Outcomes of laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia: A systematic review

Cholestasis after Kasai operation predicts portal hypertension in native liver survivors of biliary atresia: a multicenter study

PURPOSE

This study evaluated portal hypertension (PHT) and its predictors among native liver survivors (NLS) of biliary atresia (BA) after Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE).

METHODS

This was a multicenter study using prospectively collected data. The subjects were patients who remained transplant-free for 5 years after KPE. Their status of PHT was evaluated and variables that predicted PHT were determined by regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

Six centers from East Asia participated in this study and 320 subjects with KPE between 1980 to 2018 were analyzed. The mean follow-up period was 10.6 ± 6.2 years. At the 5th year after KPE, PHT was found in 37.8% of the subjects (n = 121). Patients with KPE done before day 41 of life had the lowest percentage of PHT compared to operation at older age. At 12 months after KPE, PHT + ve subjects had a higher bilirubin level (27.1 ± 11.7 vs 12.3 ± 7.9 µmol/L, p = 0.000) and persistent jaundice conferred a higher risk for PHT (OR = 12.9 [9.2-15.4], p = 0.000). ROC analysis demonstrated that a bilirubin level above 38 µmol/L at 12 months after KPE predicted PHT development (sensitivity: 78%, specificity: 60%, AUROC: 0.75).

CONCLUSIONS

In BA, early KPE protects against the development of PHT among NLSs. Patients with persistent cholestasis at one year after KPE are at a higher risk of this complication. They should receive a more vigilant follow-up.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Laparoscopic Kasai Procedure of Treating Biliary Atresia with an Aberrant Right Hepatic Artery

Background: An aberrant vascular anatomy might present a technical pitfall for biliary atresia (BA) surgery. The purpose of this study was to report the rare cases and discuss the significance and management strategy for BA with an aberrant right hepatic artery (ARHA) by laparoscopic Kasai procedure in children. Methods: The subjects for this study were 10 consecutive type III BA patients with an ARHA who had laparoscopic Kasai procedure at our institute between January 2012 and August 2021. The common bile duct was mobilized between the right hepatic artery and the right branch of portal vein, and then lifted to the liver hilum. The fibrous cord was transected and then the laparoscopic Kasai was carried out. Results: All patients survived the laparoscopic Kasai without any intraoperative complications. The mean operative time was 235 minutes for each laparoscopic Kasai. The mean follow-up time was 32.6 months. The total and direct bilirubin dropped to normal within 4 months of surgery in 7 patients. One patient died of repeated cholangitis and liver failure 1 year after surgery. In the additional 2 patients the bilirubin levels dropped significantly after the surgery but elevated again because of repeated cholangitis and requiring ongoing observation and intermittent treatment. Conclusions: With the perfect laparoscopic skills, the common bile duct could be safely mobilized between the right hepatic artery and right branch of portal vein for the infants with type III BA associated with an ARHA, and laparoscopic Kasai could be carried out safely and successfully.

Laparoscopic versus open Kasai procedure for biliary atresia: long-term results of a randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE

The role of the laparoscopic approach for the Kasai procedure in the management of biliary atresia is still controversial. The aim of this study is to compare the long-term results of the laparoscopic Kasai procedure (LKP) to the open Kasai procedure (OKP).

METHODS

A randomized clinical trial was carried out from October 2009 to March 2017. Patients diagnosed with biliary atresia type III were randomized into 2 groups: one group underwent LKP and the other group-OKP. All the surgical procedures were performed by the same surgeon with the same technical principles. The long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

61 patients underwent LKP and 61 patients-OKP, with a median age at the surgery of 79.7 days. The two groups had no significant differences regarding the patients' baseline characteristics. At follow-up up to 142 months, the jaundice-free rate at the 6th postoperative month for LKP and OKP was 52.5% and 60.7%, respectively (p = 0.23). The 10-year cumulative survival after LKP tended to be inferior to OKP, respectively 44.3% vs. 58.9% (p = 0.09).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the long-term results of LKP tended to be inferior compared to OKP although the differences were not significant.

Perioperative outcomes in minimally-invasive versus open surgery in infants undergoing repair of congenital anomalies

BACKGROUND

This study compared perioperative outcomes among infants undergoing repair of congenital anomalies using minimally invasive (MIS) versus open surgical approaches.

METHODS

The ACS NSQIP Pediatric (2013-2018) was queried for patients undergoing repair of any of the following 9 congenital anomalies: congenital lung lesion (LL), mediastinal mass (MM), congenital malrotation (CM), anorectal malformation (ARM), Hirschsprung disease (HD), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), hepatobiliary anomalies (HB), and intestinal atresia (IA). Inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTW) derived from propensity scores were utilized to estimate risk-adjusted association between surgical approach and 30-day outcomes.

RESULTS

12,871 patients undergoing congenital anomaly repair were included (10,343 open; 2528 MIS). After IPTW, MIS was associated with longer operative time (difference; 95% CI) (16 min; 9-23) and anesthesia time (13 min; 6-21), but less postoperative ventilation days (-1.0 days; -1.4- -0.6) and shorter postoperative length of stay (-1.4 days; -2.4- -0.3). MIS repairs had decreased risk of any surgical complication (risk difference: -6.6%; -9.2- -4.0), including hematologic complications (-7.3%; -8.9- -5.8). There was no significant difference in risk of complication when hematologic complications were excluded (RD -2.3% [-4.7%, 0.1%]). There were no significant differences in the risk of unplanned reoperation (0.4%; -1.5-2.2) or unplanned readmission (0.2%; -1.2-1.5).

