Successful photodynamic therapy for biliary papillomatosis: A case report

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy-assisted biliary polypectomy for local palliative treatment of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct

BACKGROUND

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a premalignant biliary-type epithelial neoplasm with intraductal papillary or villous growth. Currently reported local palliative therapeutic modalities, including endoscopic nasobiliary drainage, stenting and biliary curettage, endoscopic biliary polypectomy, percutaneous biliary drainage, laser ablation, argon plasma coagulation, photodynamic therapy, and radiofrequency ablation to relieve mechanical obstruction are limited with weaknesses and disadvantages. We have applied percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS)-assisted biliary polypectomy (PTCS-BP) technique for the management of IPNB including mucin-hypersecreting cast-like and polypoid type tumors since 2010.

AIM

To assess the technical feasibility, efficacy, and safety of PTCS-BP for local palliative treatment of IPNB.

METHODS

Patients with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like or polypoid type IPNB and receiving PTCS-BP between September 2010 and December 2019 were included. PTCS-BP was performed by using a half-moon type snare with a soft stainless-steel wire, and the tumor was snared and resected with electrocautery. The primary outcome was its feasibility, indicated by technical success. The secondary outcomes were efficacy, including therapeutic success, curative resection, and clinical success, and safety.

RESULTS

Five patients (four with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type and one with polypoid type IPNB) were included. Low- and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) and recurrent IPNB with invasive carcinoma were observed in one, two, and two patients, respectively. Repeated cholangitis and/or obstructive jaundice were presented in all four patients with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type IPNB. All five patients achieved technical success of PTCS-BP. Four patients (three with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type and one with polypoid type IPNB) obtained therapeutic success; one with mucin-hypersecreting cast-like type tumors in the intrahepatic small bile duct and HGIN had residual tumors. All four patients with mucin-hypersecreting IPNB achieved clinical success. The patient with polypoid type IPNB achieved curative resection. There were no PTCS-BP-related serious adverse events.

CONCLUSION

PTCS-BP appears to be feasible, efficacious, and safe for local palliative treatment of both mucin-hypersecreting cast-like and polypoid type IPNB.

Surgically treating a rare and asymptomatic intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct: A case report

BACKGROUND

Intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct (IPNBs) are rare and characterized by papillary growth within the bile duct lumen. IPNB is similar to obstructive biliary pathology. In this report, we present an unexpected case of asymptomatic IPNB and consolidate our findings with the relevant literature to augment our understanding of this condition. Integrating relevant literature contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the disease.

CASE SUMMARY

A 66-year-old Chinese male patient was admitted to our hospital for surgical intervention after gallstones were discovered during a routine physical examination. Preoperative imaging revealed a lesion on the left side of the liver, which raised the suspicion of IPNB. A laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy was performed, and subsequent histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of IPNB. At the 3-mo postoperative follow-up, the patient reported good recovery and no metastasis. IPNB can manifest both latently and asymptomatically. Radical surgical resection is the most effective treatment for IPNB.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic and biliary masses, should be considered to diagnose IPNB. Prompt surgery and vigilant follow-up are crucial in determining prognosis.

Intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile ducts-what can be seen with ultrasound?

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile ducts is a rare tumor. Characteristic features include bile duct dilatation, cystic lesions with communication to the bile ducts, and intraluminal solid nodules arising from the bile duct wall. As in pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia, intestinal, pancreaticobiliary, gastric, and oncocytic types are described. Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile ducts has a high potential for malignancy, and patients should be surgically resected when possible. In this review, the complex imaging diagnosis is presented. The main focus is on contrast-enhanced ultrasound, an established method for many other indications whose potential on the biliary system should be better exploited. In the present article, typical contrast-enhanced ultrasound findings in intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile ducts are demonstrated.

Magnetic resonance imaging features of bile duct adenoma

Objectives

To evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of bile duct adenoma.

Methods

The data of 28 patients [with 32 pathologically confirmed bile duct adenomas, including 15 with malignant change (malignant group) and 17 without malignant change (benign adenoma group)] were retrospectively reviewed. Abdominal MRI was performed for all patients; in addition, dynamic enhanced MRI was performed for 18 lesions. The MRI features, including lesion location, maximum size, morphology, signal characteristics, enhancement type, and appearance of the bile duct, were assessed by two abdominal radiologists. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured and compared.

Results

Of the 32 bile duct adenomas, 22 (68.75%) involved the common bile duct (CBD). While 14/32 (43.75%) lesions presented as focal eccentric-type masses, 9/32 (28.13%) presented as plaque-like masses, 4/32 (12.50%) as bile duct casting masses, and 5/32 (15.62%) as infiltrative masses. A frond-like superficial appearance was seen in 8/32 (25%) lesions. Infiltrative masses were significantly more common in the malignant group than in the benign adenoma group (P = 0.015). While 23/32 (71.88%) lesions were isointense on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), 24/32 (75%) were hyperintense on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). Bile duct dilatation was present upstream of the lesion in all cases. Bile duct dilatation at the lesion was seen in 24/32 (75%) cases and downstream of the lesion in 6/32 (18.75%) cases. Of the 18 lesions that underwent dynamic enhanced MRI, 14 (77.78%) showed moderate enhancement and 13 (72.22%) showed persistent enhancement. On diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), 27/32 (84.37%) lesions showed hyperintensity. Mean ADC value was comparable between the malignant group and the benign adenoma group (P = 0.156).

