Application of laparoscopic surgery in gallbladder carcinoma.

Gallbladder carcinoma (GC) is a rare type of cancer of the digestive system, with an incidence that varies by region. Surgery plays a primary role in the comprehensive treatment of GC and is the only known cure. Compared with traditional open surgery, laparoscopic surgery has the advantages of convenient operation and magnified field of view. Laparoscopic surgery has been successful in many fields, including gastrointestinal medicine and gynecology. The gallbladder was one of the first organs to be treated by laparoscopic surgery, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the gold standard surgical treatment for benign gallbladder diseases. However, the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for patients with GC remain controversial. Over the past several decades, research has focused on laparoscopic surgery for GC. The disadvantages of laparoscopic surgery include a high incidence of gallbladder perforation, possible port site metastasis, and potential tumor seeding. The advantages of laparoscopic surgery include less intraoperative blood loss, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and fewer complications. Nevertheless, studies have provided contrasting conclusions over time. In general, recent research has tended to support laparoscopic surgery. However, the application of laparoscopic surgery in GC is still in the exploratory stage. Here, we provide an overview of previous studies, with the aim of introducing the application of laparoscopy in GC.

Current status and progress in laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder carcinoma.

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common biliary tract malignancy associated with a concealed onset, high invasiveness and poor prognosis. Radical surgery remains the only curative treatment for GBC, and the optimal extent of surgery depends on the tumor stage. Radical resection can be achieved by simple cholecystectomy for Tis and T1a GBC. However, whether simple cholecystectomy or extended cholecystectomy, including regional lymph node dissection and hepatectomy, is the standard surgical extent for T1b GBC remains controversial. Extended cholecystectomy should be performed for T2 and some T3 GBC without distant metastasis. Secondary radical surgery is essential for incidental gall-bladder cancer diagnosed after cholecystectomy. For locally advanced GBC, hepatopancreatoduodenectomy may achieve R0 resection and improve long-term survival outcomes, but the extremely high risk of the surgery limits its implementation. Laparoscopic surgery has been widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies. GBC was once regarded as a contraindication of laparoscopic surgery. However, with improvements in surgical instruments and skills, studies have shown that laparoscopic surgery will not result in a poorer prognosis for selected patients with GBC compared with open surgery. Moreover, laparoscopic surgery is associated with enhanced recovery after surgery since it is minimally invasive.

Risk factors for preoperative carcinogenesis of bile duct cysts in adults.

BACKGROUND: Bile duct cyst (BDC) is a rare congenital bile duct malformation. The incidence of bile duct malignancy in BDC patients is markedly higher than that in the general population. However, few studies have been conducted on the risk factors for preoperative carcinogenesis in BDC patients. AIM: To analyze the risk factors associated with preoperative carcinogenesis in BDC patients. METHODS: The medical records of BDC patients treated at our hospital between January 2012 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. We constructed a database and compared the characteristics of BDC patients with dysplasia and carcinoma against those with benign cysts. The risk factors for preoperative carcinogenesis were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 109 BDC patients. Ten patients had preoperative dysplasia or adenocarcinoma. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that gallbladder wall thickness > 0.3 cm [odds ratio (OR), 6.551; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.351 to 31.763; P = 0.020] and Todani type IV (OR, 7.675; 95%CI, 1.584 to 37.192; P = 0.011) were independent factors associated with preoperative carcinogenesis. CONCLUSION: BDC is a premalignant condition. Our findings show that gallbladder wall thickness > 0.3 cm and Todani type IV are independent risk factors for preoperative carcinogenesis of BDC. They are therefore useful for deciding on the appropriate treatment strategy, especially in asymptomatic patients.

Late traumatic diaphragmatic rupture complicated by haemothorax and strangulation of the stomach: A case report.

