct anatomy and may become standard practice to prevent bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Preoperative assessment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma:combination of cholangiography and CT angiography

BACKGROUND: Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is one of the most difficult carcinomas to manage because of the location of the main tumor at the hepatic hilus and the complex anatomy of the biliary, arterial, and portal systems. To plan an operation, it is important to acquire accurate information about the relationship between hilar cholangiocarcinoma and adjacent vessels. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of cholangiography combined with spiral CT three-dimensional (3D) angiography for a preoperative assessment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: From March 2007 to August 2009, cholangiography was performed in 13 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Meanwhile, contrast-enhanced abdominal scanning was performed using 16-slice spiral CT, and the 3D images of the hepatic artery and portal vein were acquired. The level and range of invasion of the hepatic artery, the portal vein, and the bile duct, the preoperative Bismuth classification, and T-staging were recorded and compared with those after surgical exploration. RESULTS: The hepatic artery and portal vein were reconstructed successfully in all these patients. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography was performed in 9 patients, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in 1, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in 3. The CT angiography records of invasion of the hepatic artery were consistent with the results of explorations in these patients. The data from 5 of the 13 patients were consistent with those on invasion of the portal vein. The results of the Bismuth classification and the T-staging system were consistent with those of surgical exploration in 12 of the 13 patients. Seven of 8 patients who were estimated to be suitable for operation based on images were curatively treated and 5 who were judged to be unsuitable for curative operation by cholangiography and CT angiography were confirmed intraoperatively and underwent palliative procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Cholangiography combined with multi-slice spiral 3D CT angiography can satisfactorily delineate the local invasion of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and accurately evaluate the resectability. This approach, therefore, contributes to the planning of safe operation. (Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2010; 9: 186-191)

Multi-slice three-dimensional spiral CT cholangiography: a new technique for diagnosis of biliary diseases

Objective: To validate multi-slice three-dimensional spiral CT cholangiography (3-D CTC) in clinical di- agnosis of biliary diseases. Methods: This study included 146 patients with bili- ary diseases, involving 73 cases of biliary tumor, 87 cases of radioparent calculus, 12 cases of post cholan- gio-jejunostomy and one case of congenital choledo- chocyst. The data of thin-slice volumetric CT scan were sent to the workstation (GE Advantage Win- dows 3. 1). Rational 3-D CTC including maximum intensity projection, minimum intensity projection, surface shaded display, CT virtual endoscopy and ray sumption was performed. The diagnostic accura- cy of 3-D CTC was compared with that of conven- tional CT, ultrasonography and endoscopic retro- grade cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP). Results: Different biliary diseases showed distinct ima- ging manifestations on 3-D CTC, As a new technique for assessing the status of post cholangio-jejunosto- my, 3-D CTC was superior to conventional CT, ul- trasonography and ERCP in diagnosis of negative bil- iary calculus, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, cancer embolus of the biliary duct, carcinoma of the pancreas head and periampullar carcinoma. It was also superior to conventional CT, ultrasonography or equal to ERCP in diagnosis of hilar cholangiocarcino- ma, but inferior to conventional CT and ultrasonog- raphy in diagnosis of gallbladder cancer. Conclusion: 3-D CTC as a non-invasive and sensitive technique for the diagnosis of biliary diseases with high diagnostic accuracy will greatly increase the de- tection rate of biliary diseases.

Endosonography with linear array instead of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography as the diagnostic tool in patients with moderate suspicion of common bile duct stones

AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) as the main imaging modality in patients with moderate suspicion of common bile duct stones (CBDS).METHODS: 55 patients with moderate clinical suspicion of CBDS were prospectively included to the study and evaluated with EUS. This study was done in single blind method in the clinical and biochemical data of patients. EUS was done with echo-endoscope Pentax FG 32-UA (f=5-7,5 MHz) and Hitachi EUB 405 ultrasound machine. Patients diagnosed with CBDS by EUS were excluded from this study and treated with ERC. All the other patients were included to the follow up study obtained by mail every 6 months for clinical evaluation (need of ERC or surgery).RESULTS: CBDS was found in 4 patients by EUS. Diagnosis was confirmed in all cases on ERC. The remaining 51 patients without CBDS on EUS were followed up for 6-26 months (meanly 13 months) There were: 40 women, 42cholecystectomized patients, aged: 55 (mean). Biochemical values (mean values) were as follows: bilirubin: 14,9 μmol.L-1,alkaline phosphatase: 95 IU.L-,1 γ-GTP: 131 IU.L-1, ALT: 50IU.L-1, AST: 49 IU.L-1, Only 1 patient was lost for follow up.In the remaining 50 patients with follow up, there was only 1 (2 %) patient with persistent biliary symptoms in whom CBDS was finally diagnosed by ERC with ES. All other patients remained symptoms free on follow up and did not require ERC or biliary surgery.CONCLUSION: Vast majority of patients with moderate suspicion of CBDS and no stones on EUS with linear array can avoid invasive evaluation of biliary tree with ERC.

Is intraoperative cholangiography necessary during laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis?

AIM:To determine the efficacy and safety benefits of performing intraoperative cholangiography(IOC)during laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)to treat symptomatic cholelithiasis.METHODS:Patients admitted to the Minimally Invasive Surgery Center of Tianjin Nankai Hospital between January2012 and January 2014 for management of symptomaticcholelithiasis were recruited for this prospective randomized trial.Study enrollment was offered to patients with clinical presentation of biliary colic symptoms,radiological findings suggestive of gallstones,and normal serum biochemistry results.Study participants were randomized to receive either routine LC treatment or LC+IOC treatment.The routine LC procedure was carried out using the standard four-port technique;the LC+IOC procedure was carried out with the addition of meglumine diatrizoate(1:1 dilution with normal saline)injection via a catheter introduced through a small incision in the cystic duct made by laparoscopic scissors.Operative data and postoperative outcomes,including operative time,retained common bile duct(CBD)stones,CBD injury,other complications and length of hospital stay,were recorded for comparative analysis.Inter-group differences were statistically assessed by theχ2 test(categorical variables)and Fisher’s exact test(binary variables),with the threshold for statistical significance set at P<0.05.RESULTS:A total of 371 patients were enrolled in the trial(late-adolescent to adult,age range:16-70 years),with 185 assigned to the routine LC group and 186 to the LC+IOC group.The two treatment groups were similar in age,sex,body mass index,duration of symptomology,number and size of gallstones,and clinical symptoms.The two treatment groups also showed no significant differences in the rates of successful LC(98.38%vs97.85%),CBD stone retainment(0.54%vs 0.00%),CBD injury(0.54%vs 0.53%)and other complications(2.16%vs 2.15%),as well as in duration of hospital stay(5.10±1.41 d vs 4.99±1.53 d).However,the LC+IOC treatment group showed significantly longer mean operative time(routine LC group:43.00±4.15 min vs 52.86±4.47 min,P<0.01).There were no cases of fatal complications in either group.At the one-year follow-up assessment,one patient in the routine LC group reported experiencing diarrhea for three months after the LC and one patient in the LC+IOC group reported ongoing intermittent epigastric discomfort,but radiologicalexamination provided no abnormal findings.CONCLUSION:IOC addition to the routine LC treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis does not improve rates of CBD stone retainment or bile duct injury but lengthens operative time.

Predictive value and main determinants of abnormal features of intraoperative cholangiography during cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND:The major issue with intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) is whether its diagnostic accuracy for common bile duct (CBD) stones matches that of other diagnostic procedures,and thus,whether it will become a routine diagnostic procedure.The current study aimed to address the main determinants of CBD stone diagnosis in IOC among an Iranian population.METHODS:In a retrospective review database-based study conducted in Taleghani Hospital in Tehran between 2006 and 2008,baseline data and perioperative information of 2060 patients (male to female ratio 542:1518,mean age 53.7 years) who were candidates for cholecystectomy and underwent concomitant IOC for confirming CBD stones were reviewed.The predictive power of this procedure for diagnosis of abnormal biliary ducts with the focus on biliary stones was determined.RESULTS:Overall mortality and morbidity following cholecystectomy in the study population were 0.6% and 2.6%,respectively.Both early mortality and morbidity due to cholecystectomy were higher in male than female.The prevalence of CBD stones in IOC was 3.4% (5.2% in male and 2.8% in female,P=0.008).Among those without gallstones,8.7% had CBD stones and only 3.1% had concomitant gallstones and CBD stones.The main predictors of stone appearance as an abnormal feature of IOC during cholecystectomy were:advanced age (OR=1.022,P=0.001),male gender (OR=1.498,P=0.050),history of abdominal surgery (OR=1.543,P=0.040) and preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (OR=5.400,P<0.001).CONCLUSIONS:IOC is a safe and accurate method for the assessment of bile duct anatomy and stones.Therefore,the routine use of IOC within cholecystectomy seems reasonable and is recommended.