CONCLUSIONS

MIS repair of congenital anomalies is associated with improved perioperative outcomes when compared to open. Additional studies are needed to compare long-term functional and disease-specific outcomes.

MINI-ABSTRACT

In this propensity-weighted multi-institutional analysis of nine congenital anomalies, minimally invasive surgical repair was associated with improved 30-day outcomes when compared to open surgical repair.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Biochemical Evaluation of Laparoscopic Portoenterostomy for Treating Biliary Atresia and Redo for Failed Portoenterostomy

Background: Postoperative outcomes of portoenterostomy (PE) and redo-PE were evaluated using selected biochemical markers (SBM) and biochemical status categories (BSC). Methods: Subjects were 70 consecutive PE performed for biliary atresia. SBM were aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT), cholinesterase (ChE), and platelet count (PLT) assessed at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months, and thence, annually for a maximum of 10 years. BSC were as follows: all SBM normal (N-SBM), normal AST/ALT (N-SLT), normal ChE (N-ChE), normal PC (N-PLT), all abnormal (A-SBM), abnormal AST/ALT (A-SLT), abnormal ChE (A-ChE), and abnormal PC (A-PLT). Subjects achieving jaundice clearance (JC) and surviving with native livers (SNL) also had gamma glutamyl transpeptidase assessed. Redo-PE indicated for failed PE was assessed postoperatively using the same SBM/BSC protocol. Results: PE were laparoscopic (LPE; n = 40) or open (OPE; n = 30). Mean age/weight at PE and duration of follow-up were similar. For JC, LPE = 34/40 (85.0%) and OPE = 22/30 (73.3%); P = .23. For SNL, LPE = 29/40 (72.5%) and OPE = 16/30 (53.3%); P = .10. LPE and OPE were similar for SBM/BSC, except for a single significant increase in ALT in OPE at 6 months. Redo-PE was performed 17-180 days (mean 67.1 days) after primary PE. AST was significantly increased at the last preredo assessment 3 months after primary PE; P < .05. After redo, AST decreased and SBM/BSC results were equivalent to nonredo subjects. Conclusion: Postoperative biochemical data for all PE cases were comparable; redo-PE would appear to be viable for restoring SBM, and AST could be valuable as a single marker of deterioration in redo cases.

Advances in the Treatment of Neonatal Biliary Disease

This article discusses current standard of care in neonatal biliary disease, particularly management of biliary atresia and choledochal cysts. It highlights surgical considerations, guidelines for adjuvant therapies, and promising therapeutic options that are under investigation.

Serum TGF-β1 and VEGF Levels Reflect the Liver Hardness and Function in Children with Biliary Atresia

Objective

This study further explored the wind direction correlation analysis between serum levels of TGF-β1 and VEGF and liver function assessment in children with biliary atresia.

Methods

A total of 62 children with biliary atresia (BA) who received surgical treatment in our hospital from October 2020 to October 2021 were selected as the research objects (BA group), and 50 normal healthy children who received routine physical examination in our hospital during the same period were selected as blank control group. Outcome measures included postoperative total bilirubin levels and conjugality of enrolled patients. Bilirubin level, unbound bilirubin level, serum transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-β1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), liver function indicators albumin (ALB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and other observation indicators were included. All data in this study were collected and analyzed by SPSS 23.0 software, and t-test was performed.

Results

The serum levels of TGF-β1, VEGF, ALT, AST, GGT, and liver hardness were significantly higher in children with jaundice than those without jaundice, and the serum ALB level was significantly lower than that in children without jaundice (P < 0.05). The levels of TGF-β1 and VEGF in BA group were positively correlated with the levels of ALT, AST, GGT, and liver hardness (P < 0.05) but negatively correlated with the level of ALB (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The levels of serum TGF-β1 and VEGF in children with biliary atresia have a certain risk correlation with liver function damage, which will become a research focus on the mechanism of liver fibrosis in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary atresia in children.

Minimally invasive hepatopancreatic and biliary surgery in children: a large centre experience and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for hepatopancreatic and biliary (HPB) diseases has been widely used in adults, while in children, its application is limited due to its complexity. Herein, we report the experience of MIS for paediatric HPB diseases and literature review.

METHODS

All children (≤18 years-old) undergoing major HPB operations by MIS during January 2017-June 2020 in our institution were prospectively enrolled.

RESULTS

Out of 139 children operated on for HPB diseases with MIS, 26 (18.7%) patients (age: 11 (1-17) years-old; weight: 41.9 (10.7-75.5) kg) underwent major HPB surgery, including 11 pancreatic resections and 15 liver resections, all performed by a full-laparoscopic-technique. Four (15.3%) surgeries were electively converted to an open-technique for safer operative management. None required a blood transfusion. The median hospital admission was 6 days. Post-operatively, all patients had early mobilization and good recovery. Two (7.7%) patients experienced post-operative complications requiring radiological intervention. Oncological radical resection (R0) was achieved in all tumours, and after 2 years, all children were free of tumour recurrence.

CONCLUSION

MIS for HPB surgery is safe and feasible in children, with less surgical trauma, short hospital-stay and better aesthetic results. An adequate learning curve in specialized centres is essential for good outcomes.

Laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy can be a standard surgical procedure for treatment of biliary atresia

BACKGROUND

Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare pediatric disease.

AIM

To compare the outcomes of laparoscopic portoenterostomy (Lap-PE) with those of laparotomy (Open-PE) at a single institution.

METHODS

The surgical outcomes of PE were retrospectively analyzed for patients with a non-correctable type of BA from 2003 to 2020.

