Surgical treatment of hydatid disease of the liver: 25 years of experience. Am J Surg. 2011;201:797-804. [PMID: 20832053 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2010.02.011]

Standardized approach to the conservative surgery of hepatic cystic echinococcosis: A prospective study

OBJECTIVE

Surgery is the mainstay of hepatic cystic echinococcosis (HCE). The conservative surgery of HCE carries a non-negligible risk of recurrence and significant morbidity, dominated by Deep Surgical Site Infections (DSSI). To address these issues, we have improved and standardized this technique, which could reduce complications and achieve better postoperative outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective study from June 2017 to June 2022 involving of patient operated using a standardized open technique for uncomplicated HCE at Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia. The aim was to obtain results at least similar to radical management in terms of DSSI. Patients with large cystobiliary fistulas or patients with complicated cysts were excluded.

RESULTS

Fifty patients with 106 cysts were operated using the standardized technique comprising of liver mobilization, intraoperative ultrasound, systematic methylene blue injection to detect cystobiliary fistulas and omentoplasty. The median age of the patients was 44(semi-interquartile range: 16) years. The main symptom described by the patient was pain in 43 cases (86%). An abnormal liver test was found in 20 cases (40%). On imaging studies, the cyst had a median size of 7.4(3.0) cm. Cyst of the hepatic dome accounted for 38 cases (35.8%) with most cysts being situated in the right hemi-liver. Visual inspection of the cavity and Methylene blue testing allowed for the discovery of 57 cysts (53.7%) that had cystobiliary fistulas that were sutured. Omentoplasty was performed in 77 cysts (72.6%). Postoperatively, only 2 cases (1.9%) developed a DSSI in the form of an external bile leak with resolved with conservative management. No case of recurrence was found after a median follow-up of 24 months.

CONCLUSION

The standardized conservative surgical technique, in selected patients, shows promise in reducing DSSI rates and overall morbidity, and achieve as equally good result as radical management.

Management of Liver Hydatid Cysts: A Retrospective Analysis of 293 Surgical Cases from Southern Iran

Background

The current study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic features and complications of liver hydatid cyst in patients who underwent surgery for cystic echinococcosis (CE) in Fars province, southern Iran.

Methods

A total of 293 patients who underwent surgery for liver hydatid cyst from 2004 to 2018 in Fars province, southern Iran, were retrospectively evaluated. The clinical records of patients were reviewed, and the demographic and clinical characteristics of each patient were assessed.

Results

Of the total of 293 cases, 178 (60.9%) were females and 115 (39.1%) were males. The mean age of the subjects was 37.22 (±20.55) years. The mean size of the liver hydatid cyst was 9.18 (±4.365) cm. Of the 293 patients studied, 227 (77.4%) had hydatid cysts only in the liver, while 55 (9.4%) had both liver and lung cysts. More than half of the liver cysts (65.9%) were located in the right portion of the liver (segment 5 to 8). Of the 293 cases, 52 (17.7%) underwent radical surgery, while 241 (82.3%) underwent conservative surgery. Recurrence of hydatid cyst was recorded in 46 (15%) of cases. Patients who were treated with radical surgery in comparison with those who had conservative surgery had a lower recurrence rate but a longer duration of hospital stay (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Recurrence remains as one of the major challenges in the management of hydatid cyst. Radical surgery reduces the chance of recurrence, although this procedure increases the length of hospital stay.

Echinococcosis in a non-endemic country - 20-years' surgical experience from a Norwegian tertiary referral Centre

BACKGROUND

In Scandinavia, the incidence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is low and almost exclusively an imported disease following the trends of immigration. The aim of the study was to review available data on clinical management and outcome for patients treated at Oslo University Hospital, a referral centre for echinococcosis in Norway, with special emphasis on surgical treatment.

METHODS

All patients admitted with echinococcosis between January 2000 and December 2020 were identified. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively concerning patient demographics, treatment strategy, surgical procedures, complications and outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 92 patients with median age 37 years (range 4-85) were identified. Sixty-eight patients (74%) were symptomatic. All patients, except for two, were immigrants to Norway and born in endemic areas. Ninety patients were diagnosed with CE and two with AE. Location of the cysts was most commonly in the liver (86%) followed by peritoneum, lungs, and spleen. All patients with active cysts were treated with albendazole. Surgical treatment was performed in 51 (56%) patients. The most common reason for abstaining from surgical treatment was that the diagnostic work-up revealed inactive cysts or interventional radiology was performed. Of the 51 patients who underwent surgery, a radical procedure was performed in 32 (64%) cases, a conservative procedure in 12 (24%), and a combination in six (12%). Clavien Dindo grade ≥3 complications occurred in 30%, and 90-day mortality was 2%. Bile leakage occurred in seven patients and was treated successfully with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biliary stent placement in all patients.

CONCLUSION

In a low-endemic area like Norway, management of echinococcus includes medical therapy, surgery, and/or interventional radiology. Surgical intervention seems to be effective, and is associated with acceptable morbidity rates.

Turkish HPB Surgery Association consensus report on hepatic cystic Echinococcosis (HCE)

OBJECTIVES

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is one of the important problems of the Eurasian region. We aimed to prepare a consensus report in order to update the treatment approaches of this disease. This study was conducted by Turkish HPB Surgery Association.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study was conducted with the modified Delphi model. For this purpose, we conducted a three-stage consensus-building approach.

RESULTS

Six topics, including diagnosis, medical treatment, percutaneous treatment, surgical treatment, management of complications and posttreatment follow-up and recurrences in HCE were discussed.

CONCLUSION

The expert panel made recommendations for every topic.

Effective Factors on the Disappearance of Residual Cavity Following Conservative Surgery of Liver Hydatid Cysts

Background:

Surgery is one of the treatments commonly used to treat liver hydatid cyst. Remaining of the residual cavity after conservative surgery may lead to some harmful complications. In this study, we evaluated the role of different factors affecting the disappearance of the residual cyst.

Materials and Methods:

Seventy-five patients were evaluated in 2.5 years. Patients were divided into two groups based on the remaining or disappearance of the residual cavity in follow-up visits. The baseline demographic features, preoperative cysts’ size, type of technique used to eliminate the residual cavity, and cavity wall characteristics were compared in the two groups.