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) is an uncommon but life-threatening condition often caused by blunt or penetrating trauma. Symptoms may appear late resulting in delayed or missed diagnosis. We report here a case of a 28-year-old man who presented with left subcostal pain and vomiting after recently binge drinking alcohol. He had experienced bilateral rib fractures two years previously. Computed tomography (CT) showed massive left pleural effusion and pleural fluid drained by thoracentesis had a bloody appearance. The patient developed septic shock but emergency surgery showed no active bleeding. Enhanced-CT showed herniated stomach with ischemic necrosis in the left thoracic cavity. Total gastrectomy and diaphragmatic repair were successful and the patient had an uneventful recovery. A high index of suspicion is necessary when evaluating haemothorax, especially in patients with recent or previous thoraco-abdominal injury.

Predictive factors for central lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) measures 1 cm or less in its longest dimension. The incidence of PTMC is increasing worldwide. Surgery is the primary treatment; however, prophylactic central lymph node dissection is controversial, and discrepancies between different guidelines have been noted. Routine prophylactic central lymph node dissection may result in hypoparathyroidism and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in some patients without lymph node metastasis, while simple thyroidectomy may leave metastatic lymph nodes in high-risk patients. To selectively perform prophylactic lymph node dissections in high-risk patients, it is important to identify predictive factors for lymph node metastases in patients with PTMC. Several studies have reported on this, but their conclusions are not entirely consistent. Several clinicopathologic characteristics have been identified as risk factors for central lymph node metastases, and the most commonly reported factors include age, gender, tumor size and location, multifocality, bilaterality, extrathyroidal extension, and abnormal lymph node found using ultrasound. Here, we provide an overview of previous studies along with a favorable opinion on or against these factors, with the aim of increasing the understanding of this topic among the medical community. In addition, current opinions about prophylactic central lymph node dissection are reviewed and discussed.

Retrospective analysis of seven cases of pancreatic mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma from a high-volume center and review of the literature.

BACKGROUNDS: The clinicopathologic features and biological behaviors of pancreatic mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (pMANEC) and its impacts on survival are poorly known. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed seven pMANEC cases from a single institution from September 2010 to January 2017 along with twenty-one previously reported cases from the literature. Survival and prognostic analyses were conducted using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression, respectively. RESULTS: Seven pMANEC cases were identified during the study interval. Among the six patients who underwent operations, five reached R0 resections, one experienced postoperative pancreatic fistula, and two suffered other complications. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were 7.5 months (2 to 36 months) and 15 months (6 to 36 months), respectively. A total analysis of twenty-eight pMANEC cases showed that patients were mostly older (median age, 59.5 years) and male (64.3%). The two most common symptoms were abdominal pain (53.6%) and obstructive jaundice (35.7%). The majority of pMANECs were non-functional (89.3%) and located in the pancreatic head (64.3%). The median diameter of pMANEC was 3.0 cm, with a wide range (0.5 to 19.0 cm). Lymph node metastasis (P = 0.015) was associated with decreased DSS, while age (P = 0.414), sex (P = 0.125), tumor size (P = 0.392), location (P = 0.913), functional status (P = 0.313), CA19-9 level (P = 0.608), and liver metastasis (P = 0.935) did not show significant prognoses on DSS. CONCLUSIONS: We reported seven pMANEC cases and outlined their clinical behaviors and prognoses with a review of twenty-one cases from the literature. Lymph node metastasis was found to be a negative prognostic factor of DSS based on the present study.

[Diagnosis and Treatment of Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma].