Poorly expandable common bile duct with stones on endoscopic retrograde cholangiography

AIM： To describe characteristics of a poorly expandable （PE） common bile duct （CBD） with stones on en- doscopic retrograde cholangiography.METHODS： APE bile duct was characterized by a rigid and relatively narrowed distal CBD with retro- grade dilatation of the non-PE segment. Between 2003 and 2006, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography （ERC） images and chart reviews of 1213 patients with newly diagnosed CBD stones were obtained from the computer database of Therapeutic Endoscopic Centerin Chang Gung Memoria acteristic PE bile duct on Hospital. Patients with char ERC were identified from the database. Data of the patients as well as the safety and technical success of therapeutic ERC were collected and analyzed retrospectively.RESULTS： A total of 30 patients with CBD stones and characteristic PE segments were enrolled in this study. The median patient age was 45 years （range, 20 to 92 years）; 66.7% of the patients were men. The di ameters of the widest non-PE CBD segment, the PE segment, and the largest stone were 14.3 ± 4.9 mm, 5.8±1.6 mm, and 11.2±4.7 mm, respectively. The length of the PE segment was 39.7±15.4 mm （range, 12.3 mm to 70.9 mm）. To remove the CBD stone（s） completely, mechanical lithotripsy was required in 25 （83.3%） patients even though the stone size was not as large as were the difficult stones that have been described in the literature. The stone size and stone/ PE segment diameter ratio were associated with the need for lithotripsy. Post-ERC complications occurred in 4 cases： pancreatitis in 1, cholangitis in 2, and an im- pacted Dormia basket with cholangitis in 1. Two （6.7%） of the 28 patients developed recurrent CBD stones at follow-up （50±14 mo） and were successfully managed with therapeutic ERC.CONCLUSION： Patients with a PE duct frequently require mechanical lithotripsy for stones extraction, To retrieve stones successfully and avoid complications, these patients should be identified during ERC,

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography for pediatric choledocholithiasis: Assessing the need for endoscopic intervention

AIM:To assess pediatric patients for choledocholithiasis.We applied current adult guidelines to identify predictivefactors in children.METHODS:A single-center retrospective analysis was performed at a tertiary children's hospital.We evaluated 44 consecutive pediatric patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiography(ERCP) for suspected choledocholithiasis.Patients were stratified into those with common bile duct stones(CBDS) at ERCP vs those that did not using the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy(ASGE) guidelines(Very Strong and Strong criteria) for suspected CBDS.RESULTS:CBDS were identified in 84% at the time of ERCP.Abdominal ultrasound identified CBDS in 36% of patients.Conjugated bilirubin ≥ 0.5 mg/d L was an independent risk factor for CBDS(P = 0.003).The Very Strong(59.5%) and Strong(48.6%) ASGE criteria identified the majority of patients(P = 0.0001).A modified score using conjugated bilirubin had a higher sensitivity(81.2% vs 59.5%) and more likely to identify a stone than the standard criteria,odds ratio of 25.7 compared to 8.8.Alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase values identified significant differences in a subset of patients with odds ratio of 4.1 and 3.25,respectively.CONCLUSION:Current adult guidelines identified the majority of pediatric patients with CBDS,but specific pediatric guidelines may improve detection,thus decreasing risks and unnecessary procedures.

