Anomalous hepatic duct inserting into the cystic duct

A case of accessory hepatic duct entering cystic duct successfully treated by laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholecystolithiasis

Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a well-established surgical procedure, an accessory hepatic duct (AcHD) entering the cystic duct is poorly understood. A 77-year-old woman with symptomatic cholecystlithiasis was referred to our hospital. Abdominal ultrasonography indicated several small stones in the gall bladder. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) did not reveal an anomalous cystic duct. Dissecting the gall bladder bed at operation, AcHD entering the cystic duct was suspected. Intraoperative cholangiography revealed that B5 branch entered the cystic duct. We ligated the AcHD, and divided it. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was completed, and the patient was discharged without any complication. A week after the operation, MRCP showed that ventral branch of B5 was dilated. The patient showed no symptom for more than a year. The present case exhibited extremely rare AcHD entering the cystic duct, which was hardly recognized before surgery. It is possible to recognize such anomalous variants with standard laparoscopic approach based on 2018 Tokyo Guidelines and with attention to the possibilities of AcHD entering the cystic duct.

The Prevalence of Hjortsjo Crook Sign of Right Posterior Sectional Bile Duct and Bile Duct Anatomy in ERCP

AIM

The frequency of the Right Posterior Sectional Bile Duct (RPSBD) hump sign in cholangiogram when it crosses over the right portal vein known as Hjortsjo Crook Sign and the bile duct anatomy are studied. Knowledge of the implication of positive sign can facilitate safe resection for both bile duct and portal vein.

METHODS

Prospectively, we included 237 patients with indicated ERCP during a period from March 2010 to January 2015.

RESULTS

The mean age (±SD) and male to female ratio were 38.8 (±19.20) and 1 : 1.28, respectively. All patients are Arab from Middle Eastern origin, had biliary stone disease, and underwent diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP. Positive Hjortsjo Crook Sign was found in 17.7% (42) of patients. The sign was found to be equally more frequent in Nakamura's RPSBD anatomical variant types I, II, and IV in 8.4% (20), 6.8% (16), and 2.1% (5), respectively, while rare anatomical variant type III showed no positive sign.

CONCLUSION

Hjortsjo Crook Sign frequently presents in RPSBD variation types I, II, and IV in our patients.

Bile duct confluence: anatomic variations and its classification

Accurate knowledge of the anatomy of the bile ducts is critical for successfully hepato-biliary surgery. We describe the anatomical variations of the confluence of the bile ducts, their branches patterns, frequency and classification. From 1996 to 2011, we have collected data of the bile duct confluence. 2,032 and 1,014 anatomical variations of right and left bile ducts, respectively, were reviewed and classified according to the branching pattern. The frequencies of each type of the right hepatic duct (RHD) were as follows: Type A1-1,247 (61.3%); Type A2-296 (14.5%); Type A3-272 (13.3%); Type A4-124 (6.1%); Type A5-21 (1%) and others-72 (3.5%) and, for the left hepatic duct (LHD) was as follows: Type B1-773 (76.2%); Type B2-153 (15%); Type B3-38 (3.7%); Type B4-9 (0.8%); Type B5-29 (2.8%) and others-12 (1.1%). Atypical branching patterns of both the right and left hepatic ducts were found in 14 and 8%, respectively. The two most common variations of the RHD were right anterior and posterior hepatic ducts join together to form the RHD and trifurcation where the RHD is absent and right anterior and posterior hepatic ducts join directly to the confluence with the LHD to form the common hepatic duct. The two most common variations in the LHD were segment IV drainage to the left and right hepatic ducts.

