Role of intraoperative cholangiography in patients whose biliary tree was evaluated preoperatively by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

Impact of fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomy for severe cholecystitis

BACKGROUND

The Tokyo Guidelines 2018 proposed fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomy (FFLC) as a bailout surgery. This study investigated the clinical impact of FFLC for severe cholecystitis.

METHODS

This study reviewed 772 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) between 2015 and 2018. Of these patients, 171 patients were diagnosed with severe cholecystitis according to our difficulty scoring system. FFLC was not prevalent in our faculty for the first 2 years [early period group (EG)], whereas FFLC was predominantly used for the last 2 years [late period group (LG)]. There were 81 patients (47%) belonging to the EG and 90 patients (53%) in the LG. The clinical data and the surgical outcomes of these patients were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The difficulty score did not differ between the two groups (11 vs. 11 points, p = 0.846). Patients underwent FFLC significantly more frequently in the LG (63% vs. 12%, p = 0.020). Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) was done in 10 patients (11%) of the LG, which was significantly low compared to that in the EG (n = 20, 25%) (p = 0.020). In all patients, LC was safely achieved without bile duct injury or conversion to laparotomy. The incidence of choledocholithiasis was significantly low in the LG (0 vs. 4, p = 0.048). The median postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LG (6 vs. 4 days, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

After the introduction of FFLC, there were significant improvements in the surgical outcomes of LC for severe cholecystitis, including the rate of LSC, incidence of choledocholithiasis, and duration of postoperative hospital stay.

Routine preoperative MRCP in screening choledocholithiasis in acute cholecystitis compared to selective approach: a population-based study

Choledocholithiasis is more common in acute cholecystitis than in elective situations. Preoperative diagnosis of choledocholithiasis is essential to facilitate adequate planning of CBD (common bile duct) stone removal, preferably performed as a single-stage procedure. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of routine preoperative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in acute cholecystitis followed by consequent cholecystectomy. A total of 180 consecutive patients operated for acute cholecystitis between January 2019 and December 2019 were prospectively enrolled. Preoperative routine MRCP was performed for bile duct evaluation when feasible. The control cohort consisted of 180 consecutive patients undergoing emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy before the study period. Intraoperative cholangiography was used routinely in both groups when technically achievable. We examined the proportion of patients recruited in preoperative MRCP, possible time delay to MRCP and surgery, and the incidence of CBD stones compared to the control cohort. Routine MRCP in acute cholecystitis was achieved in 114/180 (63%) patients compared to 42/180 (23.3%) patients of the control group. The triage time from emergency to MRCP and the operating theatre was similar in both cohorts. The percentage of patients diagnosed with choledocholithiasis in the study group was notably higher (almost 18% vs 11%), p < 0.05. After a median follow-up time of 2.5 years in the study group and almost 4 years in the control group, recurrent choledocholithiasis was not detected in either group. Routine MRCP in patients with acute cholecystitis can be implemented with a fair execution rate in a population-based setting with minor effects on hospital stay and delays but higher detection of choledocholithiasis. We observed no additional benefit compared to the selective use of MRCP. However, routine preoperative MRCP allows an advantage when considering the appropriate exploration method if choledocholithiasis is detected.

The Bad Gallbladder

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a common operation; approximately 20 million Americans have gallstones, the most common indication. Surgeons who operate on the biliary tree must be familiar with the presentations and treatment options for acute and chronic biliary pathology. We focus on the difficult "bad" gallbladder. We explore the available evidence as to what to do when a gallbladder is too inflamed, too technically challenging, or a patient is too sick to undergo standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We discuss whether or not open cholecystectomy is a relevant tool and what can be done to manage common bile duct stones found unexpectedly intraoperatively.

Dual common bile duct examination with transcystic choledochoscopy and cholangiography in laparoscopic cholecystectomy for suspected choledocholithiasis: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Detection of common bile duct (CBD) stones is a major objective of intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). We evaluated the feasibility and safety of the routine use of transcystic choledochoscopy following IOC (dual common bile duct examination: DCBDE), which may improve the diagnostic accuracy of CBD stones and facilitate one-stage clearance, in LC for suspected choledocholithiasis.

METHODS

Between May 2017 and November 2018, 38 patients with suspected choledocholithiasis were prospectively enrolled in this study, regardless of whether they underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy. Transcystic choledochoscopy was routinely attempted following IOC in LC.

RESULTS

Five cases were excluded due to cholecystitis, bile duct anomaly, or liver cirrhosis. DCBDE was performed in the remaining 33 patients. The biliary tree was delineated by IOC in all patients. Subsequently, choledochosope was performed in 32 patients except for one who was found to have pancreaticobiliary malunion in IOC. The scope was successfully passed into the CBD in 25 (78.1%) patients. Choledochoscopy detected 3 (9.4%) cases of cystic duct stones and 4 (12.5%) cases of CBD stones which were not identified by IOC. All those stones were removed via cystic duct. There were no intra- and postoperative complications, except for two cases of wound infection and one case of a transient increase in serum amylase.