Objective To evaluate the clinical feature,diagnosis,and treatment of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma(EHE).Methods Data of 30 EHE patients admitted from January 2001 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The auxiliary examinations,treatment method,pathological findings,and prognoses were analyzed.Results There were 10 male patients and 20 females aged(47.9±16.1)years. The lesions sized(5.8±2.8)cm. Seventeen cases(56.7%)were asymptomatic and 17(56.7%)had no positive sign. The most common locations of EHE were scalp and spine,followed by liver. Nineteen patients underwent surgical operation(surgery group)and 11 only accepted needle biopsy(biopsy group). EHE was pathologically confirmed in all cases. CD34 and CD31 showed the highest positive rates in immunohistochemical stains. Twenty-three cases were followed up by(74.1±56.8)months. Seventeen cases survived and 6 died. The 1-,3-,and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 95.7%,86.3%,and 73.6%,respectively. The metastasis(14.3% vs. 77.8%,P=0.007)and mortality(7.1% vs. 55.6%,P=0.018)rates were significantly lower in surgery group than in biopsy group.Conclusions EHE is a rare tumor without specific symptom or sign. It can occur in any system of the body. Diagnosis depends mainly on pathology. The prognosis is acceptable. Complete surgical resection reduces distant metastases and mortality.

The Diagnostic Value of Pyruvate Kinase Isoenzyme Type M2 for Biliary Tract Carcinoma. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Growing evidence has shown that M2-PK is involved in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The overall diagnostic accuracy of the pyruvate kinase isoenzyme type M2 (M2-PK) in biliary tract carcinoma (BTC) remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic value of M2-PK for BTC. METHODS: The online PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched for eligible studies published until August 8th, 2017. The Quality Assessment for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) was used to evaluate study quality. All statistical analyses were conducted with Stata 12.0. RESULTS: We included 7 studies from 5 articles with 410 patients with BTC and 438 controls. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and AUC for M2-PK in the diagnosis of BTC were 0.79 (95%CI 0.70-0.86), 0.81 (95%CI 0.71-0.88), 4.1 (95%CI 2.5-6.8), 0.26 (95%CI 0.16-0.41), 17.159 (95%CI 5.468-54.071), and 0.87 (95%CI 0.83-0.89), respectively. The same indicators assessed for CA19-9 were as follows: 0.70 (95%CI 0.62-0.77), 0.71 (95%CI 0.45-0.87), 2.38 (95%CI 1.2-4.73), 0.43 (95%CI 0.34-0.53), 6.28 (95%CI 2.4-16.44) and 0.73 (95%CI 0.69-0.77), respectively. Additionally, the diagnostic value of M2-PK varied based on characteristics of golden methods and different cut-off values. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that M2-PK had a better diagnostic accuracy for BTC compared with CA19-9, with moderate diagnostic performance. However, prospective studies are required to confirm its diagnostic value.

[Change in serum follistatin-like protein 1 and its clinical significance in children with chronic heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change in the serum level of follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) in children with chronic heart failure and its correlation with left ventricular remodeling. METHODS: A total of 45 children with chronic heart failure (CHF) between May 2014 and May 2015 were selected as the CHF group, among whom 21 had endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) and 24 had dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM); another 30 healthy children were selected as the control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to measure the serum level of FSTL1. Radioimmunoassay was applied to measure N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, and echocardiography was applied to measure the indicators of left ventricular remodeling. The correlation between the serum level of FSTL1 and left ventricular remodeling was analyzed by Pearson correlation and Spearman′s rank correlation analysis. RESULTS: Before treatment, the CHF group had a significantly higher serum level of FSTL1 than the control group (P<0.05), which gradually increased with aggravation of CHF (P<0.05). The serum level of FSTL1 showed no significant difference between the EFE and DCM groups (P=0.176). Serum level of FSTL1 was positively correlated with left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (r=0.485, P=0.001), left ventricular mass (r=0.322, P=0.031), left ventricular mass index (r=0.353, P=0.017), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (r=0.562 P<0.001), and was negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (r=-0.436, P=0.003) and left ventricular minor axis decurtation rate (r=-0.436, P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: FSTL1 might take part in the left ventricular remodeling in children with CHF, and the serum level of FSTL1 can be used as an objective index for clinical diagnosis and severity assessment of CHF in children.

Surgical procedure determination based on tumor-node-metastasis staging of gallbladder cancer.