Clinical application of the hanover classification for iatrogenic bile duct lesions

Background. There is only limited evidence available to justify generalized clinical classification and treatment recommendations for iatrogenic bile duct lesions. Methods. Data of 93 patients with iatrogenic bile duct lesions was evaluated retrospectively to analyse the variety of encountered lesions with the Hanover classification and its impact on surgical treatment and outcomes. Results. Bile duct lesions combined with vascular lesions were observed in 20 patients (21.5%). 18 of these patients were treated with additional partial hepatectomy while the majority were treated by hepaticojejunostomy alone (n = 54). Concomitant injury to the right hepatic artery resulted in additional right anatomical hemihepatectomy in 10 of 18 cases. 8 of 12 cases with type A lesions were treated with drainage alone or direct suture of the bile leak while 2 patients with a C2 lesion required a Whipple's procedure. Observed congruence between originally proposed lesion-type-specific treatment and actually performed treatment was 66–100% dependent on the category of lesion type. Hospital mortality was 3.2% (n = 3). Conclusions. The Hannover classification may be helpful to standardize the systematic description of iatrogenic bile duct lesions in order to establish evidence-based and lesion-type-specific treatment recommendations.

Right anterior segmental hepatic duct emptying directly into the cystic duct in a living donor

A 35-year-old mother was scheduled to be the living donor for liver transplantation to her second son, who suffered from biliary atresia complicated with biliary cirrhosis at the age of 2 years. The operative plan was to recover the left lateral segment of the mother’s liver for living donor transplantation. With the use of cholangiography at the time of surgery, we found the right anterior segmental duct (RASD) emptying directly into the cystic duct, and the catheter passed into the RASD. After repairing the incision in the cystic duct, transplantation was successfully performed. Her postoperative course was uneventful. Biliary anatomical variations were frequently encountered, however, this variation has very rarely been reported. If the RASD was divided, the repair would be very difficult because the duct will not dilate sufficiently in an otherwise healthy donor. Meticulous preoperative evaluation of the living donor’s biliary anatomy, especially using magnetic resonance cholangiography and careful intraoperative techniques, is important to prevent bile duct injury and avoid the risk to the healthy donor.

Anatomic variations in intrahepatic bile ducts in a north Indian population

BACKGROUND AND AIM

In the present study, we described the anatomical variations in the branching patterns of intrahepatic bile ducts (IHD) and determined the frequency of each variation in north Indian patients. There are no data from India.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 253 consecutive patients (131 women) undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiograms for different indications. Anatomical variations in IHD were classified according to the branching pattern of the right anterior segmental duct (RASD) and the right posterior segmental duct (RPSD), presence or absence of first-order branch of left hepatic duct (LHD) and of an accessory hepatic duct.

RESULTS

Anatomy of the IHD was typical in 52.9% of cases (n = 134), showing triple confluence in 11.46% (n = 29), anomalous drainage of the RPSD into the LHD in 18.2% (n = 46), anomalous drainage of the RPSD into the common hepatic duct (CHD) in 7.1% (n = 18), drainage of the right hepatic duct (RHD) into the cystic duct 0.4% (n = 1), presence of an accessory duct leading to the CHD or RHD in 4.7% (n = 12), individual drainage of the LHD into the RHD or CHD in 2.4% (n = 6), and unclassified or complex variations in 2.7% (n = 7). None had anomalous drainage of RPSD into the cystic duct.

CONCLUSION

The branching pattern of IHD was atypical in 47% patients. The two most common variations were drainage of the RPSD into the LHD (18.2%) and triple confluence of the RASD, RPSD, and LHD (11.5%).

Avoiding biliary injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: technical considerations

Experience alone is not sufficient to protect surgeons and their patients from biliary injury. This article suggests valuable technical considerations for the performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Against the background of a widely accepted biliary injury classification system, the risk factors and causes of biliary injury are considered. The concept of the critical view exposure technique for Calot's triangle is emphasized from the practical standpoint of avoiding misidentified injuries.

Anatomic variation in intrahepatic bile ducts: an analysis of intraoperative cholangiograms in 300 consecutive donors for living donor liver transplantation

OBJECTIVE

To describe the anatomical variation occurring in intrahepatic bile ducts (IHDs) in terms of their branching patterns, and to determine the frequency of each variation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study group consisted of 300 consecutive donors for liver transplantation who underwent intraoperative cholangiography. Anatomical variation in IHDs was classified according to the branching pattern of the right anterior and right posterior segmental duct (RASD and RPSD, respectively), and the presence or absence of the first-order branch of the left hepatic duct (LHD), and of an accessory hepatic duct.

