Postcholecystectomy sphincter of oddi dyskinesia--a diagnostic dilemma--role of noninvasive nuclear and invasive manometric and endoscopic aspects

Prospective study on changes in the donor gallbladder contraction function after left lateral lobe hepatectomy

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of donor gallbladder preservation in liver transplantation. Conventional removal of the donor gallbladder is applied in a majority of pediatric liver transplantation. A total of 42 donors who underwent gallbladder preservation in liver transplantation from October 2013 to December 2015 at the Beijing Friendship Hospital, China, were enrolled for the study. The changes in gallbladder volume and the gallbladder EF of donors before and after surgery were measured through ultrasound, and the changes in the donor gallbladder contraction function before and after surgery were evaluated to help verify the feasibility of gallbladder preservation in living donor left lateral lobe hepatectomy. The gallbladder emptying index dropped to 42.67% in 2 weeks after surgery and gradually increased with the length of recovery time, which could reach 69.14% in 3 months after surgery. At that time, 97.6% of the donors were considered to have recovered their gallbladder contraction function. The gallbladder contraction function at an early stage after gallbladder preservation in liver transplantation is not obviously improved, but it can recover to a normal level in 1 month after surgery, indicating that the gallbladder preservation in hepatectomy of living donor can effectively guarantee the gallbladder contraction function.

Complication Follow-up With Ultrasonographic Analyses of 91 Cases With Donor Gallbladder Preservation in Living Donor Liver Transplantation of Left Lateral Sectionectomies

BACKGROUND

Preserving the donor's gallbladder during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is a better method for liver transplantation surgery, but not enough is known about gallbladder complications after the operation.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated postsurgical donor gallbladder complications in clinical LDLT with gallbladder preservation. The feasibility of retaining the gallbladder during liver graft procurement is discussed. Ninety-one donors with retained gallbladder after LDLT with the hepatic left lateral sectionectomy (from June 2013 to October 2015) were retrospectively analyzed. Donors were followed for 12.6 to 40.7 months after surgery (median 26.1 months). Sonography was used to evaluate gallbladder characteristics before and after surgery.

RESULTS

Gallbladder function had recovered to almost normal 1 month after transplantation. Four donors (4.40%) experienced gallbladder enlargement that resolved after 3 days. Thickening of the gallbladder wall in 31 donors (34.07%) was restored within 2 to 75 days. Biliary sludge appeared in 9 donors (9.89%); 6 of them recovered within 3 to 34 days. Three (3.30%) and 1 donor (1.10%) suffered gallstone and gallbladder polyps, respectively, which persisted until the last follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The rate of postoperative complications of the gallbladder in donors was relative low. Preserving the gallbladder in liver transplantation donors during liver graft procurement is feasible and safe.

Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction: A Perplexing Presentation

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is caused by stenosis or dyskinesia of the sphincter of Oddi, leading to blockage of bile drainage from the common bile duct. We present the case of a 16-year-old female with chronic abdominal pain who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis but continued to experience abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting along with persistently elevated ALT and AST levels. Postoperative abdominal ultrasound was nondiagnostic. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed mild reflux esophagitis and mild chronic Helicobacter pylori-negative gastritis. Omeprazole was started, but it did not decrease the frequency and severity of the abdominal symptoms. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography did not reveal any pathology. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with manometry confirmed an elevated biliary sphincter pressure. Biliary sphincterotomy was performed, and the symptoms improved.

Feasibility of liver graft procurement with donor gallbladder preservation in living donor liver transplantation

OBJECTIVE

Cholecystectomy is routinely performed at most transplant centers during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). This study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of liver graft procurement with donor gallbladder preservation in LDLT.

METHODS

Eighty-nine LDLTs (from June 2006 to Dec 2012) were retrospectively analyzed at our hospital. The surgical approach for liver graft procurement with donor gallbladder preservation was assessed, and the anatomy of the cystic artery, the morphology and contractibility of the preserved gallbladder, postoperative symptoms, and vascular and biliary complications were compared among donors with or without gallbladder preservation.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight donors (15 right and 13 left-liver grafts) successfully underwent liver graft procurement with gallbladder preservation. Among the 15 right lobectomy donors, for 12 cases (80.0 %) the cystic artery originated from right hepatic artery. From the left hepatic artery and proper hepatic artery accounted for 6.7 % (1/15), respectively. Postoperative symptoms among these 28 donors were slight, although donors with cholecystectomy often complained of fatty food aversion, dyspepsia, and diarrhea during an average follow-up of 58.6 (44-78) months. The morphology and contractibility of the preserved gallbladders were comparable with normal status; the rate of contraction was 53.8 and 76.7 %, respectively, 30 and 60 min after ingestion of a fatty meal. Biliary and vascular complications among donors and recipients, irrespective of gallbladder preservation, were not significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that for donors compliant with anatomical requirements, liver graft procurement with gallbladder preservation for the donor is feasible and safe. The preserved gallbladder was assessed as functioning well and postoperative symptoms as a result of cholecystectomy were significantly reduced during long-term follow-up.

Symptomatic cholelithiasis and functional disorders of the biliary tract

Symptomatic cholelithiasis and functional disorders of the biliary tract present with similar signs and symptoms. The functional disorders of the biliary tract include functional gallbladder disorder, dyskinesia, and the sphincter of Oddi disorders. Although the diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis are relatively straightforward, the diagnosis and treatment of functional disorders can be much more challenging. Many aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of functional disorders are in need of further study. This article discusses uncomplicated gallstone disease and the functional disorders of the biliary tract to emphasize and update the essential components of diagnosis and management.

Biliary dyskinesia

Functional disorders of the biliary tract include gallbladder dyskinesia (GBD) and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD). The diagnosis of GBD is made if the gallbladder ejection fraction is less than 35% to 40% using cholecystokinin cholescintigraphy. Despite slightly inferior outcomes compared with calculous disease, patients who have GBD should be treated with cholecystectomy. SOD is most often noted in the postcholecystectomy patient and symptoms can be biliary or pancreatic in nature. The gold standard for diagnosis remains manometry, with basal biliary or pancreatic sphincter pressures measuring greater than 40 mm Hg. Patients who have increased pressures may benefit from endoscopic sphincterotomy.