AIM: To investigate the impact of surgical procedures on prognosis of gallbladder cancer patients classified with the latest tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed by reviewing 152 patients with primary gallbladder carcinoma treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2003 to June 2013. Postsurgical follow-up was performed by telephone and outpatient visits. Clinical records were reviewed and patients were grouped based on the new edition of TNM staging system (AJCC, seventh edition, 2010). Prognoses were analyzed and compared based on surgical operations including simple cholecystectomy, radical cholecystectomy (or extended radical cholecystectomy), and palliative surgery. Simple cholecystectomy is, by definition, resection of the gallbladder fossa. Radical cholecystectomy involves a wedge resection of the gallbladder fossa with 2 cm non-neoplastic liver tissue; resection of a suprapancreatic segment of the extrahepatic bile duct and extended portal lymph node dissection may also be considered based on the patient's circumstance. Palliative surgery refers to cholecystectomy with biliary drainage. Data analysis was performed with SPSS 19.0 software. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Logrank test were used for survival rate comparison. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Patients were grouped based on the new 7(th) edition of TNM staging system, including 8 cases of stage 0, 10 cases of stage I, 25 cases of stage II, 21 cases of stage IIIA, 21 cases of stage IIIB, 24 cases of stage IVA, 43 cases of stage IVB. Simple cholecystectomy was performed on 28 cases, radical cholecystectomy or expanded gallbladder radical resection on 57 cases, and palliative resection on 28 cases. Thirty-nine cases were not operated. Patients with stages 0 and I disease demonstrated no statistical significant difference in survival time between those receiving radical cholecystectomy and simple cholecystectomy (P = 0.826). The prognosis of stage II patients with radical cholecystectomy was better than that of simple cholecystectomy. For stage III patients, radical cholecystectomy was significantly superior to other surgical options (P < 0.05). For stage IVA patients, radical cholecystectomy was not better than palliative resection and non-surgical treatment. For stage IVB, patients who underwent palliative resection significantly outlived those with non-surgical treatment (P < 0.01) CONCLUSION: For stages 0 and I patients, simple cholecystectomy is the optimal surgical procedure, while radical cholecystectomy should be actively operated for stages II and III patients.

The risk of carcinogenesis in congenital choledochal cyst patients: an analysis of 214 cases.

BACKGROUND: Choledochal cysts are most common in Asian populations. In addition, the incidence of biliary tract malignancies from choledochal cysts is increasing, but the risk of carcinogenesis is still unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical data from 214 congenital choledochal cyst cases from 1968 to 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Todani type I was more common (139, 65.0%) than type IVa (53, 24.8%) or type V (17, 7.9%) in these choledochal cyst patients. Biliary tract malignant tumors occurred in the gallbladder (2, 13.3%), common bile duct (10, 66.7%), and intrahepatic bile duct (3, 20%) in 15 patients (7.0%), including one patient in whom malignant transformation occurred in the intrahepatic bile duct in a type IVa patient 15 years after extrahepatic cyst resection. An age at symptom onset ≥ 60 years was a risk factor (p < 0.001), while an initial complete surgery was a protective factor for carcinogenesis (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Choledochal cysts should be removed once diagnosed because of an increased risk of malignant transformation with increasing age. Complete cyst removal is necessary for the first surgical treatment. Additional hepatectomy should be considered for type IVa choledochal cysts because cholangiocarcinoma can arise from the intrahepatic bile duct years after the extrahepatic cyst excision.

Active gastrointestinal diverticulum bleeding diagnosed by computed tomography angiography.

A diverticulum is a bulging sack in any portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Small intestine diverticular disease is much less common than colonic diverticular disease. The most common symptoms include non-specific epigastric pain and a bloating sensation. Major complications include diverticulitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, acute perforation, intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, localized abscess, malabsorption, anemia, volvulus and bacterial overgrowth. We report one case of massive jejunal diverticula bleeding and one case of massive colonic diverticula bleeding, both diagnosed by acute abdominal computed tomography angiography and treated successfully by surgery.

