Optimizing biliary outcomes in living donor liver transplantation: Evolution towards standardization in a high-volume center.

Biliary complications have always been a dreaded cause of morbidity after living donor liver transplantation. While intrinsic variations in both graft and recipient biliary anatomy remain a significant factor to the difficulty of biliary reconstruction, our institution has taken advantage of its high volume of cases to critically review and evaluate modifiable operative risk factors, in particular, our surgical protocols. We present herein, the evolution of our reconstructive biliary technique from conventional methods to our current standard of microsurgical biliary reconstruction for both graft and recipient ducts. Over this period of transition, our center has created a classification system for biliary reconstruction that decreased the biliary complication rates from 40.0% to 10.2%.

International consensus statements for endoscopic management of distal biliary stricture.

Distal biliary strictures (DBS) are common and may be caused by both malignant and benign pathologies. While endoscopic procedures play a major role in their management, a comprehensive review of the subject is still lacking. Our consensus statements were formulated by a group of expert Asian pancreatico-biliary interventional endoscopists, following a proposal from the Digestive Endoscopy Society of Taiwan, the Thai Association for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and the Tokyo Conference of Asian Pancreato-biliary Interventional Endoscopy. Based on a literature review utilizing Medline, Cochrane library, and Embase databases, a total of 19 consensus statements on DBS were made on diagnosis, endoscopic drainage, benign biliary stricture, malignant biliary stricture, and management of recurrent biliary obstruction and other complications. Our consensus statements provide comprehensive guidance for the endoscopic management of DBS.

Proposed standards for reporting outcomes of treating biliary injuries.

BACKGROUND: There is no standard nor widely accepted way of reporting outcomes of treatment of biliary injuries. This hinders comparison of results among approaches and among centers. This paper presents a proposal to standardize terminology and reporting of results of treating biliary injuries. METHODS: The proposal was developed by an international group of surgeons, biliary endoscopists and interventional radiologists. The method is based on the concept of "patency" and is similar to the approach used to create reporting standards for arteriovenous hemodialysis access. RESULTS: The group considered definitions and gradings under the following headings: Definition of Patency, Definition of Index Treatment Periods, Grading of Severity of Biliary Injury, Grading of Patency, Metrics, Comparison of Surgical to Non Surgical Treatments and Presentation of Case Series. CONCLUSIONS: A standard procedure for reporting outcomes of treating biliary injuries has been produced. It is applicable to presenting results of treatment by surgery, endoscopy, and interventional radiology.

Coding in surgery: impact of a specialized coding proforma in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery.

BACKGROUND: Coding inaccuracies in surgery misrepresent the productivity of hospitals and outcome data of surgeons. The aim of this study was to audit the extent of coding inaccuracies in hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery and assess the financial impact of introducing a coding proforma. METHODS: Coding of patients who underwent elective HPB surgery over a 3-month period was audited. Codes were based on International Classification of Diseases 10 and Office of Population and Census Surveys-4 codes. A coding proforma was introduced and assessed. New human resource group codes were re-assigned and new tariffs calculated. A cost analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Prior to the introduction of the coding proforma, 42.0% of patients had the incorrect diagnosis and 48.5% had missing co-morbidities. In addition, 14.5% of primary procedures were incorrect and 37.6% had additional procedures that were not coded for at all. Following the introduction of the coding proforma, there was a 27.5% improvement in the accuracy of primary diagnosis (P < 0.001) and 21% improvement in co-morbidities (P = 0.002). There was a 7.2% improvement in the accuracy of coding primary procedures (P = not significant) and a 21% improvement in the accuracy of coding of additional procedures (P < 0.001). Financial loss as a result of coding inaccuracy over our 3-month study period was £56 073 with an estimated annual loss of £228 292. CONCLUSION: Coding in HPB surgery is prone to coding inaccuracies due to the complex nature of HPB surgery and the patient case-mix. A specialized coding proforma completed 'in theatre' significantly improves the accuracy of coding and prevents loss of income.

Updated clinical practice guidelines for the management of biliary tract cancers: revision concepts and major revised points.

