Refractory cystobiliary fistula secondary to percutaneous treatment of hydatid cyst: treatment with N-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate embolization

An integrated surgical training program for hepatic cystic echinococcosis in Xinjiang of China

Background

Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is one of the commonest zoonoses, and it is endemic in many parts of the world including China. Complications and recurrences after the surgical treatment of hepatic CE (HCE) incur a large personal, healthcare, and societal burden. There has been some progress in HCE prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, but there is no “one size fits all” approach, and surgery still remains the cornerstone of treatment for some cyst stages and locations or in areas with little knowledge or access to other treatment modalities. In 2009 we designed and implemented a program to improve surgical outcomes from HCE in Xinjiang province, China.

Methodology/Principal findings

A multimodal HCE training program was implemented in eleven primary hospitals in Xinjiang province, China, which provided education and training on HCE clinical knowledge and practice, the application of diagnostic and treatment options, and optimal surgery. The management of HCE cases was analyzed before and after program implementation. Contrast enhanced CT use, application of scoloicidal agents, removal of necrotic cyst wall remnants, appropriate perioperative drug use, and the use of optimal surgical approach increased after program implementation. Further, postoperative recurrences and residual cavity complications creased from 7.4% to 1.3% and 15.2% to 9.0% after program implementation, respectively.

Conclusions/Significance

Tis integrated surgical training program is useful for improving outcomes of patients with HCE and can be used in institutions in other endemic areas.

Hepatic cystic echinococcosis (HCE) is an endemic and neglected global disease. Many deprived areas in China still lack the knowledge and expertise to successfully treat HCE surgically, which results in high postoperative complication and recurrence rates that further decrease postoperative quality of life. In this study, we aimed to transfer our extensive experience in the development and implementation of effective surgery for HCE to eleven hospitals in the Echinococcus granulosus endemic province of Xinjiang to improve the surgical treatment of HCE. Our results indicate that our training program effectively reduces recurrence and complication rates and will be of use in other endemic areas.

Detection and characterization of traumatic bile leaks using Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiography

Expanding bile leaks after blunt liver trauma require more aggressive treatment than contained bile leaks. In this retrospective study approved by institution review board, we analyzed if non-invasive contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiography (CEMRC) using hepatocyte-specific contrast agent (gadoxetic acid disodium) could detect and characterize traumatic bile leaks. Between March 2012 and December 2014, written informed consents from 22 included patients (17 men, 5 women) with a median age of 24.5 years (IQR 21.8, 36.0 years) were obtained. Biliary tree visualization and bile leak detection on CEMRC acquired at 10, 20, 30, 90 minutes time points were independently graded by three radiologists on a 5-point Likert scale. Intraclass Correlation (ICC) was computed as estimates of interrater reliability. Accuracy was measured by area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC). Biliary tree visualization was the best on CEMRC at 90 minutes (score 4.30) with excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.930). Of 22 CEMRC, 15 had bile leak (8 expanding, 7 contained). The largest AUROC of bile leak detection by three radiologists were 0.824, 0.914, 0.929 respectively on CEMRC at 90 minutes with ICC of 0.816. In conclusion, bile leaks of blunt liver trauma can be accurately detected and characterized on CEMRC.

Non-surgical and non-chemical attempts to treat echinococcosis: do they work?

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) are chronic, complex and neglected diseases. Their treatment depends on a number of factors related to the lesion, setting and patient. We performed a literature review of curative or palliative non-surgical, non-chemical interventions in CE and AE. In CE, some of these techniques, like radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA), were shelved after initial attempts, while others, such as High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, appear promising but are still in a pre-clinical phase. In AE, RFA has never been tested, however, radiotherapy or heavy-ion therapies have been attempted in experimental models. Still, application to humans is questionable. In CE, although prospective clinical studies are still lacking, therapeutic, non-surgical drainage techniques, such as PAIR (puncture, aspiration, injection, re-aspiration) and its derivatives, are now considered a useful option in selected cases. Finally, palliative, non-surgical drainage techniques such as US- or CT-guided percutaneous biliary drainage, centro-parasitic abscesses drainage, or vascular stenting were performed successfully. Recently, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-associated techniques have become increasingly used to manage biliary fistulas in CE and biliary obstructions in AE. Development of pre-clinical animal models would allow testing for AE techniques developed for other indications, e.g. cancer. Prospective trials are required to determine the best use of PAIR, and associated procedures, and the indications and techniques of palliative drainage.

Hepatic cystic echinococcosis: percutaneous treatment as an outpatient procedure

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate utility and safety of the puncture aspiration injection and reaspiration (PAIR) technique for outpatients.

METHODS

Percutaneous treatment with US guidance was applied to 33 patients for 44 cysts. Patients treated with the PAIR technique, were outpatients. PAIR and catheterization technique were evaluated for efficacy and safety of procedure and complication rates.

RESULTS

Thirty-five of 44 cysts were treated with the PAIR and 9 of 44 were treated with the catheterization technique. The success rate of the cysts Gharbi type 1 (CE1) and type 2 (CE3a) treated with the PAIR technique was 100%. In the follow up of 9 cysts treated with the catheterization technique, 2 of them (22%) developed cyst infection and 1 (11%) developed a biliary fistula.

CONCLUSIONS

The PAIR technique was found to be an effective and safe approach in order to treat Gharbi type 1 and type 2 cysts percutaneously for outpatients. It has a very low complication rate in comparison with the catheterization technique. So every effort should be made to finish the treatment with PAIR technique.

Case report: Percutaneous treatment of multiple honeycomb-like liver hydatid cysts (type III CE2, according to WHO classification)

Percutaneous treatment has been developing as a reliable and effective alternative to surgery in the treatment of liver hydatid cysts. However, percutaneous treatment is strongly recommended only for some types of hydatid cysts (types I and II). We report a patient with type III (CE2, according to the WHO classification) multiple liver hydatid cysts treated with the PAIR (puncture-aspiration-injection-reaspiration) technique. The patient developed a secondary biliary fistula, which ultimately healed.