Extrathyroidal implantation of thyroid hyperplastic/neoplastic cells after endoscopic thyroid surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of the implantation of thyroid hyperplastic or neoplastic tissue after endoscopic thyroidectomy and discuss this complication in aspects of prevalence, pathogenesis, protection, and therapies. METHODS: A systematic search of literature from the PubMed database was conducted for identifying eligible studies on implantation of thyroid hyperplastic or neoplastic cells after endoscopic thyroid surgery. RESULTS: Overall, 5 reported cases on patients suffering from endoscopic thyroid surgery with implantation of thyroid hyperplastic or neoplastic cells were included in the systematic review. CONCLUSIONS: Unskilled surgeons, rough intraoperative surgical treatment, scarification or rupture of tumor, contamination of instruments, chimney effect, aerosolization of tumor cells may be associated with the implantation after endoscopic thyroidectomy. To minimize the risk of such complication, we should be more meticulous and strict the endoscopic surgery indications.

Choledochoduodenal fistula caused by migration of endoclip after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The wide use of surgical endoclips in laparoscopic surgery has led to a variety of complications. Post-cholecystectomy endoclips migrating into the common bile duct after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is rare. A migrated endoclip can cause obstruction, serve as a nidus for stone formation, and cause cholangitis. While the exact pathogenesis is still unknown, it is probably related to improper clip application, subclinical bile leak, inflammation, and subsequent necrosis, allowing the clips to erode directly into the common bile duct. We present a case of endoclip migrating into the common bile duct and duodenum, resulting in choledochoduodenal fistula after laparoscopic cholecystectomy and a successful reconstruction of the biliary tract by a hepaticojejunostomy with a Roux-en-Y procedure. This case shows that surgical endoclips can penetrate into the intact bile duct wall through serial maceration, and it is believed that careful application of clips may be the only way to prevent their migration after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Ileo-ileal intussusception caused by diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the ileum.

The occurrence of adult intussusception from small intestinal lymphoma is quite rare. We present an 82-year-old man with a two-month history of intermittent abdominal pain, nausea and fatigue. Clinical symptoms included moderate abdominal tenderness in the right lower abdomen. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed a mass in the terminal ileum with the sign of "bowel within bowel" which was suspicious of ileo-ileum intussusception. The patient underwent laparoscopic segmental ileal resection. Pathologic evaluation revealed a diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the ileum. The postoperative course was uneventful.

Ileal duplication mimicking intestinal intussusception: a congenital condition rarely reported in adult.

Intestinal duplication is an uncommon congenital condition in young adults. A 25-year-old man complained of chronic, intermittent abdominal pain for 3 years following previous appendectomy for the treatment of suspected appendicitis. Abdominal discomfort and pain, suggestive of intestinal obstruction, recurred after operation. A tubular mass was palpable in the right lower quadrant. Computed tomography enterography scan identified suspicious intestinal intussusception, while Tc-99m pertechnetate scintigraphy revealed a cluster of strip-like abnormal radioactivity in the right lower quadrant. On exploratory laparotomy, a tubular-shaped ileal duplication cyst was found arising from the mesenteric margin of the native ileal segment located 15 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. Ileectomy was performed along with the removal of the duplication disease, and the end-to-end anastomosis was done to restore the gastrointestinal tract continuity. Pathological examination showed ileal duplication with ectopic gastric mucosa. The patient experienced an eventless postoperative recovery and remained asymptomatic within 2 years of postoperative follow-up.

