Juan Alvarez Rodríguez

Minimally Invasive Management of Acute Biliary Tract Disease during Pregnancy

Background. Acute biliary diseases during pregnancy have been classically managed conservatively. Advances in minimally invasive surgery and the high recurrence rate of symptoms observed changed this management. Methods. This is a prospective observational study. Initial management was medical. Unresponsive patients were treated with minimally invasive techniques including gallbladder percutaneous aspiration or cholecystostomy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy, depending on the pregnancy trimester and underlying diagnosis. Results. 122 patients were admitted. 69 (56.5%) were unresponsive to medical treatment. Recurrent gallbladder colic was the most frequent indication for minimally invasive intervention, followed by acute cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, and acute biliary pancreatitis. 8 patients were treated during the first trimester, 54 during the second, and 7 during the last trimester. There was no fetal morbidity or mortality. Maternal morbidity was minor with no mortality. Conclusion. Acute biliary tract diseases during pregnancy may be safely treated with minimally invasive procedures according to the underlying diagnosis and to the trimester of pregnancy.

Bile duct cyst type V (Caroli's disease): surgical strategy and results

BACKGROUND Carolis disease (CD) is a benign congenital disorder characterized by segmental cystic dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary ducts. Therapeutic strategy includes medical treatment, percutaneous, endoscopic or surgical drainage of the affected bile ducts, liver resection or transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyse the results and long-term follow-up of a consecutive series of patients who underwent surgical treatment for CD. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1995 and 2005, 10 patients were surgically treated for CD. Variables evaluated were: age, gender, clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures, percutaneous and surgical treatments, histopathological analysis and outcome. RESULTS The average age of the patients was 45.8 years. Recurrent cholangitis was the main clinical manifestation (70%). In unilateral CD a liver resection was performed in nine patients (left lateral sectionectomy in seven, left hepatectomy in one and right hepatectomy in one). In bilateral disease a cholecystectomy, duct exploration, hepaticojejunostomy and liver biopsy of both lobes were performed. Average follow-up was 60 months. All the patients are alive and free of symptoms without recurrence in the remnant liver. DISCUSSION Liver resection is the preferred therapeutic option for unilateral CD, demonstrating good results in long-term follow-up. In bilateral disease, hepaticojejunostomy could be considered as an alternative or a previous step to liver transplantation, which still remains the ultimate option.

Nonparasitic Simple Liver Cyst: Always a Benign Entity? Unusual Presentation of a Cystadenoma

A nonparasitic hepatic cyst is a cavity usually containing a citrine liquid without any communication with the excretory ducts. Its prevalence in the general population is not well defined, and few studies have been published (1, 2). For years it has been detected only by a complication such as pain due to intracystic bleeding or as an incidental finding at surgery or at necropsy. During the last two decades widespread use of hepatic ultrasonography (US) has increased the number of detected asymptomatic solitary cysts of the liver, but management options for them remain a controversial subject. Solitary cysts do not have an obvious vascular or lymphatic origin, nor they are a component or a complication of a discernible tumor. There is no convincing evidence for a teratomatous or for a neoplastic origin (e.g., cystadenoma). It has been postulated that their origin could be an excess of biliary ducts that have not undergone involution and suffered slow dilatation, leading to cyst formation (1, 2). Biliary cystadenomas are rare tumors with malignant potential, but it may take years before malignant transformations become apparent (3). This report describes a case of a liver cystoadenoma in a female patient, detected 18 years after the initial diagnosis of a typical simple hepatic cyst.

Schloffer's tumor: Case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION The so-called Schloffer tumor (ST) is a rare inflammatory pseudotumor. It usually appears several years after abdominal surgery or trauma. PRESENTATION OF CASE A 32-year-old man was referred to our hospital complaining of a painful mass in the left hypochondrium, postprandial distension and a weight loss of about 14 kg. He had had a left inguinal hernioplasty without mesh the previous year. Ultrasonography of the abdomen showed a 2 cm × 2 cm hypoechoic lesion in contact with the abdominal wall. Computerized tomography of the abdomen showed a heterogeneous mass in the great omentum. Laparoscopic exploration revealed an omental mass firmly attached to the abdominal wall. A great deal of purulent fluid spread during the procedure. Due to the difficult exploration, the procedure converted to hand assisted laparoscopy. We find an omental tumor involving the stomach and the transverse colon. Inside the mass there were purulent material and non-absorbable sutures. A drain was left inside the cavity of the abscess. Histological examination showed chronic inflammation. DISCUSSION ST characteristically presents a central chronic abscess containing non-absorbable sutures. It has been described after appendectomy, hernioplasty, hysterectomy, gastrectomy or colonic resections. Although benign, its progressive growth and infiltrating behavior resemble malignant tumors. CONCLUSION We suggest that a mini-invasive approach should always be performed. The interesting thing about this case is the appearance of the tumor in a place far away from the previous surgical site. A simple drainage and removal of suture material solves the problem of these patients.