Conclusions

Bile duct adenoma primarily presents as intraductal growth in the CBD, usually with bile duct dilatation at the lesion site or upstream to it. Most lesions are isointense on T1WI, are hyperintense on T2WI and DWI, and show moderate enhancement. A superficial frond-like appearance of the lesion and bile duct dilatation at the lesion or downstream to it might be characteristics of bile duct adenoma. An infiltrative appearance might indicate malignant transformation.

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct: review of updated clinicopathological and imaging characteristics

BACKGROUND

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a relatively rare disease and is known as one of the premalignant lesions in the biliary tract. The concept of IPNB has changed through numerous studies and is still evolving. As a lesser studied clinical entity compared with its pancreatic counterpart, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, IPNB has been described in many similar terms, including biliary papillomatosis, biliary intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm, and papillary cholangiocarcinoma. This is based on the diversity of histopathological spectrum of IPNB.

METHODS

This review investigated previous studies including original articles, case studies, and expert opinions. Recently, two types of IPNB (types 1 and 2) have been proposed and validated based on the content first established in the WHO 2010 criteria.

RESULTS

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, summarizing the clinical, radiological, morphological, and pathological characteristics of IPNB.

CONCLUSION

Given the ongoing ambiguity and controversies surrounding IPNB, future research, including large population-based studies and molecular investigations, is essential to enhance understanding of this disease.

Comparison of the Malignant Predictors in Intrahepatic and Extrahepatic Intraductal Papillary Neoplasm of the Bile Duct

Background: Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a precancerous lesion of cholangiocarcinoma, for which surgical resection is the most effective treatment. We evaluated the predictors of malignancy in IPNB according to anatomical location and the prognosis without surgery. Methods: A total of 196 IPNB patients who underwent pathologic confirmation by surgical resection or endoscopic retrograde cholangiography or percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopic biopsy were included. Clinicopathological findings of IPNB with invasive carcinoma or mucosal dysplasia were analyzed according to anatomical location. Results: Of the 116 patients with intrahepatic IPNB (I-IPNB) and 80 patients with extrahepatic IPNB (E-IPNB), 62 (53.4%) and 61 (76.3%) were diagnosed with invasive carcinoma, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that mural nodule > 12 mm (p = 0.043) in I-IPNB and enhancement of mural nodule (p = 0.044) in E-IPNB were predictive factors for malignancy. For pathologic discrepancy before and after surgery, IPNB has a 71.2% sensitivity and 82.3% specificity. In the non-surgical IPNB group, composed of nine I-IPNB and seven E-IPNB patients, 43.7% progressed to IPNB with invasive carcinoma within 876 days. Conclusions: E-IPNB has a higher rate of malignancy than I-IPNB. The predictive factor for malignancy is mural nodule > 12 mm in I-IPNB and mural nodule enhancement in E-IPNB.

Recurrent intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct due to intraductal dissemination: a case report and literature review

Background

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a subtype of biliary tumor. The 5-year survival rate of patients with IPNB who underwent curative resection is 81%. However, IPNB is known to often recur in other parts of the bile duct. Nevertheless, its mechanism remains poorly understood. Herein, we report the case of a patient with recurrent IPNB, which was considered to be attributed to intraductal dissemination in the common bile duct at 12 months after curative resection. We also made a review of the existing literature.

Case presentation

A 69-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the evaluation and dilation of an intrahepatic bile duct (IHBD) mass. Computed tomography (CT) findings confirmed a mass in the left hepatic duct. Left trisectionectomy, extrahepatic bile duct resection with biliary reconstruction, and regional lymph node dissection were performed. Intraoperative examination of the resection margin at the common bile duct and posterior segmental branch of the hepatic duct was negative for the presence of malignant cells. Histologically, the tumor showed intraductal papillary growth of the mucinous epithelium and was diagnosed as non-invasive IPNB. It had a papillary structure with atypical epithelial cells lined up along the neoplastic fibrovascular stalks. Immunohistochemically, this was as a gastric-type lesion. At 12 postoperative months, CT revealed a 1.5-cm mass in the lower remnant common bile duct. We performed subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. The tumor exhibited papillary growth and was microscopically and immunohistochemically similar to the first tumor. At approximately 16 months after the patient’s second discharge, CT showed an abdominal mass at the superior mesenteric plexus, which was diagnosed as recurrent IPNB. Chemotherapy is ongoing, and the patient is still alive. In this case, as described in many previous reports, IPNB recurred below the primary lesion in the bile duct.