Results:

Residual cavity was disappeared in 46 (61%) patients after 2 years. Calcification of the wall and wall stiffness were more common in patients with the remained residual cavity (89.6% vs. 8.7% [P < 0.001] and 58.6% vs. 30.4% [P < 0.01], respectively). Demographic features, preoperative cysts’ characteristics, and the procedure used during surgery were not statistically different between groups.

Conclusions:

Cyst wall calcification and wall stiffness had a role in predicting residual cavity disappearance. These factors can help surgeons to predict patients at higher risk of posthydatid cyst resection residual cavity.

Radical versus conservative surgical treatment of liver hydatid cysts: A paired comparison analysis

BACKGROUND

The management of liver hydatid cysts (LHC) is complex and includes surgery, percutaneous drainage, chemotherapy and observation. Broadly, there are two types of surgical treatment for LHC - conservative surgery (CS) and radical surgery (RS). The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of RS and CS.

METHODS

Data from all patients with LHC treated in Sahloul Hospital, between January 2000 and December 2019, were retrieved. To minimize selection bias, paired comparison analysis (PCA) was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 914 patients were included in this study. RS and CS were performed in 284 and 630 patients, respectively. After PCA, 206 patients were included in each group. The incidence of intraoperative bleeding was significantly higher in the RS group. The overall morbidity was significantly lower in the RS group. Thity-four patients developed recurrence with significantly higher recurrence in CS group.

CONCLUSION

RS is associated with fewer postoperative complications and lower recurrence rate compared to CS. RS may be the preferred procedure for LHC if the expertise is available.

Identification of infiltrating immune cell subsets and heterogeneous macrophages in the lesion microenvironment of hepatic cystic echinococcosis patients with different cyst viability

Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is characterized by lesion microenvironment formation through gathering various immune cells, including macrophages. However, immune cell subsets and heterogeneous macrophages in CE lesion microenvironment are poorly defined. Massive infiltrating immune cells formed lesion microenvironment, among which CD4⁺T cells and CD19⁺B cells were predominant and CD68⁺ macrophages were more evident in patients with active cysts. Different degrees of liver fibrosis was observed in Peri-Lesion (PL) liver samples, which was more evident in patients with active cysts. Expression of both M1 and M2 macrophage markers was significantly increased in PL liver samples. Importantly, elevation of M1 macrophage markers was more obvious in patients with inactive cysts, whereas M2 macrophage markers represented dominant macrophage phenotype in patients with active cysts. Additionally, macrophage-derived MIF, TGF-β1 and ECM1 were also expressed at higher level in CE lesion microenvironment of patients with active cysts. Moreover, MIF was evidently enhanced in the serum of hepatic CE patients, which was also predominant in patients with active cysts. Correlation analysis demonstrated positive correlation between expression of macrophage-derived cytokines and liver fibrosis degree. Heterogeneous macrophages may play significant roles in liver fibrosis of CE lesion microenvironment through producing pro-fibrogenic cytokines.

Factors Affecting the Choice of Treatment in Hepatic Hydatid Cyst Surgery

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine the effective factors in the selection of treatment methods for patients with hepatic hydatid cyst undergoing surgery and the variables effective when performing postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In addition, we aimed to reveal the factors affecting the recurrence, postoperative complications, and length of stay of these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 107 patients diagnosed with hepatic hydatid cysts were treated surgically. Data were obtained from the records of these patients. Chi-square test was used for the analysis. The variables that were found to be significant in the chi-square analysis were included in the logistic regression (Backward: LR) analysis.

RESULTS

Of all patients, 6.5% underwent the puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration (PAIR) technique, 67.3% underwent conservative surgery, and 26.2% underwent radical surgical treatment. In paired comparisons, a significant difference was found among the ultrasonographic size of the cyst (p = 0.033), the radiological classification of the cyst (0.006), and history of previous surgery and treatment methods for the cyst. The risk of performing ERCP was 25.710 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.721-284.013] folds higher for cysts located in the left lobe, whereas it was 19.992 (95% CI: 2.004-199.488) folds higher for cysts located in both right and left lobes. When the radical surgical treatment method was taken as a reference, the status of ERCP implementation was 29.785 (95% CI: 1.844-480.996) folds higher for PAIR and 3.628 (95% CI: 0.355-37.103) folds higher for conservative surgery.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, radical surgery is a significant treatment for hepatic hydatid cyst as its ultrasonographic cyst size increases with time. The location and treatment method of the cyst increases the complication of biliary fistula and requires ERCP.

Diagnosis and treatment modalities of hilar biliary duct stricture in hepatic cystic echinococcosis after endocystectomy

Aim: Hilar biliary duct stricture may occur in hepatic cystic echinococcosis (CE) patients after endocystectomy. This study aimed to explore diagnosis and treatment modalities. Methods: Clinical data of 26 hepatic CE patients undergoing endocystectomy who developed postoperative hilar biliary duct stricture were retrospectively analyzed and were classified into three types: type A, type B, and type C. Postoperative complications and survival time were successfully followed up. Results: Imaging showed biliary duct stenosis, atrophy of ipsilateral hepatic lobe, reactive hyperplasia, hepatic hilum calcification, and dilation or discontinuity of intrahepatic biliary duct. All patients received partial hepatectomy to resect residual cyst cavity and atrophic liver tissue, and anastomosis of hepatic duct with jejunum or common bile duct exploration was applied to handle hilar biliary duct stricture. Twenty-five patients were successfully followed up. Among type A patients, one patient died of organ failure, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding and liver abscess occurred in one patient. Moreover, calculus of intrahepatic duct was found in one type B and type C patient. Conclusion: Long-term biliary fistula, infection of residual cavity or obstructive jaundice in hepatic CE patients after endocystectomy are possible indicators of hilar bile duct stricture. Individualized and comprehensive treatment measures, especially effective treatment of residual cavity and biliary fistula, are optimal to avoid serious hilar bile duct stricture.