Mirizzi syndrome: our experience with 27 cases in PUMC Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of Mirizzi syndrome (MS). METHODS: Patients who received elective or emergency cholecystectomies in our center during 23 years were retrospectively evaluated. The data reviewed included demography, clinical presentations, diagnostic methods, surgical procedures, postoperative complications, and follow-up. RESULTS: There were 27 patients diagnosed with MS among 8697 cholecystectomies performed during that period. The preoperative diagnostic modalities included ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. The incidence of MS Type I (12/27, 44.4%) had the dominance in the four types, the incidence of MS Type II and III were 33.3% (9/27) and 22.2% (6/27), and there were no MS Type IV patients. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 15 (55.6%) patients, but only 3 (11.1%) patients with MS Type I had a successful surgery, and the other 12 were converted to open cholecystectomy. The remaining 12 patients directly underwent open cholecystectomy. The surgical procedures except laparoscopic cholecystectomy included simply open cholecystectomy (including laparoscopic cholecystectomy converted to open cholecystectomy) (6/27, 22.2%), open cholecystectomy, T-tube placement with choledochotomy (9/27, 33.3%), open cholecystectomy, closure of the fistula with gallbladder cuff, T-tube placement (3/27, 11.1%), and open cholecystectomy with excision of the external bile ducts, and Roux-en-Y hepatico-jejunostomy (6/27, 22.2%). Of them, 88.9% (24/27) patients recovered uneventfully and were discharged in good condition without any operation related mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a good method with diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Total or partial cholecystectomy is generally adequate for MS Type I. For MS Type II-IV, paritial cholecystectomy, choledochoplasty, or if impossible, Roux-en-Y hepatico-jejunostomy may be performed. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be successful in selected preoperatively diagnosed MS Type I patients, and open cholecystectomy is the standard therapeutic method.

Unsuspected gallbladder cancer during or after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the clinical features and outcomes of unsupected gallbladder carcinoma ( UGC) detected during or after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Medical records of 8005 patients, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between June 1993 and June 2011, were reviewed. Patients that pathologically diagnosed as UGC were retrospectively studied in terms of clinical features, preoperative and postoperative diagnosis, surviving period, and complications. RESULTS: In the 8005 patients who received laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 36 (0.45%) were diagnosed as UGC during (25 patients) or after (11 patients) laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The gallbladder cancer was staged as T1 in 16 patients, T2 in 11 patients, and T3 in 9 patients. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of all the patients were 88.9% (32/36), 63.9% (23/36), and 58.3% (21/36). The 5-year survival rates in T1 stage, T2 stage, and T3 stage patients were 100%, 75.0%, and 0.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate of UGC is associated with tumor stage, not with operation approaches. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is appropriate for T1 patients.

A long adult intussusception secondary to transverse colon cancer.

The occurrence of adult intussusception arising from colorectal cancer is quite rare. We present the case of a 76-year-old man with sudden abdominal pain and vomiting. Clinical symptoms included severe abdominal distension and tenderness. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed left-sided colocolic intussusception with a lead point. The patient underwent a left hemicolectomy with right transverse colostomy. Pathologic evaluation revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma invading the muscularis propria; the regional lymph nodes were negative for cancer cells. The postoperative course was uneventful.

[Study of cryopreservation of differentiated hepatocyte derived from human bone marrow stem cells].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the viability and function of human bone marrow stem cell-derived hepatocytes following cryopreservation in vitro. METHODS: Human bone marrow cells were induced to differentiate into hepatocytes in the presence of multiple factors. Mature hepatocytes were cryopreserved in 90% FBS and 10% DMSO (Group A), 10% FBS, 30% glycerol and 60% conditioned medium (Group B), and 10% FBS, 10% DMSO, and 80% UW solution (Group C). The cells were thawed after 4 weeks, and the cell viability and the albumin level were determined. RESULTS: The human bone marrow derived hepatocytes maintained functional morphology after thawing. The viabilities in Group A, B and C were (60.0 +/- 3.3)%, (91.0 +/- 2.6)%, and (89.0 +/- 1.4)%, respectively. After culturing for 24 h, the albumin levels in Group A, B and C were (0.210 +/- 0.005) g/L, (0.340 +/- 0.020) g/L and (0.330 +/- 0.030) g/L, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Human bone marrow stem cell-derived hepatocytes can maintain the viability and function after cryopreservation. These cells may contribute to an important source of hepatocytes for clinical hepatocyte transplantation and artificial liver support system.