Intestinal phenotypes in pediatric gallbladder epithelium

Evaluating Intestinal Metaplasia in Pediatric Gallbladder Specimens: Clinicopathologic Significance and Sampling Thresholds

BACKGROUND

Gallbladders are a commonly encounter specimen in pediatric pathology practice. In the adult population, intestinal metaplasia (IM) in the gallbladder is associated with the development of dysplasia and adenocarcinoma; however, in children its significance is unknown, and the appropriate sampling has not been described which is the goal of this study.

METHODS

Twenty-five routine pediatric cholecystectomy cases with IM were identified, and their clinical and histologic findings were reviewed.

RESULTS

Of these 25 cases, 23 were female (92%). The most common indication for surgery was cholelithiasis (84%). Stones were present in 21 cases (84%). Twenty-three cases (92%) had additional sections submitted with an average of 3.9 slides (range = 3-6), and 52% had IM in additional blocks. However, no dysplasia or carcinoma was identified in any case.

CONCLUSION

IM in the gallbladder is frequently seen in the setting of gallstones and chronic inflammation. Based on our experience, no additional sampling is required when incidentally identified.

Developmental histology of the portal plate in biliary atresia: observations and implications

PURPOSE

The key characteristic of biliary atresia (BA) is obliteration of the extrahepatic bile ducts at the level of the porta hepatis. We aimed to relate the immunohistochemical features of remnant biliary ductules at the porta hepatis with clinical features and outcomes.

METHODS

Samples were immunostained with anti-cytokeratin 20 (CK20), vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin (aSMA). Primary outcome was set as clearance of jaundice (bilirubin ≤ 20 μmol/L) following Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE).

RESULTS

Eighty-two cases were classified into syndromic BA (n = 10), cystic BA (n = 7), CMV IgM+ BA (n = 9) and isolated BA (n = 56). CK20 expression was confirmed in 40/82 (49%), and vimentin expression in 19/82 (23%). aSMA was negative in all cases studied. CK20 expression was less common in isolated BA (n = 20/56, 36%) compared to CMV IgM+ BA (n = 8/9, 89%), cystic BA (n = 7/7, 100%) (isolated BA vs non-isolated BA, P = 0.0008). There was no difference in vimentin expression among the sub-groups (isolated BA vs. non-isolated BA; P = 0.39). CoJ was achieved in 52/82 (63%) overall with significant difference depending simply on sub-group [e.g. syndromic BA 9/10 (90%)]. CK20 expression was associated with a diminished rate of CoJ in the entire cohort [CK20+ 32/56 (57%) vs. CK20- 20/26 (77%); P = 0.04]. By contrast no correlation was observed between vimentin expression and CoJ (P = 0.13).

CONCLUSION

CK20+ expression was associated with reduced clearance of jaundice in BA and a trend towards reduced native liver survival.

Intramural cyst originating from Luschka's duct in the gall bladder: A case report

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A case of the intramural cyst of the gallbladder is rarely encountered.

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The cyst derived from the Luschka duct, a specific histological element of the gallbladder, has not received much attention.

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The gallbladder’s mural cyst, which is derived from the Luschka duct, is different from Rokitansky-Aschoff sinus origin.

Introduction and importance

An intramural cyst is a rare lesion that develops in the wall of the gallbladder. Although the acquired cysts originate from the Rokitansky-Aschoff sinus (RAS), the congenital them, such as the duct of Luschka, are rare. Luschka's duct is a unique and specific tissue component that is histologically different from the inherent bile duct and without the communication to the lumen of the gallbladder.

Case presentation

A woman in her seventies underwent cholecystectomy for the treatment of repeated choledocholithiasis. Pathological examination of the resected specimen revealed multiple cysts in the subserosal tissue of the liver bed. The cysts were lined by cuboidal epithelium and surrounded by hypercellular fibrous tissue. Apart from the Luschka's ducts scattered around the cyst, no other components were observed. Immunohistochemically, the cystic epithelium was different from that of the gallbladder and phenotypically similar to that of the Luschka's duct.

Discussion

From histopathological and immunohistological findings, it was suggested that the cysts of the present case are not derived from RAS, which is the most common in the gallbladder, but from the Luschka’s duct.

Conclusion

We report an extremely rare case of intramural cysts that appear to have originated from the Luschka’s duct.