CONCLUSIONS

DCBDE in LC is a safe and promising approach for intraoperative diagnosis and one-stage treatment of suspected choledocholithasis.

The role of intraoperative cholangiography in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute gallstone pancreatitis: is magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography needed?

INTRODUCTION

Intraoperative cholangiography is sporadically used in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy to delineate common bile duct anatomy and exclude retained stones. In patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis, intraoperative cholangiography may reduce the need for preoperative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of a prospectively collected patient database was undertaken over a 15-year period. The primary objective was to evaluate intraoperative assessment of the common bile duct with intraoperative cholangiography in patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis.

RESULTS

A total of 2215 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy between October 1998 and December 2013; 113 patients (of whom 77 were women) with a mean age of 54 years (range 16-88 years) were diagnosed with acute gallstone pancreatitis. Of these, 102 patients (90%) underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography, which was normal in 89 cases. Thirteen patients had choledocholithiasis on intraoperative cholangiography, 11 of whom were managed with concomitant trans-cystic duct exploration and clearance. Two patients required postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients diagnosed with acute gallstone pancreatitis, it is reasonable to proceed directly to surgery using intraoperative cholangiography on the same admission as the definitive assessment of the common bile duct. This negates the need for magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and can translate into cost savings and reduced length of stay.

Clinical significance of bile reflux into the pancreatic duct without pancreaticobiliary maljunction assessed by intraoperative cholangiography

INTRODUCTION

Bile reflux into the pancreatic duct (BRPD) is sometimes demonstrated during intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) even in patients without pancreaticobiliary maljunction. However, the clinical significance of this finding in laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy is unclear.

METHODS

Among 484 patients who underwent cholecystectomy (372 laparoscopic, 112 open), patients whose pancreatic duct was depicted in IOC were selected. The value of pancreatic amylase (p-amylase) of the gallbladder bile, histological changes, and the immunohistochemical expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the gallbladder mucosa were analyzed in patients with BRPD. The data were then compared to those in patients without BRPD whose gallbladder bile p-amylase was measured (control group, n = 20).

RESULTS

The success rate of IOC was 93.6%. The rate of BRPD in laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy was 5.2% and 5.7%, respectively. The value of gallbladder bile p-amylase in patients with BRPD was significantly higher than in the control group (790.5 vs 14.0 IU/L, P = 0.034). The value of the PCNA labeling index in patients with BRPD was significantly higher than that of the control group (15.4% vs 4.1%, P = 0.0026). Among the 24 patients with BRPD, pathological changes in the gallbladder mucosa were detected in five (two hyperplasia, three metaplasia), but there was no correlation between the presence of pathological change and PCNA labeling index or gallbladder bile p-amylase.

CONCLUSIONS

IOC could detect BRPD both in laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy at a similar rate. Patients with BRPD had high levels of gallbladder bile p-amylase and PCNA labeling index, findings similar to those in patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction.

Gallbladder bed pocket score as a preoperative measure for assessing the difficulty of laparoscopic cholecystectomy

INTRODUCTION

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (Lap-C) is a standard surgery for symptomatic gallbladder stones and acute or chronic cholecystitis. Resident surgeons often perform this operation early in their training, but they sometimes encounter difficulties for various technical reasons. Although encountering a gallbladder buried deep within the gallbladder bed is a common operative difficulty, literature on the subject scarcely exists.

METHODS

Forty-two patients underwent Lap-C at our hospitals and were analyzed retrospectively. We defined the gallbladder bed pocket score (GBPS) as the maximum ratio between the height and width of the gallbladder bed measured based on multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) images. GBPS and clinical factors were assessed in terms of their correlation with the time required for gallbladder dissection from the gallbladder bed.

RESULTS

Of the 42 patients, 20 had histories of acute or chronic cholecystitis. The mean gallbladder dissection time was 14.9 min, and the mean GBPS was 0.43 in the coronal MDCT section and 0.56 in the sagittal section. The correlation coefficient between the GBPS and gallbladder dissection time was 0.40 (P = 0.01) in the coronal section and 0.38 (P = 0.02) in the sagittal section of the MDCT images. There was no statistically significant correlation between gallbladder dissection time and the surgeon's experience, patient's history of cholecystitis, gallstone size, or blood loss. However, GBPS > 0.4 predicted more difficult and prolonged dissection.

CONCLUSION

GBPS is a useful tool for preoperatively predicting the time needed to dissect the gallbladder from the gallbladder bed during Lap-C. Cases with GBPS < 0.4 seem more suitable for resident surgeons who are performing gallbladder dissection early in their Lap-C training.