Closed Cyst Resection for Liver Hydatid Disease: a New Standard

BACKGROUND

Although radical resections are recommended for the surgical management of liver hydatid disease (LHD), whether closed (CCR) or opened (OCR) cyst resections should be performed remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative and long-term outcomes of CCR and OCR for primary and recurrent LHD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical charts of patients who underwent surgery at a single centre were retrospectively reviewed and compared with respect to major postoperative complications and recurrence rates.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine CCRs and 37 OCRs were included. The major morbidity rates were 19% and 5% in the OCR and CCR groups, respectively (P = 0.036). In multivariate analysis, OCR (P = 0.030, OR = 5.37) and the operative time (P < 0.001, OR = 18.88) were the only independent predictors of major complications. The 5-year and 10-year recurrence rates were both 0% in the CCR group compared to 18% and 27%, respectively, in the OCR group (P < 0.001). The mean time to recurrence was 10.5 (± 8) years.

DISCUSSION

Closed cyst resection for LHD is a safe and effective approach with a low risk of recurrence. Considering that recurrence could appear more than 10 years after surgery, follow-up of patients should be adapted.

Double versus single T-tube drainage for frank cysto-biliary communication in patients with hepatic cystic echinococcosis: a retrospective cohort study with median 11 years follow-up

BACKGROUND

Partial peri-cystectomy (PPC) is one of the major surgical approaches for hepatic cystic echinococcosis (CE) and has been practiced in most centers worldwide. Cysto-biliary communication (fistula, leakage, rupture) is a problematic issue in CE patients. T-tube is a useful technique in situations where an exploration and decompression are needed for common bile duct (CBD). However, postoperative biliary complications for cystic cavity still remains to be studied in depth.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis of CE cases in our single center database from 2007 March to 2012 December was performed. Patients (n = 51) were divided into two cohorts: double T-tube drainage (one at CBD for decompression and one at the fistula for sustaining in cystic cavity, n = 23) group and single T-tube drainage cohort (only one at CBD for decompression, n = 28). Short-/long-term postoperative complications focusing on biliary system was recorded in detail and they were followed-up for median 11 years.

RESULTS

Overall biliary complication rates for double and single T-tube drainages were 17.4% vs. 39.3% (P > 0.05). Short-term complications ranged from minor to major leakages, cavity infection and abscess formation, and prevalence was 17.4% vs. 21.4% (P > 0.05) respectively for double and single T-tube groups; most importantly, double T-tube drainage group had obvious advantages regarding long-term complications (P < 0.05), which was biliary stricture needing surgery and it was observed only in single T-tube drainage group.

CONCLUSIONS

Double T-tube drainage had better outcomes without procedure-specific postoperative biliary complications than single T-tube drainage. Meanwhile, we recommend long-term follow-up when comparing residual cavity related biliary complications in CE patients as it could happen lately.

Treatment of Gharbi Type III Hepatic Hydatid Cysts: A Clinical Dilemma

This article aims to compare available treatment options for type III liver hydatid cysts, including surgery and percutaneous techniques. Hydatid disease is a helminthic infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus and is a serious public health problem in endemic regions of the world. Hydatid cyst of the liver is the most common clinical presentation of Echinococcus granulosus. According to Gharbi classification, hydatid cysts of the liver are classified into 5 types. Type III hydatid cysts are those with fluid collection and septa. Treatment of Gharbi type III hydatid cysts is still controversial. Some researchers think that Gharbi type III hydatid cysts are not suitable for percutaneous drainage, and surgery is the suitable treatment option. There are not enough prospective studies comparing percutaneous and surgical techniques for the treatment of type III hydatid disease of the liver. A proper meta-analysis does not seem to be possible with the available studies in current medical literature.

Retrospective Review of Complications of Liver Hydatid Cyst Surgery with Emphasis on Outcomes of Omentoplasty

Background

The outcome and complications of liver hydatid cyst surgeries with new and old techniques are not well determined. We intended to present the results of operations done for patients with hepatic hydatid cyst in an endemic area.

Methods

Data of 112 patients referred and operated for liver hydatid cyst, in Imam Khomeini Hospital complex, Tehran, Iran, from 2015 to 2018, were collected including demographic characteristics, operation parameters and complication related statistics. The variables were presented for different surgical methods including operations with and without omentoplasty.

Results

Patients aged 39. 3 ± 13. 9 yr (70 females; 63. 5%). Most frequent clinical complaint was vague abdominal pain (n=45; 40. 2%). The most prevalent comorbidity was hypertension (18; 16.0%). Conservative methods were chosen more frequently including omentoplasty (44; 39. 3%), cyst drainage (27; 24. 1%), cyst resection (19; 17%) and marsupialization (3; 2. 7%). Overall, 56 patients (50%) were operated with omentoplasty as the single method or in combination with segmentectomy. Complications occurred less in patients operated with omentoplasty (41. 1 vs. 23. 2%; P=0. 043); particularly, biloma was more frequent in surgeries without omentoplasty (7. 1 vs 0. 0%; P=0. 042). Persistence and recurrence rates were 12. 5% and 3. 6% with relative predilection in, respectively, segmentectomy and lobectomy surgical methods compared to Omentoplasty. No mortality was recorded.

Conclusions

In our case series of hepatic hydatid cyst patients, omentoplasty was safe with less complication and similar long-term recurrence rate.

Surgical management of hepatic hydatid cysts - conservative versus radical surgery

BACKGROUND

Surgical management is considered one of the effective treatment modality for liver hydatid. However the choice of surgery is debatable. This study aims to compare the outcome of radical surgery (RS) and conservative surgery (CS) in liver hydatid disease.

METHODS

This is retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained institutional data of surgically treated liver hydatid from January 2012 to January 2019. The basis of diagnosis was typical imaging, confirmatory Hydatid serology and/or Intraoperative details. The clinical presentation, radiological data, operative detail, post-operative outcome, post-operative recurrence data was analysed.