RESULTS

Throughout the assessment period, 119 patients received PE for BA treatment, including 66 Open-PE and 53 Lap-PE cases. Although the operation duration was longer (medians: for Open-PE, 242 min; for Lap-PE, 341 min; P < 0.001), blood loss was considerably less (medians: for Open-PE, 52 mL; for Lap-PE, 24 mL; P < 0.001) in the Lap-PE group than in the Open-PE group. The postoperative recovery of the Lap-PE group was more favorable; specifically, both times to resume oral intake and drain removal were significantly shorter in the Lap-PE group. Complete resolution of jaundice was observed in 45 Open-PE cases and 42 Lap-PE cases, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.176). Native liver survival rates were >80% for both groups for the first half year post surgery, followed by a gradual decrease with time; there were no statistically significant differences in the native liver survival rates for any durations assessed.

CONCLUSION

Lap-PE could be a standard therapy for BA.

Biliary atresia in a neonate with a history of COVID-19: A case report

Introduction and importance

Biliary Atresia is the progressive destruction of the neonatal intra- and extra- hepatic bile ducts. The novel coronavirus has shown dramatic hepatic tropism, and patients experiencing liver injury appear to have worse outcomes. We present the first documented case of a neonate diagnosed with Biliary Atresia and a prior history of COVID-19.

Case presentation

A two-month-old female presented with increasing scleral icterus. Her laboratory testing demonstrated direct hyperbilirubinemia, with elevated alkaline phosphatase and increased ALT. She tested positive for COVID-19 at that time, requiring a two-week quarantine during which time she did not develop respiratory symptoms. Two weeks later, she presented to the hospital with emesis and an evaluation concerning for biliary atresia. She ultimately underwent a Kasai repair and recovered well with no significant post-operative complications.

Clinical discussion

Biliary Atresia is a heterogenous disease of unknown etiology, though viral triggers are suggested to contribute. COVID-19 disease is frequently associated with liver damage, though its relationship to Biliary Atresia is unexplored. We present a case of a neonate who contracted COVID-19 infection, and subsequently developed biliary atresia.

Conclusion

Considering this child's concurrent COVID-19 infection, viral mediated hepatic and biliary inflammation may have contributed to the development of Biliary Atresia in this case. The proposed relationship requires additional investigation but may suggest value in COVID-19 testing for patients presenting with Biliary Atresia.

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Biliary atresia results in a fibrosclerosing, obliterative cholangiopathy

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Several viruses may play a role in the development of biliary atresia

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The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has shown dramatic hepatic tropism

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It is unknown if COVID-19 disease is related to the development of biliary atresia

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We present the first case of biliary atresia after diagnosis of COVID-19 disease

A nomogram model based on preoperative grey-scale US features and routine serum biomarkers to predict the outcome of infants with biliary atresia after Kasai portoenterostomy

OBJECTIVE

To establish a nomogram to predict the outcome of biliary atresia (BA) infants 3-months post- Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE).

METHODS

BA Infants who underwent KPE from two hospitals were included in the training (n = 161) and validation cohorts (n = 64). A logistic regression equation (Equation A) for predicting the serum total bilirubin (TBIL) level 3-month post-KPE was established in the training cohort. Then, a nomogram was developed based on Equation A in the training cohort and validated in the validation cohort. Moreover, a new equation (Equation B) was generated based on the nomogram and the size of the enlarged hilar lymph nodes (LNs) in the validation cohort. The predictive performance of the nomogram was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and by calculating the area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) prediction values.

RESULTS

A nomogram based on gallbladder morphology and serum levels of TBIL and total protein (TP) was established with AUC (95%CI) of 0.673 (0.595, 0.745) and 0.647 (0.518, 0.763), sensitivity (95%CI) of 71.4% (62.1%,79.6%) and 81.8% (59.7%,94.8%), specificity (95%CI) of 63.3% (48.3%,76.6%) and 47.6% (32.0%,63.6%), PPV (95%CI) of 81.6% (72.5%,88.9%) and 45.0% (29.3%,61.5%), and NPV (95%CI) 49.2% (36.4%,62.1%) and 83.3% (62.6%,95.3%), respectively, in the training and validation cohorts. Furthermore, in the validation cohort, the AUC (95%CI) of Equation B was 0.798 (95%CI: 0.679, 0.888), which was significantly higher than that of the nomogram (P = 0.042).

CONCLUSION

A nomogram based on the pre-KPE gallbladder morphology, TBIL, and TP to predict the outcome of BA 3-months post-KPE is established. Moreover, the addition of the size of the enlarged hilar LNs into the nomogram further improves its predictive value.

Comparative study of open and laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy in children undergoing living donor liver transplantation for biliary atresia

PURPOSE

The effectiveness of laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy (Laparoscopic-KPE) for biliary atresia (BA) has been reported but remains controversial. We reviewed our own cases and cases described in previous studies of liver transplantation (LT) for BA after Laparoscopic-KPE to investigate the efficacy of Laparoscopic-KPE.

METHODS

Subjects were children of  ≤ 2 years old with LT for BA after KPE who underwent Laparoscopic-KPE (n = 10) or Open-KPE (n = 115) between 2009 and 2020. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce the effect of treatment selection bias. The clinical data regarding the preoperative characteristics and surgical results were compared.

RESULTS

The rates of hypoplastic portal vein and retrograde portal vein flow were lower in the Laparoscopic-KPE group than in the Open-KPE group (0 vs. 40.0%, p = 0.02 and 0 vs. 35.0%, p = 0.04). There was no marked difference in the operation time or duration of hepatectomy. For portal vein reconstruction, a vein graft was not required in the Laparoscopic-KPE group (0 vs. 35.0%, p = 0.03). No patients in the Laparoscopic-KPE group developed portal vein complications or required re-laparotomy for bowel perforation or re-bleeding, in contrast to the Open-KPE group (0 vs. 15.0% and 0 vs. 10.0%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic-KPE may reduce postoperative complications that necessitate re-laparotomy in LT.