BACKGROUND: In 2008, the Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery (JSHBPS) launched the clinical practice guideline for the management of biliary tract cancers. JSHBPS decided to revise these guidelines for distribution of updated points concerning the treatment of biliary tract cancers. METHODS: To make clearer recommendations, we introduced the concepts of Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, in which the strength of recommendations are decided considering not only quality of evidence, but also balance of benefits and harms/burdens, patients' preferences, and cost benefits. RESULTS: We emphasize the importance of the dynamic contrast enhanced multiple row detector CT (MDCT) in the diagnosis of biliary tract and gallbladder carcinomas. For biliary drainage, we suggest to perform endoscopic approaches instead of percutaneous approach to avoid complications. Regarding the surgical treatments, we included new clinical questions about the importance of combined vascular resection, intraoperative histological examination of the bile duct resection margin, and the combined extrahepatic bile duct resection for the gallbladder carcinoma. We also discussed details about premalignant lesions and non-neoplastic lesions in pathology section. CONCLUSION: With this major revision, we expect that the Japanese standards of treatments of these diseases are recorded and reported in the universal language.

Wound classification reporting in HPB surgery: can a single word change public perception of institutional performance?

INTRODUCTION: The drive to improve outcomes and the inevitability of mandated public reporting necessitate uniform documentation and accurate databases. The reporting of wound classification in patients undergoing hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) surgery and the impact of inconsistencies on quality metrics were investigated. METHODS: The 2005-2011 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) participant use file was interrogated to identify patients undergoing HPB resections. The effect of wound classification on post-operative surgical site infection (SSI) rates was determined through logistic regression. The impact of variations in wound classification reporting on perceived outcomes was modelled by simulating observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios for SSI. RESULTS: In total, 27,376 patients were identified with significant heterogeneity in wound classification. In spite of clear guidelines prompting at least 'clean-contaminated' designation for HPB resections, 8% of all cases were coded as 'clean'. Contaminated [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.39, P = 0.001] and dirty (AOR: 1.42, P = 0.02] cases were associated with higher odds of SSI, whereas clean-contaminated were not (P = 0.99). O/E ratios were highly sensitive to modest changes in wound classification. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived performance is affected by heterogeneous reporting of wound classification. As institutions work to improve outcomes and prepare for public reporting, it is imperative that all adhere to consistent reporting practices to provide accurate and reproducible outcomes.

Standardization of perioperative management on hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery.

Japan-China Joint Medical Workshop (2012) on standardization of perioperative management on hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery was held by the Center for Medical Standards Research, IRCA-BSSA Group in Japan on April 15-16, 2012. Experts in the fields of surgery, anesthesia, pharmacy, and public health from 21 health institutions from Japan and China presented their research achievements and shared their medical experience of perioperative management on hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery, which should facilitate building of guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma and be expected to promote standardized management of liver cancer in Asia.

Complex hepatobiliary surgery in the community setting: is it safe and feasible?

BACKGROUND: Complex hepatobiliary surgical procedures for benign and malignant conditions are regularly performed at tertiary academic referral centers with excellent outcomes, but whether similar surgical outcomes are achievable in community hospitals is not well documented. METHODS: Eighty-four patients underwent complex hepatobiliary surgery between December 2004 and December 2008. Data were prospectively analyzed, including patient demographics, operative procedures, perioperative parameters, pathology, complications up to 30 days postoperatively, and long-term outcomes. RESULTS: The most frequent procedures performed were isolated segmentectomy or segmentectomies (n = 41 [49%]). Major hepatic resections (n = 32 [38%]) included 25 lobectomies (30%) and 7 trisegmentectomies (8%). Nine patients (11%) had surgical complications, and the most common indications for surgery was metastatic carcinoma (n = 42 [50%]). CONCLUSIONS: Complex hepatobiliary surgery can be performed safely at a community-based teaching hospital with excellent outcomes. In the ongoing debate centering on mandatory referral and centralization of complex surgical procedures, tertiary community hospitals with well-determined outcomes should be included.

[The diagnostics of the obstructive jaundice and possibilities to improve the efficacy of its miniinvasive treatment].