RESULTS

Sixty-four patients underwent surgery during the study period and were included. RS was done in 27 (42.2%) patients and CS in 37 (57.8%) patients. The mean age was 35.6 (13-72) years. The mean size of the cyst was 10.3 ± 2.9 cm. The cyst location was peripheral in 81.5% and 56.8% in RS and CS groups respectively. Intraoperative Cyst biliary communication was detected in 48.1% of RS & 35.1% in CS group of patients. The post-operative bile leak was significantly less in RS group (7.4% vs 27.0%, p = 0.047). Postoperative endoscopic stenting for persistent biliary fistula was necessitated in five of CS and only one patient from RS group. None of RS patients had recurrence while 3 patients of CS developed recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Radical surgery reduces post-operative bile leak and prevents recurrence and may be preferable to conservative surgery.

Radical surgery in hepatic hydatidosis: analysis of results in an endemic area

INTRODUCTION

radical surgery in hepatic hydatidosis is associated with less morbidity and recurrence than conservative surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

a retrospective observational study of patients with liver hydatid cyst surgery was performed. Seventy-one patients with 90 cysts were included between 2007 and 2017, and radical surgery was performed in 69.01 %.

RESULTS

there was no difference in morbidity, mortality, biliary leakage or recurrence according to surgery. Complicated cysts were associated with a longer hospital stay and morbidity.

CONCLUSION

decision-making should consider age, comorbidity, cyst characteristics and available resources. Radical surgery should be applied whenever feasible as it achieves better results with an adequate selection of patients.

Pattern of Relapse in Hepatic Hydatidosis: Analysis of 238 Cases in a Single Hospital

INTRODUCTION

Hydatidosis is a chronic disease that is endemic and prevalent in certain regions of the world. Surgical treatment is the best option, although its main problem is that there is a high rate of recurrence. The objective of the present study was to assess its therapeutic management and the factors related to its postoperative morbidity and relapse.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A descriptive and retrospective study was made of 238 patients with hepatic hydatidosis operated from January 2006 to December 2017 at our center. An analysis was made of the variables associated with postoperative morbidity and relapse, and of the temporal pattern of that relapse.

RESULTS

Out of 238 patients, radical surgery was performed in 132 (55.5%) and partial cystectomy in 106 of them (44.3%). The postoperative morbidity was 42% (100/238) and the relapse rate was 7.2% (17/238). The factors associated with greater postoperative morbidity were partial cystectomy (OR, 2.83 (1.47-5.43); p = 0.002), ≥ 2 cysts (OR, 3.22 (1.51-6.86); p = 0.002), and biliary fistula (OR, 4.34 (2.11-8.91); p < 0.0001); and those associated with higher relapse rate were history of hydatidosis (OR, 4.98 (1.76-14.11); p = 0.003) and ≥ 2 cysts (OR, 3.23 (1.14-9.11); p = 0.027). The first relapses appeared after 14 months, with the greatest incidence between 14 and 36 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The surgical procedure applied is associated with morbidity but not with that of relapse. The observed relapse pattern demonstrates the need to maintain long-term follow-up, but with no follow-up being necessary in the first year. Broader multicenter and prospective studies are needed to establish more precise recommendations.

Daughter cyst sign in liver hydatid cyst

Daughter cyst sign is one of the most characteristic imaging findings of liver hydatid cysts. It is schematically divided into two types according to the daughter cyst localization in regard to the hydatid cyst wall: endogenous daughter cysts and exogenous daughter cysts. The endogenous daughter cyst is presented by a small cyst that protrudes into the lumen of the cystic mass. The exogenous daughter cysts are enclosed in the laminated layer then gradually pushed outwards giving the hydatid a bumpy appearance that distorts the classic circular radiological image. Imaging findings could detect these daughter cysts and dictate some additional precautions during surgical procedures. This surgery is associated with a high recurrence rate essentially in case of exogenous daughter cysts. However, if we detect many exogenous daughter cysts, a radical treatment should be favored otherwise the post-operative recurrence will be certain.

Echinococcosis: Advances in the 21st Century

Echinococcosis is a zoonosis caused by cestodes of the genus Echinococcus (family Taeniidae). This serious and near-cosmopolitan disease continues to be a significant public health issue, with western China being the area of highest endemicity for both the cystic (CE) and alveolar (AE) forms of echinococcosis. Considerable advances have been made in the 21st century on the genetics, genomics, and molecular epidemiology of the causative parasites, on diagnostic tools, and on treatment techniques and control strategies, including the development and deployment of vaccines. In terms of surgery, new procedures have superseded traditional techniques, and total cystectomy in CE, ex vivo resection with autotransplantation in AE, and percutaneous and perendoscopic procedures in both diseases have improved treatment efficacy and the quality of life of patients. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the biology, epidemiology, diagnosis, management, control, and prevention of CE and AE. Currently there is no alternative drug to albendazole to treat echinococcosis, and new compounds are required urgently. Recently acquired genomic and proteomic information can provide a platform for improving diagnosis and for finding new drug and vaccine targets, with direct impact in the future on the control of echinococcosis, which continues to be a global challenge.

Simultaneous occurrence of hepatic hydatid cyst and mucinous cystadenoma of the liver in a middle-aged female patient: report of a rare case

We present a rare case of simultaneous occurrence of mucinous cystadenoma of the liver (MCN-L) and a hepatic hydatid cyst (HD-L) in a middle-aged female patient. This is the first case report of a common disease (HD-L) and a rare condition (MCN-H) occurring concurrently. MCN-H of the left lobe was inadequately resected in a rural centre leading to recurrence. She presented with a large upper abdominal lump and upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Radiological investigations and an ultrasound revealed a multilobulated cyst involving both lobes of the liver. There was no ascites. Liver function, basic haematology and renal function were normal. The recurrent MCN-L was removed totally. There was no communication between the MCN-L and the right lobe cyst, which turned out to be a hydatid cyst. The hydatid cyst was evacuated. She was discharged on albendazole and is asymptomatic with no recurrence at 8 months.

Surgical approaches to hepatic hydatidosis ranging from partial cystectomy to liver transplantation

Backgrounds/Aims

A wide range of surgical approaches has been described for hepatic hydatidosis aiming primarily at the reduction of disease recurrence and minimization of postoperative morbidity.

Methods

A database analysis of patients with liver hydatidosis who underwent different surgical procedures between March 2010 and May 2016 was performed.