Mucin gene expression in bile of patients with and without gallstone disease,collected by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography

AIM： To investigate the pattern of mucin expression and concentration in bile obtained during endoscopic retrograde cholangiography （ERC） in relation to gallstone disease.METHODS： Bile samples obtained at ERC from 29 consecutive patients, 17 with and 12 without gallstone disease were evaluated for mucin content by gel filtration on a Sepharose CL-4B column. Dot blot analysis for bile mucin apoproteins was performed with antibodies to Mucin 1 （MUC1）, MUC2, MUC3, MUC5AC, MUC5B and MUC6. Staining intensity score （0-3） was used as a measure of antigen expression.RESULTS： MUCl, MUC2, MUC3, MUCSAC, MUC5B and MUC6 were demonstrated in 34.4%, 34.4%, 51.7%, 51.7%, 55.1% and 27.5% of bile samples, respectively.The staining intensity scores were 0.62 ± 0.94, 0.58 ± 0.90, 0.79 ± 0.97, 1.06 ± 1.22, 1.20 ± 2.26 and 0.41 ± 0.73, respectively. Mean mucin concentration measured in bile by the Sepharose CL-4B method was 22.8 ± 24.0 mg/mL （range 3.4-89.0 mg/mL）. Mean protein concentration was 8.1 ± 4.8 mg/mL （range 1.7-23.2 mg/mL）.CONCLUSION： High levels of MUC3, MUC5AC and MUC5B are expressed in bile aspirated during ERC examination. A specific pattern of mucin gene expression or change in mucin concentration was not found in gallstone disease.

Fluorescent cholangiography: An up-to-date overview twelve years after the first clinical application

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)is one of the most frequently performed gastrointestinal surgeries worldwide.Bile duct injury(BDI)represents the most serious complication of LC,with an incidence of 0.3%-0.7%,resulting in significant perioperative morbidity and mortality,impaired quality of life,and high rates of subsequent medico-legal litigation.In most cases,the primary cause of BDI is the misinterpretation of biliary anatomy,leading to unexpected biliary lesions.Near-infrared fluorescent cholangiography is widely spreading in clinical practice to delineate biliary anatomy during LC in elective and emergency settings.The primary aim of this article was to perform an up-to-date overview of the evolution of this method 12 years after the first clinical application in 2009 and to highlight all advantages and current limitations according to the available scientific evidence.

MR Cholangiography and Dynamic Examination of Duodenal Fluid inthe Differential Diagnosis between Extrahepatic Biliary Atresia and Infantile Hepatitis Syndrome

In order to evaluate the value of magnetic resonance cholangiography （MRC） and dynamic examination of duodenal fluid in the differential diagnosis between extrahepatic biliary atresia （EHBA） and infantile hepatitis syndrome （IHS）, 52 patients with infantile cholestatic jaundice were examined by MRC and duodenal fluid examination. Original interpretations were compared with clinical outcome. Calculated sensitivity of duodenal fluid examination in diagnosis of EHBA was 100 %, and specificity was 91.1%. Sensitivity of MRC in the diagnosis of EHBA was 94.4 % and specificity 88.24 %. The sensitivity of MRC and examination of duodenal fluid combined in diagnosis of EHBA was 94.4 % and specificity 97.06 %. We are led to conclude that MRC and dynamic examination of duodenal fluid are useful in the differential diagnosis between IHS and EHBA and the combined use of the two techniques yield better resutls.

Magnetic resonance cholangiography in the assessment and management of biliary complications after OLT

Despite advances in patient and graft management,biliary complications(BC)still represent a challenge both in the early and delayed period after orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT).Because of unspecific clinical presentation,imaging is often mandatory in order to diagnose BC.Among imaging modalities,magnetic resonance cholangiography(MRC)has gained widespread acceptance as a tool to represent the reconstructed biliary tree noninvasively,using both the conventional technique(based on heavily T2-weighted sequences)and contrast-enhanced MRC(based on the acquisition of T1-weighted sequences after the administration of hepatobiliary contrast agents).On this basis,MRC is generally indicated to:(1)avoid unnecessary procedures of direct cholangiography in patients with a negative examination and/or identify alternative complications;and(2)provide a road map for interventional procedures or surgery.As illustrated in the review,MRC is accurate in the diagnosis of different types of biliarycomplications,including anastomotic strictures,nonanastomotic strictures,leakage and stones.