Extended Adhesion-Sparing Liver Eversion during Kasai Portoenterostomy for Infants with Biliary Atresia

Background: Despite the fact that Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) is the primary treatment for biliary atresia (BA), liver transplantation (LT) remains the ultimate surgery for two-thirds of these patients. Their true survival rate with the native liver reflects the original KPE and the burden of post-operative complications. We report an original modification of the adhesion-sparing liver eversion (ASLE) technique during KPE that facilitates the total native hepatectomy at time of transplantation. Methods: All consecutive patients with BA who underwent KPE at our department and subsequent LT at Paediatric Liver Transplant Centre at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital between 2010–2018 were retrospectively enrolled. All patients underwent ASLE during KPE. Patients’ demographic data, type of KPE, total transplant time (TTT), hepatectomy time (HT), intra-operative packed red blood cells and plasma transfusions, intra- and post-operative complications were noted. Results: 44 patients were enrolled. Median TTT and HT were 337 and 57 min, respectively. The median volume of packed red blood cell transfusion was 95 mL. No patients presented bowel perforation during the procedure or in the short post-operative course. No mortality after LT was recorded. Conclusions: In addition to the well-known advantages of the standard liver eversion technique, ASLE reduces the formation of intra-abdominal adhesions, lowering significantly the risk of bowel perforation and bleeding when liver transplantation is performed for failure of KPE.

Life long follow up and management strategies of patients living with native livers after Kasai portoenterostomy

We present a 37 years’ experience in the management of biliary atresia (BA) and discuss long-term complications after Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE). A retrospective territory-wide study from 1980 to 2017 on 231 patients with open KPE from three tertiary paediatric surgical centres was performed. Outcome parameters were clearance of jaundice (COJ), native liver survival (NLS) and long-term complications. Factors affecting the operative outcomes were analyzed. The median duration of follow up was 17.5 (IQR: 13.5–22) years. Over 66% of patients became jaundice-freed at 1 year after KPE. Seventy patients (30.3%) received liver transplant (LT) at a median age of 6.2 (IQR: 4.3–8.4) years. The NLS rates at 10 and 20 years were 70.7% and 61.5% respectively with no significant change over the study period. The median age at KPE was 59 (IQR: 49–67) days. KPE performed before 70 days was associated with higher odd ratios for successful drainage but the age of KPE did not have an impact on the long-term NLS. Among all native liver survivors (n = 153), the median bilirubin level was 24 (IQR: 16–36) µmol/L. Portal hypertension (PHT) and recurrent cholangitis were found in 51.6% and 27.5% of them respectively. With a vigilant follow up program, more than 60% of BA patients could remain stable with the disease and achieve long-term survival without LT. Although cholestasis, portal hypertension and recurrent cholangitis are common in long-term NLS, with a comprehensive follow management strategy, they do not always necessitate LT. Our study serves as an example for countries where deceased donor organs are scarce due to very low donation rate.

Experience of treating biliary atresia with laparoscopic-modified Kasai and laparoscopic conventional Kasai: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Complete mobilization of the left and right portal veins had been seldom utilized in the laparoscopic Kasai procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the key technique in detail.

METHODS

A total of 82 patients with type III biliary atresia were operated by laparoscopic Kasai at our hospital during January 2012 to October 2019. Forty-two patients underwent modified laparoscopic Kasai (group 1), and 40 patients of control group underwent general laparoscopic Kasai (group 2). The clinical data between the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

The early clearance of jaundice was significantly higher for group 1 (88.1%) versus group 2 (68.4%) (P < 0.05), the incidence of repeated cholangitis was significantly lower in group 1 (11.9%) versus group 2 (31.6%) (P < 0.05). The native liver survival rate was (85.7%) in group1 versus in group 2 (65.8%) (P < 0.05). In addition, there were no significant differences regarding the resumption oral intake and the post-operative hospital stay in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The key technique of the complete mobilization of the left and right portal veins would improve the outcome of biliary atresia treated by laparoscopic Kasai.

Biliary atresia: East versus west

Biliary atresia (BA) is a common cause of surgical jaundice during the neonatal period. It is currently considered as a spectrum of diseases with a common final pathology characterized by obliteration of the extrahepatic biliary tract and the absence of normally branching intrahepatic ducts. Though it is a global disease that can be found in all ethnicities there are some clear differences between BA arising in the East and the West. This is likely to be related to different genetic, environmental and cultural factors. BA is more frequently found in Far Eastern infants (both Chinese and Japanese) though the syndromic associations are much less common. Many Eastern countries have national screening programmes not seen in the West possibly due to debate over its cost effectiveness in countries where incidence is low. Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) is considered as the primary treatment of BA but its outcome still remains unsatisfactory across the region. Given the complexity of BA, it is unlikely that strategic advances could be made by the sole effort of individual countries and we believe that collaboration between the East and West is the way forward.

The short-term outcome of modified laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia

OBJECTIVES

Laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy (LKPE) has been shown to be a safe and feasible procedure in patients with biliary atresia (BA). The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of modified LKPE (MLKPE) in the treatment of BA.

METHODS

Data of 58 BA patients undertaken MLPKE from July 2014 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed (group B), and compared with that of 43 BA patients received open Kasai portoenterostomy (OKPE) during the same period (group C). In addition, 195 BA patients who had undergone LKPE during May 2009 to June 2014 were also included (group A).