Results

A total of 21 patients with cystic echinococcosis (CE) and four cases of alveolar echinococcosis (AED) were detected. Nine patients manifested recurrent disease at presentation. Among CE cases, 5 underwent partial cystectomy (2 laparoscopic and 3 open), 9 cysto-pericystectomy (7 open and 2 robotic) and 7 hepatectomies (1 central, 4 right, 1 left and 1 right trisectionectomy). Living donor liver transplantation was performed in 3 patients with AED and the fourth patient underwent right trisectionectomy with en bloc resection of hepatic flexure and right diaphragm. Seven developed Clavien grade II and three grade III complications. The mean follow-up of CE was 34.19±19.75 months. One patient of laparoscopic partial cystectomy developed disease recurrence at 14 months. No recurrence was detected at a mean follow-up of 34±4.58 months following LDLT and at 24 months following multivisceral resection for AED.

Conclusions

The whole spectrum of tailored surgical approaches ranging from minimally invasive to open and extended liver resections represents safe, effective and recurrence-free treatment of hepatic hydatidosis.

Radical versus conservative surgical treatment of liver hydatid cysts: a meta-analysis

To date, the efficacy of radical surgery (RS) versus conservative surgery (CS) for liver hydatid cysts (LHC) remains controversial. This meta-analysis was conducted to compare the two interventions. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from their inceptions until June 2016. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 software. We identified 19 eligible studies from 10 countries by retrieval. In total, 1853 LHC patients who received RS were compared with 2274 patients treated by CS. The risk of postoperative overall complication, biliary fistula, and recurrence was significantly lower, and operation time was significantly longer in the RS group. However, no statistically significant differences were found in terms of mortality risk and the duration of hospital stay between RS and CS. No significant publication biases were observed in all the above analyses. In conclusion, RS reduces the rates of postoperative complications and recurrence, whereas no trend toward such a reduction in mortality was observed in LHC patients.

Current status of diagnosis and treatment of hepatic echinococcosis

Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) and Echinococcus multilocularis (E. multilocularis) infections are the most common parasitic diseases that affect the liver. The disease course is typically slow and the patients tend to remain asymptomatic for many years. Often the diagnosis is incidental. Right upper quadrant abdominal pain, hepatitis, cholangitis, and anaphylaxis due to dissemination of the cyst are the main presenting symptoms. Ultrasonography is important in diagnosis. The World Health Organization classification, based on ultrasonographic findings, is used for staging of the disease and treatment selection. In addition to the imaging methods, immunological investigations are used to support the diagnosis. The available treatment options for E. granulosus infection include open surgery, percutaneous interventions, and pharmacotherapy. Aggressive surgery is the first-choice treatment for E. multilocularis infection, while pharmacotherapy is used as an adjunct to surgery. Due to a paucity of clinical studies, empirical evidence on the treatment of E. granulosus and E. multilocularis infections is largely lacking; there are no prominent and widely accepted clinical algorithms yet. In this article, we review the diagnosis and treatment of E. granulosus and E. multilocularis infections in the light of recent evidence.

Radiofrequency Energy in Hepatic Bed during Partial Cystectomy for Hydatid Liver Disease: Standing Out from the Usual Conservative Surgical Management

Background. Surgical treatment of hydatid liver disease (HLD) is divided into conservative and radical procedures. While conservative techniques are easier and faster to perform, there is an emerging need to reduce their morbidity and recurrence rates. Our aim was to present and evaluate the efficiency and safety of the application of radiofrequency energy (TissueLink® and Aquamantys® systems) in hepatic bed during partial cystectomy. Materials and Methods. Eighteen consecutive patients with hydatid liver cysts were referred to our department between April 2006 and June 2014. Data about demographics, mortality, morbidity, and recurrence rate were obtained and analyzed retrospectively. Results. The mean follow-up was 38 months (range: 4–84 months). The postoperative course of most patients was uneventful. One case of recurrence was found in our series in a patient with 4 cysts in the right lobe, 3 years after initial treatment. He was reoperated on with the same method. Conclusions. Saline-linked RF energy seems to be an effective means to be employed in conservative surgical procedures of HLD, with satisfactory postoperative morbidity. Recurrence rates appear to be low, but further follow-up is needed in order to draw safer conclusions.

A New Preoperative Categorization and Potential Preoperative Indicator for Cysto-Biliary Fistula in Hydatid Hepatic Disease

The objective of this study was to determine the risk for cysto-biliary fistula (CBF) and preoperative predictive factors in patients with hepatic hydatid disease (HHD) with high levels of hepatobiliary enzymes (HLE) alone. The risk of CBF and predictive factors in patients with HHD whose only sign of fistula was HLE is unknown. A total of 116 patients without clinical and radiologic signs who were operated for HHD were categorized into 2 groups: patients with and without HLE. The patients with HLE were defined as “usual suspicious.” The potential preoperatively predictive factors for CBF were retrospectively analyzed in this group. Our data included 18.1% of patients (n = 21) with CBF and 69.2% of patients (n = 81) with HLE. The usual suspicious group contained 24.7% of patients (n = 20) with CBF. The risk of CBF was 11-fold higher in the usual suspicious group (95% confidence interval, 1.4–86.7). The red cell distribution width (RDW) was higher in patients with CBF than in patients without CBF in the usual suspicious group (P = 0.006). The performance of the RDW, with a cutoff value of 13.75%, was found to be suboptimal for predicting CBF for patients in the usual suspicious group (area under the curve, 0.661; 95% confidence interval, 0.525–0.798). We defined a new preoperatively high-risk group with HLE alone; this definition can help to identify patients at risk for preoperatively undetectable CBF. The RDW was not found to be sufficient for the discrimination of usual suspicious group with CBF.

Changing paradigms in the surgical management of cystic liver hydatidosis improve the postoperative outcomes

AIM OF THE STUDY

Our aim was to propose and examine the outcomes of a comprehensive strategy for the management of cystic liver hydatidosis (CLH) based on extensive intraoperative assessments and optimal management of cystobiliary communications.

BACKGROUND DATA

Although operative intervention remains the preferred treatment for CLH, and the presence of a cystobiliary communication remains a well-established predictive factor for postoperative complications, no internationally accepted management strategy integrates the specific management of cystobiliary communication into the choice of surgical approach.