Improving rehabilitation and quality of life after percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography drainage with a rapid rehabilitation model

BACKGROUND Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography drainage(PTCD)effectively treats biliary obstruction.However,patients must maintain the drainage tube after hospital discharge,which may interfere with daily life and work,potentially causing psychological distress.Postoperative rehabilitation is crucial,and strengthened nursing interventions can shorten recovery time.AIM The aim was to evaluate an inpatient model to shorten rehabilitation duration and improve quality of life after PTCD.METHODS A total of 118 patients with malignant obstructive jaundice who were admitted to our hospital between May 2018 and January 2021 were included and divided into observational(with therapy)and control(no therapy)groups of 59 each.RESULTS The observational group had fewer hospitalization days than the control group.The complication,the PTCD fixed-tube prolapse,and tube-related admission rates within 3 mo after PTCD were significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05).The fatigue,pain,nausea,vomiting,pruritus,emaciation,and fever scores after PTCD decreased in both groups compared with the scores before PTCD(P<0.05).The quality of life scores after the intervention were higher in the observation than in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The model promoted rehabilitation after PTCD,reduced post-PTCD complications,and the tube-related admissions in the 3 mo after the procedure,and improved the quality of life.

Single balloon enteroscopy for endoscopic retrograde cholangiography in patients with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejuno anastomosis

AIM:To evaluate single balloon enteroscopy in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiography(ERC)in patients with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunoanastomosis(HJA).METHODS:The study took place from January 2009to December 2011 and we retrospectively assessed 15patients with Roux-en-Y HJA who had signs of biliary obstruction.In total,23 ERC procedures were performed in these patients and a single balloon videoen-teroscope(Olympus SIF Q 180)was used in all of the cases.A transparent overtube was drawn over the videoenteroscope and it freely moved on the working part of the enteroscope.Its distal end was equipped with a silicone balloon that was inflated by air from an external pump at a pressure of≤5.4 kPa.The technical limitations or rather the parameters of the single balloon enteroscope(working length-200 cm,diameter of the working channel-2.8 mm,absence of Albarran bridge)showed the need for special endoscopic instrumentation.RESULTS:Cannulation success was reached in diagnostic ERC in 12 of 15 patients.ERC findings were normal in 1 of 12 patients.ERC in the remaining 11 patients showed some pathological changes.One of these(cystic bile duct dilation)was subsequently resolved surgically.Endoscopic treatment was initialized in the remaining 10 patients(5 with HJA stenosis,2 with choledocholithiasis,and 3 with both).This treatment was successful in 9 of 10 patients.The endoscopic therapeutic procedures included:balloon dilatation of HJA stenosis-11 times(7 patients);choledocholitiasis extraction-five times(5 patients);biliary plastic stent placement-six times(4 patients);and removal of biliary stents placed by us-six times(4 patients).The mean time of performing a single ERC was 72 min.The longest procedure took 110 min and the shortest took34 min.This shows that it is necessary to allow for more time in individual procedures.Furthermore,these procedures require the presence of an anesthesiologist.We did not observe any complications in these 15 patients.CONCLUSION:This method is more demanding than standard endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography due to altered postsurgical anatomy.However,it is effective,safe,and widens the possibilities of resolving biliary pathology.

Electrohydraulic lithotripsy and rendezvous nasal endoscopic cholangiography for common bile duct stone: A case report

BACKGROUND In patients with large stones in the common bile duct(CBD),advanced treatment modalities are generally needed.Here,we present an interesting case of a huge CBD stone treated with electrohydraulic lithotripsy(EHL)by the percutaneous approach and rendezvous endoscopic retrograde cholangiography(ERC)using a nasal endoscope.CASE SUMMARY A 91-year-old woman underwent ERC for a symptomatic large CBD stone with a diameter of 50 mm.She was referred to our institution after the failure of lithotomy by ERC,and after undergoing percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.We attempted to fragment the stone by transhepatic cholangioscopy using EHL.However,the stones were too large and partly soft clay-like for lithotripsy.Next,we attempted lithotomy with ERC and cholangioscopy by the rendezvous technique using a nasal endoscope and achieved complete lithotomy.No complication was observed at the end of this procedure.CONCLUSION Cholangioscopy by rendezvous technique using a nasal endoscope is a feasible and safe endoscopic method for removing huge CBD stones.