RESULTS

All 296 patients enrolled in this study were non-syndromic type III BA. Compared with group A, group B had shorter operative time (ORT) (P < 0.01) and fewer intraoperative blood transfusion (IOBT) (P < 0.05). The conversion rate and cholangitis rate were also significantly lower in group B than that in group A (P < 0.05). The postoperative oral intake resumed (POOR), any postoperative complications (APOC), clearance of jaundice (CJ), 1-year and 3-year survival rate with native liver (SNL) were not significantly different between group A and group B (P > 0.05). The ORT, IOBT, POOR, APOC, CJ, 1-year and 3-year SNL in group B were much better than that of group C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The MLKPE was associated with good perioperative with ORT, IOBT, POOR, and APOC. The short-term outcomes in MLKPE were no worse than that of OKPE and LKPE. MLKPE can be regarded as a treatment option for BA.

Bilirubin level 1 week after hepatoportoenterostomy predicts native liver survival in biliary atresia

BACKGROUND

To determine a very early predictive biomarker after hepatoportoenterostomy (HPE) for the prediction of native liver survival in biliary atresia (BA) patients.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted of BA patients in our hospital between August 2000 and April 2019. The serum total bilirubin (T-bil), direct bilirubin, and gamma-glutamyl transferase level 1 week after HPE were analyzed. The clinical outcome predictors were investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 90 BA patients were recruited. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that a post-HPE 1-week T-bil level ≤4.85 mg/dL predicted jaundice-free after HPE (P = 0.02). BA patients with a post-HPE 1-week T-bil ≤4.85 mg/dL were more likely to be jaundice-free within 3 months of HPE (odds ratio = 3.53; P = 0.006). Kaplan-Meier plot analysis showed that the likelihood of native liver survival and jaundice-free native liver survival were significantly higher in BA subjects with a post-HPE 1-week T-bil ≤4.85 mg/dL than in other subjects (P = 0.01 and 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The serum post-HPE 1-week T-bil level may predict the long-term outcome in BA patients. A post-HPE 1-week T-bil ≤4.85 mg/dL correlated with better native liver survival and jaundice-free native liver survival in BA patients.

Assessing Liver Hemodynamics in Children With Cholestatic Cirrhosis by Use of Dual-Energy Spectral CT

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of dual-energy CT (DECT) in assessing liver hemodynamics in children with cholestatic cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The cases of 60 children with cholestatic cirrhosis (study group) and 15 children with inherited metabolic diseases but normal liver function (control group) were retrospectively evaluated. Enhanced CT scans were obtained in spectral imaging mode. Iodine concentration (IC) of hepatic parenchyma in the arterial phase (IC_A) and portal venous phase (IC_P) was measured on iodine-water material decomposition images. The hepatic arterial iodine fraction (AIF) was calculated as: AIF = IC_A / IC_P. The IC_A, IC_P, and AIF of children in the control and study groups were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and post hoc test with Bonferroni correction. The radiation dose was recorded. RESULTS. There were differences in IC_A and AIF between the control and study groups. The values in patients in the Child-Pugh class C group were the highest and those in the control group the lowest (p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences in IC_P were not found (p > 0.05). Specifically, the multiple comparison results indicated that there were differences in both IC_A and AIF in most of the groups (p < 0.05). The volume CT dose index value for all patients was the same at 10.14 mGy for each enhanced phase, and the total dose-length product varied between 402.68 and 679.18 mGy-cm. CONCLUSION. IC_A and AIF obtained at dual-energy CT can be used as semiquantitative indicators to evaluate the liver hemodynamics of children with cholestatic cirrhosis.

Management of Biliary Atresia in France 1986 to 2015: Long-term Results

OBJECTIVES

This study analyses the prognosis of biliary atresia (BA) in France since 1986, when both Kasai operation (KOp) and liver transplantation (LT) became widely available.

METHODS

The charts of all patients diagnosed with BA born between 1986 and 2015 and living in France were reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 1428 patients were included; 1340 (94%) underwent KOp. Total clearance of jaundice (total bilirubin ≤20 μmol/L) was documented in 516 patients (39%). Age at KOp (median 59 days, range 6-199) was stable over time. Survival with native liver after KOp was 41%, 35%, 26%, and 22% at 5, 10, 20, and 30 years, stable in the 4 cohorts. 25-year survival with native liver was 38%, 27%, 22%, and 19% in patients operated in the first, second, third month of life or later, respectively (P = 0.0001). Center caseloads had a significant impact on results in the 1986 to 1996 cohort only. 16%, 7%, 7%, and 8% of patients died without LT in the 4 cohorts (P = 0.0001). A total of 753 patients (55%) underwent LT. Patient survival after LT was 79% at 28 years. Five-year patient survival after LT was 76%, 91%, 88%, and 92% in cohorts 1 to 4, respectively (P < 0.0001). Actual BA patient survival (from diagnosis) was 81%. Five-year BA patient survival was 72%, 88%, 87%, and 87% in cohorts 1986 to 1996, 1997 to 2002, 2003 to 2009, and 2010 to 2015, respectively (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In France, 87% of patients with BA survive nowadays and 22% reach the age of 30 years without transplantation. Improvement of BA prognosis is mainly due to reduced mortality before LT and better outcomes after LT.

Laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy is advantageous over open Kasai portoenterostomy in subsequent liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Native liver survival after laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy (Lap-PE) for biliary atresia (BA) is controversial. We examined whether a jaundice-free native liver survival rate is comparable between conventional Kasai portoenterostomy (Open-PE) and Lap-PE. Then, the impact of the two types of PE on subsequent living-donor liver transplantation (LTx) was addressed in this study.