METHODS

Early postoperative outcomes were compared before (1990-2004; P1 group; n = 664) and after (2005-2013; P2 group; n = 156) the implementation of a CLH surgical management strategy for CLH in our overall group of patients in subgroups selected by risk factors (as determined by multivariate analysis), and in 2 propensity score-matched groups.

RESULTS

Specific complications related to the hepatic procedure (intraabdominal complications) were independently associated with the presence of ≥ 3 cysts (P = .013), a fibrotic pericyst (P = .005), a cystobiliary communication (P < .001), and the P1 treatment period (P = .002). Between P1 and P2 groups, the rate of specific complications decreased in the overall group of patients with CLH (18.3% vs 4.5%; P < .001). The rate also decreased in risk factor-based subgroups: patients with ≥ 3 cysts (31.0% vs 4.0%; P = .005), a fibrotic pericyst (23.1% vs 9.2%; P = .011), and a cystobiliary communication (33.0% vs 13.2%; P = .006). After propensity score matching among 123 well-balanced matched pairs of patients, the overall complication rate, specific hepatic surgery-related complication rate, and median duration of hospital stay decreased between the P1 and P2 groups: 23.6% vs 12.2% (P = .02), 21.1% vs 4.9% (P < .001), and 7 vs 5 days (P < .001), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Implementation of a CLH surgical management strategy based on specific intraoperative assessment and optimal management of cystobiliary communications improved early postoperative outcomes.

Surgical management of liver hydatid disease: subadventitial cystectomy versus resection of the protruding dome

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare postoperative outcome and long-term results after management of liver hydatid cysts (LHC) by subadventitial cystectomy (SC) and resection of the protruding dome (RPD) in two tertiary liver surgery centers.

METHODS

Medical records of 52 patients who underwent SC in one center, and 27 patients who underwent RPD in another center between 1991 and 2011 were reviewed. Patients underwent long-term follow-up, including serology tests and morphological examinations.

RESULTS

Postoperative mortality was nil. The rate of severe morbidity was 7.7 and 22% (p = 0.082), while the rate of serological clearing-up was 20 and 13.3% after SC and RPD, respectively (p = 1.000). After a mean follow-up of 41 months (1-197), four patients developed a long-term cavity-related complication (LTCRC) after RPD (including one recurrence) and none after SC (p = 0.012). All LTCRCs occurred in patients with hydatid cysts located at the liver dome; three required an invasive procedure by either puncture aspiration injection re-aspiration (N = 1) or repeat surgery (N = 2).

CONCLUSIONS

RPD exposes to specific LTCRC, especially when hydatid cysts are located at the liver dome, while SC allows ad integrum restoration of the operated liver. Therefore, SC should be considered as the standard surgical treatment for LHC in experienced hepato-pancreato-biliary centers.

Review of the treatment of liver hydatid cysts

A review was carried out in Medline, LILACS and the Cochrane Library. Our database search strategy included the following terms: “hydatid cyst”, “liver”, “management”, “meta-analysis” and “randomized controlled trial”. No language limits were used in the literature search. The latest electronic search date was the 7^th of January 2014. Inclusion and exclusion criteria: all relevant studies on the assessment of therapeutic methods for hydatid cysts of the liver were considered for analysis. Information from editorials, letters to publishers, low quality review articles and studies done on animals were excluded from analysis. Additionally, well-structured abstracts from relevant articles were selected and accepted for analysis. Standardized forms were designed for data extraction; two investigators entered the data on patient demographics, methodology, recurrence of HC, mean cyst size and number of cysts per group. Four hundred and fourteen articles were identified using the previously described search strategy. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria detailed above, 57 articles were selected for final analysis: one meta-analysis, 9 randomized clinical trials, 5 non-randomized comparative prospective studies, 7 non-comparative prospective studies, and 34 retrospective studies (12 comparative and 22 non-comparative). Our results indicate that antihelminthic treatment alone is not the ideal treatment for liver hydatid cysts. More studies in the literature support the effectiveness of radical treatment compared with conservative treatment. Conservative surgery with omentoplasty is effective in preventing postoperative complications. A laparoscopic approach is safe in some situations. Percutaneous drainage with albendazole therapy is a safe and effective alternative treatment for hydatid cysts of the liver. Radical surgery with pre- and post-operative administration of albendazole is the best treatment option for liver hydatid cysts due to low recurrence and complication rates.

Radical Surgery for Liver Hydatid Cyst

Background and aims: Surgery is the basic treatment for liver hydatid cyst (LHC). Radical procedures (pericystectomy (PK) and hepatic resection (HR)) offers better results in selected cases cases than conservative approaches. Aims of this study were to evaluate the results of Radical surgery for LHC and and to determine witch of these two procedures is safe in experienced hepato-biliary surgical unit in endemic countries. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 143 patients with liver hydatid cyst who underwent radical procedures at a single surgical department in an endemic country were reviewed. Mortality, morbidity and recurrence rates have been analyzed. Results: Thirty-two patients (22.4%) had a HR and 111 patients (77.6%) had a PK. Mortality rate was 1.4% (n=2) in HR group. Overall morbidity rate was 18.9% and vs 28.1% respectively in PK and HR group (p=.26). Postoperative bleeding occurred in 1.8% in PK group vs 3.1% in HR group (p=.535) and specific LHC operative complication occurred in 17.1% in PK group vs 28.1% in HR group (p=.167). Recurrence rate of LHC was 6.3% in PK group vs 6.6% in HR group (p=.999) after a median follow up of 108 months (54-144) vs 89 months (44-135) respectively. Conclusion: Radical surgery for LHC is safe. Each of PK and HR had a specific indication. A good screening of patient's guarantied a good outcome. Keywords: Liver, Hydatid Cyst, Morocco, Radical Surgery.

