Definitions, pathophysiology, and epidemiology of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis: Tokyo Guidelines

This article discusses the definitions, pathophysiology, and epidemiology of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis. Acute cholangitis and cholecystitis mostly originate from stones in the bile ducts and gallbladder. Acute cholecystitis also has other causes, such as ischemia; chemicals that enter biliary secretions; motility disorders associated with drugs; infections with microorganisms, protozoa, and parasites; collagen disease; and allergic reactions. Acute acalculous cholecystitis is associated with a recent operation, trauma, burns, multisystem organ failure, and parenteral nutrition. Factors associated with the onset of cholelithiasis include obesity, age, and drugs such as oral contraceptives. The reported mortality of less than 10% for acute cholecystitis gives an impression that it is not a fatal disease, except for the elderly and/or patients with acalculous disease. However, there are reports of high mortality for cholangitis, although the mortality differs greatly depending on the year of the report and the severity of the disease. Even reports published in and after the 1980s indicate high mortality, ranging from 10% to 30% in the patients, with multiorgan failure as a major cause of death. Because many of the reports on acute cholecystitis and cholangitis use different standards, comparisons are difficult. Variations in treatment and risk factors influencing the mortality rates indicate the necessity for standardized diagnostic, treatment, and severity assessment criteria

JPN Guidelines for the management of acute pancreatitis: epidemiology, etiology, natural history, and outcome predictors in acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is a common disease with an annual incidence of between 5 and 80 people per 100 000 of the population. The two major etiological factors responsible for acute pancreatitis are alcohol and cholelithiasis (gallstones). The proportion of patients with pancreatitis caused by alcohol or gallstones varies markedly in different countries and regions. The incidence of acute alcoholic pancreatitis is considered to be associated with high alcohol consumption. Although the incidence of alcoholic pancreatitis is much higher in men than in women, there is no difference in sexes in the risk involved after adjusting for alcohol intake. Other risk factors include endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, surgery, therapeutic drugs, HIV infection, hyperlipidemia, and biliary tract anomalies. Idiopathic acute pancreatitis is defined as acute pancreatitis in which the etiological factor cannot be specified. However, several studies have suggested that this entity includes cases caused by other specific disorders such as microlithiasis. Acute pancreatitis is a potentially fatal disease with an overall mortality of 2.1%–7.8%. The outcome of acute pancreatitis is determined by two factors that reflect the severity of the illness: organ failure and pancreatic necrosis. About half of the deaths in patients with acute pancreatitis occur within the first 1–2 weeks and are mainly attributable to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Depending on patient selection, necrotizing pancreatitis develops in approximately 10%–20% of patients and the mortality is high, ranging from 14% to 25% of these patients. Infected pancreatic necrosis develops in 30%–40% of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis and the incidence of MODS in such patients is high. The recurrence rate of acute pancreatitis is relatively high: almost half the patients with acute alcoholic pancreatitis experience a recurrence. When the gallstones are not treated, the risk of recurrence in gallstone pancreatitis ranges from 32% to 61%. After recovering from acute pancreatitis, about one-third to one-half of acute pancreatitis patients develop functional disorders, such as diabetes mellitus and fatty stool; the incidence of chronic pancreatitis after acute pancreatitis ranges from 3% to 13%. Nevertheless, many reports have shown that most patients who recover from acute pancreatitis regain good general health and return to their usual daily routine. Some authors have emphasized that endocrine function disorders are a common complication after severe acute pancreatitis has been treated by pancreatic resection

Bile duct cysts in adults - A multi-institutional retrospective study

Objective To review the features of adult patients undergoing surgery for bile duct cysts, focusing on the anatomy of the biliary tree as well as the long-term outcome. Summary Background Data Bile duct cysts (BDCs) are uncommon in Western countries and the majority of reported cases originate from Asia. Japanese authors have emphasized the frequent association of extra- and intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, but grading of patients based on Todani's classification is often hindered by the absence of an accurate definition of types IC and IVA cysts. Moreover, despite the increasing use of extrahepatic cyst excision, little is known about the long-term outcome in patients with intrahepatic bile duct involvement. Methods Forty-two adult patients with BDC were treated between 1980 and 1992 in 17 institutions of the French Associations for Surgical Research. Clinical presentation, radiologic presurgical evaluation, and surgical evaluation, and surgical procedures were analyzed. The long-term postsurgical outcome was derived from patient charts, attending physicians, or direct patient contact. Results Twelve patients (30%) had recurrent abdominal pain or jaundice from childhood. Seven (17%) had undergone prior cystenterostomy. Twenty-one (50%) had a Todani-type IVA cyst with extra- and intrahepatic bile duct involvement. Of these, nine had segmental, exclusively left-sided intrahepatic bile duct dilatation. Biliary carcinoma was encountered in five patients with type I or IV cysts. The overall operative mortality rate was 2.4%. Long-term results were clearly correlated with cyst type: during a mean follow-up of 8.4 years, 11 of 12 patients (92%) treated by cyst excision for type I cyst remained free of symptoms, whereas 31% of patients who underwent surgery for type IV cyst had episodic or severe cholangitis with intrahepatic stones. Conclusions In patients with BDC, particular attention must be given to the associated intrahepatic bile duct dilatations. We propose a modification of Todani's classification to distinguish cystic, segmental, and fusiform dilatations of the intrahepatic biliary tree in type IV cysts. In patients with segmental left intrahepatic cystic dilatations, combined left liver lobectomy and extrahepatic cyst excision is suggested to decrease late postsurgical biliary complications

Laparoscopically Assisted Extrahepatic Cyst Excision and Left Hemihepatectomy for a Type IV-A Choledochal Cyst

Some studies have reported on laparoscopic excision for treating the choledochal cyst, yet there are no reports on laparoscopic surgery for treating type IV-A choledochal cysts that require a liver resection. In this paper, we report on a case of laparoscopic cyst excision combined with left hemihepatectomy and laparoscopy-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy for treating a type IV-A choledochal cyst. A 51-year-old female was admitted with symptoms of jaundice and cholangitis. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) was done preoperatively for controlling the cholangitis. The imaging studies revealed a type IV-A choledochal cyst with an associated stricture of the left main intrahepatic duct. After the resolution of the cholangitis, total laparoscopic cyst excision and left hemihepatectomy were performed by using the four-port technique, and then a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy was done by a laparoscopy-assisted method. The total operation time was 420 minutes. The estimated blood loss was 300 mL, and no perioperative transfusion was needed. The tubogram, which was performed through the PTBD on postoperative day 5, showed good patency of the bilioenteric anastomosis and no biliary leakage. The patient was discharged at postoperative day 7 without any complications. This case shows the feasibility of performing laparoscopic surgery for treating a type IV-A choledochal cyst that requires a liver resection. We believe that laparoscopic cyst excision with a liver resection can be one of the treatment options for selected patients with type IV-A choledochal cysts