METHODS

The jaundice-free rate in 1- and 2-year-old patients who underwent Open-PE and Lap-PE from January 2006 to December 2017 was investigated. Additionally, perioperative data (duration from the start of surgery to the completion of hepatectomy and others) of patients aged 2 years or younger who underwent LTx after either Open-PE or Lap-PE from 2006 to 2017 were evaluated.

RESULTS

Thirty-one (67%) out of 46 Open-PE patients and 23 (77%) out of 30 Lap-PE patients showed native liver survival with jaundice-free status at 1 year of age (p = 0.384); 29 (63%) out of 46 Open-PE patients and 19 (70%) out of 27 Lap-PE patients showed native liver survival with jaundice-free status at 2 years of age (p = 0.524); there were no significant differences. Additionally, there were 37 LTx cases after PE within 2 years of birth, including 29 Open-PE and 8 Lap-PE cases. The patients in the Lap-PE group had fewer adhesions and significantly shorter durations of surgery up to the completion of the recipient's hepatectomy and durations of post-LTx hospital stay compared to the Open-PE group. There were no differences in blood loss or duration of stay in intensive care unit between the Lap-PE and Open-PE groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Jaundice-free native liver survival rate has been comparable between Open-PE and Lap-PE. Lap-PE resulted in fewer adhesions, contributing to better outcomes of subsequent LTx compared to Open-PE.

Error traps and culture of safety in biliary atresia

Biliary atresia is a progressive inflammatory sclerosing disease of the bile ducts in the neonatal liver. Without surgical intervention these patients are destined to succumb to the disease. The development of the hepatoportoenterostomy in 1959 and liver transplantation in 1963 ushered a new era of success treating these patients. While many surgical modifications and adjuncts to treatment have been attempted over the last 50 years, the mainstay of treatment to give the child the best chance at prolonged survival with the native liver is a properly performed operation, in a timely fashion, with minimal post-operative complications. This review presents the authors current practice guideline to achieve these goals.

Surgical modifications of the Kasai hepatoportoenterostomy minimize invasiveness without compromising short- and medium-term outcomes

BACKGROUND

Biliary atresia (BA) causes progressive fibrosis and obliteration of the biliary tree, resulting in bile stasis and eventual liver dysfunction. It affects 1 in 10,000-18,000 infants, and if left untreated, universally leads to liver failure. The Kasai hepatoportoenterostomy (KPE) was developed as an effective surgical therapy for BA and can restore bile drainage into the intestine. Traditionally, the KPE procedure extra-corporealizes the liver to expose the portal plate. Here, we describe modifications to the procedure via a smaller incision in which the liver remains within the abdominal cavity and we compare the outcomes of this technique to previous institutional outcomes and to contemporary international series.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified all patients who underwent KPE for BA at a single institution between 1994 and 2012. Patient outcomes after the modified KPE performed from 2004 to 2012 were compared to data from infants who underwent the traditional KPE from 1994 to 2003.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients were identified. Fifty-two were in the traditional KPE group and 47 in the modified KPE group. There was no difference in mean age at surgery. Median follow-up was 64 months (traditional KPE) and 46 months (modified KPE). The rate of native liver survival (39.1% vs 48.5%), overall survival (89.2% vs 97.8%), liver transplant occurring under one year of age (36.5% vs 40.4%) and median time to liver transplant (188 vs 172 days) were not statistically different between groups (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). The results of the modified KPE compared favorably to published outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The described modifications to the KPE appear to yield equivalent outcomes when compared to the traditional KPE procedure and compare well with published outcomes in the literature. It is possible that the procedure described here results in less scarring and technically easier liver transplant procedures.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Learning Curve Analysis of Open Kasai Portoenterostomy for Biliary Atresia

BACKGROUND

Open Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) remains the mainstay of treatment for biliary atresia (BA) even in the era of minimally invasive surgery and is generally considered to be technically challenging. This study describes the learning curve (LC) of open KPE and its effect on outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In our center, the caseload of BA was relatively low with average annual caseload below five in the past, and open KPE was started in the early 2000s. This study retrospectively enrolled the first 35 consecutive children undergoing open KPE for BA by the same surgeon in our center between June 2003 and April 2014. The LC was evaluated using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) method for operative time (OT).

RESULTS

The CUSUM LC of OT, which peaked at the 23rd case, was best modeled as a second-order polynomial with equation CUSUM (min) = -0.8851 × case number² + 33.54 × case number -45.978 (R² = 0.7287). The LC consisted of two distinct phases: phase 1 (the initial 23 cases), representing the initial learning phase and phase 2 (the remaining 12 cases), representing acquisition of technical competency. Preoperative parameters were comparable between the two phases (each P > 0.05). Of note, OT and estimated blood loss significantly decreased in phase 2 compared with phase 1 (P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the rates of early jaundice clearance and 2-y native liver survival significantly increased in phase 2 (P = 0.032; P = 0.034, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The two phases identified by CUSUM analysis of OT represents characteristic stages of LC for open KPE of the surgeon in our center. It is possible for surgeons to achieve competency of this demanding technique in centers with relatively low caseload of BA and late start of KPE.

Retrospective investigation about anesthetic management of biliary atresia in children: laparoscopic versus conventional Kasai portoenterostomy

PURPOSE

Biliary atresia can be fatal if surgery is not performed early. Laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy was recently introduced in our hospital. Despite laparoscopic surgery generally provides advantages, there are few studies of laparoscopic surgery performed in infants. We retrospectively compared anesthesia management of patients undergoing laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy and conventional Kasai portoenterostomy and investigated anesthetic complications of laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy.