Open surgery for hepatic hydatid disease

Hydatid disease is a zoonosis caused by the larvae of Echinococcus granulosus . Humans are an intermediate host and are usually infected by direct contact with dogs or indirectly by contaminated foods. Hydatid disease mainly involves the liver and lungs. The disease can be asymptomatic. Imaging techniques such as ultrasonography and computed tomography are used for diagnosis. The growth of hydatid cysts can lead to complications. Communication between bile duct and cysts is a common complication. The goal of treatment for hydatid disease is to eliminate the parasite with minimum morbidity and mortality. There are 3 treatment options: surgery, chemotherapy, and interventional procedures. Medical treatment has low cure and high recurrence rates. Percutaneous treatment can be performed in select cases. There are many surgical approaches for managing hydatid cysts, although there is no best surgical technique, and conservative and radical procedures are used. Conservative procedures are usually preferred in endemic areas and are easy to perform but are associated with high morbidity and recurrence rates. In these procedures, the parasite is sterilized using a scolicidal agent, and the cyst is evacuated. Radical procedures include hepatic resections and pericystectomy, which have high intraoperative risk and low recurrence rates. Radical procedures should be performed in hepatobiliary centers. The most common postoperative complications are biliary fistulas and cavity-related complications. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography can be used to diagnose and treat biliary system complications. Endoscopic sphincterotomy, biliary stenting, and nasobiliary tube drainage are effective for treating postoperative biliary fistulas.

Surgical management of symptomatic hydatid liver disease: experience from a Western centre

BACKGROUND

Hydatid liver cysts are rare in North America. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal surgical management for hydatid liver cysts treated outside endemic areas.

METHODS

We reviewed the cases of consecutive patients who underwent management of hydatid liver cysts. Radical liver resections were compared with other types of procedures. Clinical presentation, investigations, perioperative outcomes and longterm follow-up were evaluated. We evaluated disease recurrence using the Kaplan- Meier method.

RESULTS

Forty patients underwent surgery for hydatid liver cysts. Most patients had single (68%) right-sided (46%) cysts with a median size of 10 cm. Most (83%) underwent liver resection with or without drainage/marsupialization. Radical liver resection was carried out in 60% (19 major, 5 minor). Additional procedures were required in 50% (biliary fistulization 30%, diaphragmatic fistulization 20% or paracaval location/ fusion 8%). Postoperative complications occurred in 48%. The median follow-up was 39 months. The 3-year recurrence-free survival was significantly different between patients who had radical resection and those who had other procedures (100% v. 71%, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The surgical management of hydatid liver cysts in North America remains rare and challenging and is frequently associated with fistulizing complications. Excellent long-term outcomes are best achieved using principles of radical liver resection that are familiar to North American surgeons.

Radical versus conservative surgical treatment of liver hydatid cysts

BACKGROUND

The management of liver hydatid cysts is controversial. Surgery remains the basic treatment, and can be divided into radical and conservative approaches. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of radical and conservative surgery in the treatment of liver hydatid cysts.

METHODS

Data from all patients with liver hydatid cyst treated in a hepatobiliary surgical unit, between January 1990 and December 2010, were retrieved from a retrospective database. To minimize selection bias, propensity score matching was performed, based on 17 variables representing patient characteristics and operative risk factors. The primary outcome measure was hydatid cyst recurrence.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy patients were matched successfully, representing 85 pairs who had either a radical or a conservative approach to surgery. At a median (i.q.r.) follow-up of 106 (59–135) and 87 (45–126) months in the radical and conservative groups respectively, the recurrence rate was 4 per cent in both groups (odds ratio (OR) 1.00, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.19 to 5.10). There were no statistically significant differences between conservative and radical surgery in terms of operative mortality (1 versus 0 per cent; P=0.497), deep abdominal complications (12 versus 16 per cent; OR 1.46, 0.46 to 3.49), overall postoperative complications (15 versus 19 per cent; OR 1.28, 0.57 to 2.86), reinterventions (0 versus 4 per cent; P=0.246) and median hospital stay (7 (i.q.r. 5–12) days in both groups; P=0.220).

CONCLUSION

This study could not demonstrate that radical surgery reduces recurrence and no trend towards such a reduction was observed.

Risk factors of postoperative morbidity in patients with uncomplicated liver hydatid cyst

PURPOSE

To determine postoperative morbidity (POM) in patients undergoing surgery for uncomplicated hepatic echinococcosis (HE) and determine associations with the variable POM looking for possible risk factors for POM.

METHODS

Nested case-control study. We included patients undergoing surgery for uncomplicated HE in two hospitals in Temuco between 2000 and 2012. The main outcome variable was development of POM. Other variables of interest were hospital stay, mortality and recurrence. Surgical techniques used were pericystectomy and liver resection. Descriptive statistics and analytical statistics were applied using T-test, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test to compare continuous variables; Chi(2) and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, and logistic regression models were used, estimating OR.

RESULTS

126 patients, median age 41 years, 61% female. The incidence of POM was 10.3%, with 76.9% Clavien grade I or II. The etiology was 6.5% and 4.1% of medical and surgical complications, respectively. There was no mortality and with a median follow-up of 83 months, recurrence incidence was 0.8%. Association was found between cases and controls and the variables age, alkaline phosphatase, cyst location and hospital stay. Applying regression models age (p = 0.002 and OR 1.07) and cyst location (p = 0.003 and OR 3.94) were found to be risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Observed POM is lower and of less severity than those previously published. Risk factors were determined.

Study of hydatidosis-attributed mortality in endemic area

Background

Cystic hydatid disease is still an important health problem in European Mediterranean areas. In spite of being traditionally considered as a “benign” pathology, cystic echinococcosis is an important cause of morbidity in these areas. Nevertheless, there are few analyses of mortality attributed to human hydatidosis.

Objective

To describe the epidemiology, the mortality rate and the causes of mortality due to E. granulosus infection in an endemic area.

Methodology

A retrospective study followed up over a period of 14 years (1998–2011).

Principal Findings

Of the 567 patients diagnosed with hydatid disease over the period 1998–2011, eleven deaths directly related to hydatid disease complications were recorded. Ten patients (90.9%) died due to infectious complications and the remaining one (9.1%) died due to mechanical complications after a massive hemoptysis. We registered a case fatality rate of 1.94% and a mortality rate of 3.1 per 100.000 inhabitants.

Conclusions

Hydatidosis is still a frequent parasitic disease that causes a considerable mortality. The main causes of mortality in patients with hydatidosis are complications related to the rupture of CE cysts with supurative collangitis. Therefore, an expectant management can be dangerous and it must be only employed in well-selected patients.