RESULTS

The anatomy of the intrahepatic bile ducts was typical in 63% of cases (n=188), showed triple confluence in 10% (n=29), anomalous drainage of the RPSD into the LHD in 11% (n=34), anomalous drainage of the RPSD into the common hepatic duct (CHD) in 6% (n=19), anomalous drainage of the RPSD into the cystic duct in 2% (n=6), drainage of the right hepatic duct (RHD) into the cystic duct (n=1), the presence of an accessory duct leading to the CHD or RHD in 5% (n=16), individual drainage of the LHD into the RHD or CHD in 1% (n=4), and unclassified or complex variation in 1% (n=3).

CONCLUSION

The branching pattern of IHDs was atypical in 37% of cases. The two most common variations were drainage of the RPSD into the LHD (11%) and triple confluence of the RASD, RPSD and LHD (10%).

The cystic duct: normal anatomy and disease processes

The cystic duct can be depicted with a variety of imaging modalities but is optimally visualized with direct cholangiography or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Nevertheless, unrecognized anatomic variants of the cystic duct may cause confusion on imaging studies and complicate subsequent surgical, endoscopic, and percutaneous procedures. Primary entities involving the cystic duct include calculous disease, Mirizzi syndrome, cystic duct-duodenal fistula, biliary obstruction, neoplasia, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. The cystic duct may also be secondarily involved by adjacent malignant or inflammatory processes. Postoperative alterations are seen after liver transplantation or cholecystectomy when a portion of the cystic duct is left behind as a remnant. Recognized postoperative complications include retained cystic duct stones, cystic duct leakage, and malposition of T tubes in the remnant. Pitfalls encountered in cystic duct imaging include pseudocalculous defects from overlap of the cystic duct and common bile duct, underfilling of the cystic duct during direct cholangiography, and admixture defects at the cystic duct orifice. Pseudomass or pseudotumor defects may result from an impacted cystic duct stone or from a tortuous, redundant cystic duct. Familiarity with the imaging appearance of the normal cystic duct, its anatomic variants, and related disease processes facilitates accurate diagnosis and helps avoid misinterpretation.

Anomalous duplicated cystic duct as a surgical hazard: report of a case

Anomalies of the biliary ductal system are not uncommon, and their clinical significance is variable. We present herein the case of a 70-year-old Japanese woman found to have an anomalous duplicated cystic duct, which is an extremely rare congenital anomaly. Intraoperative delineation of the anomaly by real-time cholangiograms assisted us in being able to subsequently perform a safe cholecystectomy. This case serves to demonstrate the importance of being aware of the possibility of potential biliary variations in order to avoid ductal injuries during biliary surgery.

The cystohepatic ducts: surgical implications

The cystohepatic ducts (CHDs) drain the entirety of a hepatic territory of variable extent into the cystic duct or gallbladder (cholecystohepatic ducts). Certain very rare patterns of the CHDs constitute anomalies but as a rule a CHD represents one of the numerous variants of division of the extrahepatic bile-ducts. Their existence is explained by the normal anatomic development of the bile-ducts. They are usually discovered during peroperative cholangiography performed during cholecystectomy for gallstones. Their actual incidence is small: 1-2% of cases. A CHD was found by the authors on 12 occasions in a total of 1410 cholecystectomies (0.9%). The CHDs are always bile ducts of the right lobe of the liver and may drain a subsegment or segment, a sector or, exceptionally, the whole of the right lobe of the liver. Peroperative cholangiography does not always allow distinction of the CHDs from other and equally rare variants of division of the extrahepatic bile-ducts, whose existence carries the same practical implications. The existence of the CHDs is unpredictable. Their position renders them particularly vulnerable during cholecystectomy and the seriousness of an accidental injury of a CHD depends on the extent of the hepatic territory it drains. Strict observance of the rules of biliary surgery and routine peroperative cholangiography should preserve the integrity of CHDs draining an extensive hepatic territory.