METHODS

Fifty-three biliary atresia patients who underwent surgery from April 2010 to September 2017 were assessed: 28 who underwent laparoscopy (L group) and 25 who underwent laparotomy (O group) were included. We compared body temperature, cases of hypothermia, the lowest mean blood pressure, bleeding volume, infusion volume and urine volume (ml/kg and ml/kg/h), age, weight, operation time, and the number of patients postoperatively admitted to the intensive care unit.

RESULTS

In the L group, volume of bleeding was significantly smaller, and the lowest body temperature was significantly lower in the L group than in the O group (22 ± 35.1 mL vs 70 ± 34.5 mL, respectively, P < 0.01; 35.6 ± 0.8 °C vs 36.5 ± 0.4 °C, respectively, P < 0.01). And severe hypothermia was significantly more in the L group (7 cases vs 0 cases P = 0.01). There was an inverse correlation between the lowest body temperature and anesthesia time (r = - 0.464, P < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that anesthesia time was a significant predictor of hypothermia.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that laparoscopic surgery in infants reduced bleeding, but induced hypothermia and upper airway edema may be caused by relatively excessive infusion. At laparoscopic Kasai surgery, anesthesiologist is recommended to prevent hypothermia and need to pay attention to amount of infusion.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Nagoya University ( 2017-0290 ) and registered with the UMIN Clinical Trial Registry ( UMIN000033158 ).

Learning curve of laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia: report of 100 cases

Background

Laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy (LKPE) is performed for biliary atresia (BA). As LKPE is a technically demanding operation, a learning curve should be defined to guide training. The aim of this study was to identify the learning curve of LKPE for BA.

Methods

Metrics of perioperative safety and efficiency for 100 cases of LKPE were evaluated. Outcomes were followed to 67.2 ± 12.1 months. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was used to identify inflexion point corresponding to the learning curve. Outcome measures included operative time (ORT), rate of clearance of jaundice (CJ) and survival with native liver (SNL).

Results

Between May 2009 and May 2013, 100 consecutive patients with BA underwent LKPE. The rate of conversion from LKPE to open Kasai portoenterostomy (OKPE), intraoperative transfusion and any perioperative complications was 11, 26 and 16%, respectively. There was no perioperative mortality. The CUSUM analysis revealed a learning curve of 50 for LKPE. Precipitous ORT reductions from an initial mean operative time of 316.3 min that was observed in the first 50 to 232.2 min of the late 50 cases (P < 0.01). Subsequently, cases 1 to 50 were considered ‘early experience’, whereas cases 51 and higher were considered as ‘late experience’ for statistical analysis. The rate of CJ and SNL was significantly higher after the early 50 cases (P < 0.05). In contrast, the rate of intraoperative transfusion, the median time of oral feeding initiated after operation, and the length of hospital stay was not different between the both groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

In this experience, improved perioperative and postoperative parameters for LKPE were observed in the last 50 patients when compared with the first 50 patients. The dedicated training is likely to contribute to significantly shorter learning curves in future adopters.

Paediatric robotic surgery

A review of the current status of robotic surgery use in paediatrics.

Current management of biliary atresia based on 35 years of experience at a single center

OBJECTIVE

The prognosis of patients with biliary atresia undergoing Kasai portoenterostomy is related to the timing of the diagnosis and the indication for the procedure. The purpose of the present study is to present a practical flowchart based on 257 children who underwent Kasai portoenterostomy.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent Kasai portoenterostomy between 1981 and 2016.

RESULTS

During the first period (1981 to 2009), 230 infants were treated, and the median age at the time of surgery was 84 days; jaundice was resolved in 77 patients (33.5%). During the second period, from 2010 to 2016, a new diagnostic approach was adopted to shorten the wait time for portoenterostomy; an ultrasonography examination suggestive of the disease was followed by primary surgical exploration of the biliary tract without complementary examination or liver biopsy. Once the diagnosis of biliary atresia was confirmed, a portoenterostomy was performed during the same surgery. During this period, 27 infants underwent operations; the median age at the time of surgery was 66 days (p<0.001), and jaundice was resolved in 15 patients (55.6% - p=0.021), with a survival rate of the native liver of 66.7%.

CONCLUSION

Primary surgical exploration of the biliary tract without previous biopsy was effective at improving the prognostic indicators of patients with biliary atresia undergoing Kasai portoenterostomy.

Medium-term Outcome of Laparoscopic Kasai Portoenterostomy for Biliary Atresia With 49 Cases

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mid-term results of laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy (LKPE) for biliary atresia (BA) at our hospital.

METHODS

From May 2009 to May 2012, the charts of infants with BA who underwent LKPE were reviewed retrospectively. The clearance of jaundice (CJ) as well as 3-year, and 5-year survival with native liver (SNL) rates were analyzed and compared with those after open Kasai portoenterostomy (OKPE).

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients with BA who underwent LKPE were assigned to group A, and 40 patients with BA who underwent OKPE were assigned to group B. All patients in both groups had type III non-syndromic BA, and the LKPE and OKPE procedures were performed by 2 different surgical teams at our hospital. After median follow-up periods of 77 months in group A and 79 months in group B, the CJ and 3- and 5-year SNL rates were 61.2%, 55.1%, and 36.7% in group A, and 45.0%, 37.5%, and 25.0% in group B, respectively. The difference of CJ between group A and group B was not significant. The Kaplan-Meier method analysis showed that the difference in SNL between group A and group B was not significant either.

CONCLUSIONS

LKPE for patients with BA was a technically feasible and alternative procedure to OKPE. The 3- and 5-year SNL rates after LKPE were not different compared to those after OKPE.