Biliary fistula after treatment for hydatid disease of the liver: When to intervene

AIM: To determine the outcome of patients with biliary fistula (BF) after treatment for hydatid disease of the liver.

METHODS: Between January 2000 and December 2010, out of 301 patients with a diagnosis of hydatid cyst of the liver, 282 patients who underwent treatment [either surgery or puncture, aspiration, injection and reaspiration (PAIR) procedure] were analysed. Patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of postoperative biliary fistula (PBF) (PBF vs no-PBF groups, respectively). Preoperative clinical, radiological and laboratory characteristics, operative characteristics including type of surgery, peroperative detection of BF, postoperative drain output, morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stays of patients were compared amongst groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to detect factors predictive of PBF. Receiver operative characteristics (ROC) curve analysis were used to determine ideal cutoff values for those variables found to be significant. A comparison was also made between patients whose fistula closed spontaneously (CS) and those with intervention in order to find predictive factors associated with spontaneous closure.

RESULTS: Among 282 patients [median (range) age, 23 (16-78) years; 77.0% male]; 210 (74.5%) were treated with conservative surgery, 33 (11.7%) radical surgery and 39 (13.8%) underwent percutaneous drainage with PAIR procedure A PBF developed in 46 (16.3%) patients, all within 5 d after operation. The maximum cyst diameter and preoperative alkaline phosphatase levels (U/L) were significantly higher in the PBF group than in the no-PBF group [10.5 ± 3.7 U/L vs 8.4 ± 3.5 U/L (P < 0.001) and 40.0 ± 235.1 U/L vs 190.0 ± 167.3 U/L (P = 0.02), respectively]. Hospitalization time was also significantly longer in the PBF group than in the no-PBF group [37.4 ± 18.0 d vs 22.4 ± 17.9 d (P < 0.001)]. A preoperative high alanine aminotransferase level (> 40 U/L) and a peroperative attempt for fistula closure were significant predictors of PBF development (P = 0.02, 95%CI: -0.03-0.5 and P = 0.001, 95%CI: 0.1-0.4), respectively. Comparison of patients whose PBF CS or with biliary intervention (BI) revealed that the mean diameter of the cyst was not significantly different between CS and BI groups however maximum drain output was significantly higher in the BI group (81.6 ± 118.1 cm vs 423.9 ± 298.4 cm, P < 0.001). Time for fistula closure was significantly higher in the BI group (10.1 ± 3.7 d vs 30.7 ± 15.1 d, P < 0.001). The ROC curve analysis revealed cut-off values of a maximum bilious drainage < 102 mL and a waiting period of 5.5 postoperative days for spontaneous closure with the sensitivity and specificity values of (83.3%-91.1%, AUC: 0.90) and (97%-91%, AUC: 0.95), respectively. The multivariate analysis demonstrated a PBF drainage volume < 102 mL to be the only statistically significant predictor of spontaneous closure (P < 0.001, 95%CI: 0.5-1.0).

CONCLUSION: Patients with PBF after hydatid surgery often have complicated postoperative course with serious morbidity. Patients who develop PBF with an output < 102 mL might be managed expectantly.

The monetary burden of cystic echinococcosis in Iran

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a globally distributed parasitic infection of humans and livestock. The disease is of significant medical and economic importance in many developing countries, including Iran. However, the socioeconomic impact of the disease, in most endemic countries, is not fully understood. The purpose of the present study was to determine the monetary burden of CE in Iran. Epidemiological data, including prevalence and incidence of CE in humans and animals, were obtained from regional hospitals, the scientific literature, and official government reports. Economic data relating to human and animal disease, including cost of treatment, productivity losses, and livestock production losses were obtained from official national and international datasets. Monte Carlo simulation methods were used to represent uncertainty in input parameters. Mean number of surgical CE cases per year for 2000-2009 was estimated at 1,295. The number of asymptomatic individuals living in the country was estimated at 635,232 (95% Credible Interval, CI 149,466-1,120,998). The overall annual cost of CE in Iran was estimated at US$232.3 million (95% CI US$103.1-397.8 million), including both direct and indirect costs. The cost associated with human CE was estimated at US$93.39 million (95% CI US$6.1-222.7 million) and the annual cost associated with CE in livestock was estimated at US$132 million (95% CI US$61.8-246.5 million). The cost per surgical human case was estimated at US$1,539. CE has a considerable economic impact on Iran, with the cost of the disease approximated at 0.03% of the country's gross domestic product. Establishment of a CE surveillance system and implementation of a control program are necessary to reduce the economic burden of CE on the country. Cost-benefit analysis of different control programs is recommended, incorporating present knowledge of the economic losses due to CE in Iran.

Surgical management of cystic lesions in the liver

BACKGROUND

Liver cysts are common, occurring in up to 5% of the population. For many types of cysts, a variety of different treatment options exist and the preferred management is unclear.

METHODS

A Pubmed and Medline literature review using key words non-parasitic hepatic cysts, polycystic liver disease, echinococcus, hydatid cysts parasitic cysts, Caroli's disease, cystadenoma; liver abscess, surgery, aspiration and treatment was undertaken and papers pertaining to the diagnosis and management of cystic lesions within the liver were retrieved.

RESULTS

Asymptomatic simple cysts in the liver require no treatment. Therapy for symptomatic cysts may incorporate aspiration with sclerotherapy or de-roofing. At present, insufficient evidence exists to recommend one over the other. Polycystic liver disease presents a unique management problem because of high morbidity and mortality rates from intervention and high rates of recurrence. Careful patient counselling and assessment of symptom index is essential before embarking on any treatment. New medical treatments may ameliorate symptoms. Acquired cystic lesions in the liver require a thorough work-up to fully characterize the abnormality and direct appropriate treatment. Hydatid cysts are best treated by chemotherapy followed by some form of surgical intervention (either aspiration and sclerotherapy or surgery). Liver abscesses can effectively be treated by aspiration or drainage. With improved antimicrobial efficacy, prolonged treatment with antibiotics may also be considered.

CONCLUSION

All patients with cystic lesions in the liver require discussion at multi-disciplinary meetings to confirm and the diagnosis and determine the most appropriate method of treatment.