Conclusion

Based on our review of previous reports on IPNB recurrence, intraductal dissemination was considered one of the mechanisms underlying recurrence after multicentric development. Considering the high frequency and oncological conversion of recurrence in IPNB, regular follow-up examination is essential to achieve better prognosis in patients with recurrent IPNB.

Successful cholangioscopic electrocoagulation for biliary papillomatosis: Report covering six cases (with video)

BACKGROUND

Biliary papillomatosis is a rare type of papillomatosis. Depending on the location of the disease, radical surgical resection or liver transplants are the treatment of choice. These radical surgical options may be unrealistic in patients who are not surgical candidates or who are unwilling to consider surgery.

AIMS

To evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic electrocoagulation for the biliary papillomatosis.

METHODS

In this case series, we report six patients with unresectable biliary papillomatosis who underwent cholangioscopic electrocoagulation using needle knife and their clinic follow up information.

RESULTS

After patients received cholangioscopy with electrocoagulation of the residual biliary papilloma, the daily T-tube drainage volume increased to 200-400ml with improvement in the drainage content and significant relief of clinical symptoms, such as jaundice and abdominal pain.

CONCLUSION

This method of using electrocoagulation to directly target and destroy tumor tissue is a safe and effective alternative for those with unresectable disease, and this method has shown to enhance T-tube drainage volume and improve patients' overall clinical symptoms.

Living donor liver transplantation for diffuse biliary papillomatosis with malignant change: A case report with 10-year follow-up

Biliary papillomatosis is a rare disease of the biliary tract. In this study, we present a case of a male patient with biliary papillomatosis with malignant change who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The 49-year-old man was admitted due to intrahepatic ductal mass, which was finally diagnosed as biliary papillomatosis. It was initially treated by photodynamic therapy, but LDLT was planned due to low efficacy of photodynamic therapy. LDLT was performed with a right liver graft from his son. The pathology report revealed intraductal papillary neoplasm with associated invasive carcinoma. He recovered uneventfully. Although the distal bile duct resection margin was free of tumor, the risk of tumor recurrence at the remnant intrahepatic bile duct still remained. Therefore, staged pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was planned. However, after 3 months, he was readmitted due to retropancreatic abscess. It took 6 months to control the intractable retropancreatic abscess. Due to late development of retropancreatic abscess and its slow recovery, staged pancreatoduodenectomy was no longer considered. The patient recovered complete at 1 year posttransplant without any evidence of disease recurrence. After 5 years posttransplant, lung metastasis developed and pulmonary metastasectomy was performed three times. No further recurrence developed during the last 3 years to date, and the patient currently is alive, 10 years after the LDLT. Experience on our case and literature review suggest that patients with biliary papillomatosis with or without malignant transformation are selectively indicated for liver transplantation.

Mucin-producing intrahepatic biliary papillomatosis

PURPOSE

Mucin-producing intrahepatic biliary papillomatosis (MPIBP) is an uncommon tumor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical, radiological, and histopathological characteristics of MPIBP, and its prognosis.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted of 11 patients who underwent surgery for MPIBP. The clinical features and radiological, pathological, and operative findings were reviewed, and the survival rates were determined.

RESULTS

Repeated episodes of fever and epigastric pain with or without jaundice were the common clinical manifestations. Radiologically, all patients showed diffuse bile duct dilatation with cystic change in intrahepatic bile duct. All patients underwent a hepatic resection with or without an extrahepatic bile duct resection. No in-hospital mortality occurred. All patients survived without any signs of recurrence (median 12 +/- 7 months); three patients, including two patients who underwent a palliative resection, had an attack of cholangitis, which was effectively treated with antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS

A diagnosis of MPIBP is usually made in patients with biliary dilatation following a radiologic study. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography is more valuable than other modalities in diagnosis. Mucin-producing intrahepatic biliary papillomatosis is a premalignant disease with high malignant potential. The prognosis of MPIBP is excellent if an aggressive resection is performed. A combination of cholangioscopy and frozen sections during the operation is beneficial for a radical successful surgical resection.

Successful endoscopic procedures for intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct: A case report

Attention has recently been focused on biliary papillary tumors as the novel disease entity intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB), which consists of papillary proliferation of dysplastic biliary epithelium. As even benign papillary tumors are considered as premalignant, some investigators recommend aggressive surgical therapy for IPNB, although no guidelines are available to manage this disease. Few reports have described long-term follow-up of patients with benign IPNB without radical resection. If patients with IPNB who are treated only with endoscopic procedures are noted, clinical profiles and alternative therapies other than resection may be recommended. We report the case of a patient who experienced repetitive cholangitis for 10 years and was finally diagnosed with IPNB. Radical resection could not be recommended because of the age of the patient, therefore, endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed. Although an endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage catheter was placed several times for repetitive cholangitis, the patient has done well during follow-up. Our case may offer insights into the natural course and management decisions for the novel disease entity of IPNB.