Liver transplantation for biliary atresia: a systematic review

Biliary atresia (BA) is an idiopathic neonatal cholangiopathy characterized by progressive inflammatory obliteration of the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts. Although the Kasai operation has dramatically improved the outcomes in children with BA, most patients with BA eventually require liver transplantation (LT) even after undergoing a successful Kasai procedure. The Japanese LT Society (JLTS) was established in 1980 to characterize and follow trends in patient characteristics and the graft survival among all liver transplant patients in Japan. The 1-, 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-year survival rates for the patients and grafts undergoing living donor LT were 91.6, 91.5, 87.1, 85.4 and 84.2 and 90.5, 90.4, 84.6, 82.0 and 79.9%, respectively. LDLT was able to be performed even in patients weighing less than 5 kg with early liver failure following a Kasai operation using a reduced left lateral segments. As LT has been revealed to increase the donor pool and decrease the waiting list mortality with an excellent long-term graft survival, early referral to a transplant center should be considered when at least one complication of cirrhosis occurs during its natural history, especially in adolescents.

Biliary atresia: unity in diversity

Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare disease of unknown origin and unsatisfying outcome. Single, multicenter and national evaluations of epidemiological and outcome data on BA have been periodically published over the course of decades. However, the diversity of the registered parameters and outcome measures impede comparability and cumulative analysis of these very worthwhile studies. Taking into account the fact that BA is a good example of translational research and transition of patients from pediatric surgery and hepatology to transplant surgery and hepatology in general, the interdisciplinary community should make every effort to develop a common platform upon which further activities are conducted. Extending this topic to BA-related diseases might increase the acceptance of research studies and enhance the effectiveness of any recommendations outlined therein. The use of the Internet-based communication platform and registry on http://www.bard-online.com represents the first step in this direction, and the database should be viewed as a helpful tool that guides further activities.

Minimally Invasive Hepatobiliary Surgery

Comparative studies and large-scale case series that confirm the advantages of laparoscopy in children with hepatobiliary diseases are scarce, and the use of laparoscopy remains a matter of debate. This article reviews the current literature on the role of laparoscopic and robotic surgery in pediatric patients with choledochal cyst, biliary atresia, gallbladder diseases, and hepatobiliary malignancies. Studies were identified through a search of the MEDLINE database. Laparoscopy may be beneficial for resection of choledochal cyst and cholecystectomy. However, more data are required before recommendations on the use of minimally invasive techniques for other hepatobiliary conditions can be published.

Laparoscopic portoenterostomy for biliary atresia: single-center experience and review of literatures

AIM

The aim of this report was to present the laparoscopic portoenterostomy (LapPE) procedure developed by the Department of Pediatric General and Urogenital Surgery, Juntendo University School of Medicine (JLapPE). We also attempted to obtain an understanding of the current status of laparoscopic portoenterostomy in the world as reported in the English literature to compare with our experience.

METHODS

There were 22 BA patients who had JLapPE between 2009 and 2016. BA classification was type III (n = 19) and type II (n = 3). There was 1 case of syndromic BA and 1 case was positive for cytomegalovirus. A systematic search in PubMed of all BA patients treated by LapPE in the English literature was conducted. Jaundice clearance (JC) and survival with the native liver (SNL) were compared.

RESULTS

Mean age at JLapPE was 67.1 days (range 29-119). Mean postoperative follow-up was 4.6 years (1.3-8.3). Mean operative time was 514 min (240-662) and mean blood loss was 13.4 g (3-21). Postoperative JC (Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL) was 77.3% (17/22) at 3 months and 90.9% (20/22) at 6 months. SNL at 6 months of age was 90.9% (20/22); at 1 year of age was 77.3% (17/22), at 2 years of age was 73.7% (14/19); and at 3 years of age was 81.3% (13/16).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite recent reports that outcome of LapPE for BA may be unfavorable compared with the conventional open portoenterostomy, our results would suggest that JLapPE can be performed successfully, because it is performed exactingly according to a standard protocol. JLapPE will continue to be our procedure of choice for treating BA.

The coming of age of a young subspecialty: paediatric hepatology

Paediatric hepatology dates from the 1970s and it is the youngest of the organ-specific subspecialties. As then there have been impressive achievements in the fields of anatomical, metabolic, immunological and neoplastic diseases, and the advent of modern molecular biology has resulted in a marked increase in exact diagnoses. Liver transplants provided enormous stimulus for the discipline. Due to changing morbidity patterns, the discipline faces new challenges, such as environment- and lifestyle-induced liver diseases, but different forms of chronic viral hepatitis are diminishing.

CONCLUSION

High levels of competence require good clinical research, optimal results and a high degree of centralisation.

Advances in paediatric gastroenterology

Recent developments in paediatric gastrointestinal surgery have focused on minimally invasive surgery, the accumulation of high-quality clinical evidence, and scientific research. The benefits of minimally invasive surgery for common disorders like appendicitis and hypertrophic pyloric stenosis are all supported by good clinical evidence. Although minimally invasive surgery has been extended to neonatal surgery, it is difficult to establish its role for neonatal disorders such as oesophageal atresia and biliary atresia through clinical trials because of the rarity of these disorders. Advances in treatments for biliary atresia and necrotising enterocolitis have been achieved through specialisation, multidisciplinary management, and multicentre collaboration in research; similarly robust clinical evidence for other rare gastrointestinal disorders is needed. As more neonates with gastrointestinal diseases survive into adulthood, their long-term sequelae will also need evidence-based multidisciplinary care. Identifying cures for long-term problems of a complex developmental anomaly such as Hirschsprung's disease will rely on unravelling its pathogenesis through genetics and the development of stem-cell therapy.