The study, which included data of 226 patients with the obstructive jaundice, proved, that the clinical presentation and laboratory tests have secondary role in diagnosing the level of the biliary block. Among diagnostic means of detecting the etiology of the obstruction were the ultrasound investigation (n=268); the magnetic resonance cholangiopanreatography (n=143); the multispiral computed tomograpth (n=119); the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopanreatography (n=187) and the transcutaneous transhepatic cholangiopanreatography (n=69). Flaws and pros of all the methods were thoroughly analyzed. The endoscopic (n=172) and transcutaneous transhepatic cholangiostomy (n=87) were used for biliary decompression. The comparative analysis of both diagnostic and treatment means allowed the creation of 3-stage algorithm. The efficacy of the last for patients with the obstructive jaundice was 96%.

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration.

In recent years, laparoscopic common bile duct exploration has become the procedure of choice in the management of choledocholithiasis in several laparoscopic centers. The increasing interest for this laparoscopic approach is due to the development of instrumentation and technique, allowing the procedure to be performed safely, and it is also the result of the revised role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, which has been questioned because of its cost, risk of complications and effectiveness. Many surgeons, however, are still not familiar with this technique. In this article we discuss the technique and results of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration. Both the laparoscopic transcystic approach and choledochotomy are discussed, together with the results given in the literature. When one considers the costs, morbidity, mortality and the time required before the patient can return to work, it would appear that laparoscopic cholecystectomy with common bile duct exploration is more favorable than open surgery or laparoscopic cholecystectomy with preoperative or postoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy. However, the technique requires advanced laparoscopic skills, including suturing, knot tying, the use of a choledochoscope, guidewire, dilators and balloon stone extractor. Although laparoscopic common bile duct exploration appears to be the most cost-effective method to treat common bile duct stones, it should be emphasized that this procedure is very challenging, and it should be performed by well-trained laparoscopic surgeons with experience in biliary surgery.

Biliary reconstruction following right adult living donor liver transplantation end-to-end or end-to-side duct-to-duct anastomosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bile duct complications are the modern Achilles' heel of adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation. A duct-to-duct anastomosis is currently performed in the presence of single graft ducts, while cholangiojejunostomy is used to drain multiple ducts. Our aim is to describe the feasibility of duct-to-duct anastomoses independent of the presence of one or multiple graft bile ducts. METHODS: The probe technique for right bile duct dissection in donors and a proximal hilar bile duct division in recipients are illustrated. The BARIGA LDLT (biliary anastomosis in right graft for adult living donor liver transplantation recipients) with end-to-side or end-to-end hepatico-hepaticostomy was used in five recipients of right grafts (segments 5-8). RESULTS: All donors and recipients are doing well; all grafts are functional at 13 months. Duct-to-duct anastomoses to single, double, or triple graft ducts have been performed. Two early anastomotic stenoses at 5 and 10 weeks were successfully treated endoscopically. CONCLUSION: The duct-to-duct anastomosis represents a valid alternative to the standard hepaticojejunostomy for right living donor liver grafts. Using this method, biliary complications can be treated endoscopically. End-to-side or end-to-end BARIGA LDLT has the potential to become a standard method in segmental transplantation, including split liver.

Motion analysis.

BACKGROUND: The ability to make an objective evaluation of a surgeon's operative ability remains an elusive goal. In this study, we used motion analysis as a measure of dexterity in the performance of a simulated operation. METHODS: Fifteen surgeons performed a total of 45 laboratory-based laparoscopic cholecystectomies on a cadaveric porcine liver model. Subjects were assigned to one of three groups according to their level of experience in human laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Electromagnetic tracking devices were used to analyze the surgeon's hand movements as they performed the procedure. Movement data (time, distance, number of movements, and speed of movement) were then compared. RESULTS: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) movement scores across the three groups showed significantly better performance among the experienced laparoscopic surgeons than the novices. Learning curves across repetitions of procedures were plotted. Novices made more improvement than experts. CONCLUSIONS: Motion analysis provides useful data for the assessment of laparoscopic dexterity, and the porcine liver model is a valid simulation of the real procedure.

Variantes anatómicas de la arteria hepática: la importancia de su reconocimiento en la cirugía digestiva / Anatomic variants of the hepatic artery: importance for the digestive surgery

Objetivo: describir las variantes anatómicas de la arteria hepática, resaltar su importancia en la cirugía digestiva y sugerir pautas para su reconocimiento tanto pre como intraoperatorio. Lugar de aplicación: dos hospitales públicos de alta complejidad. Diseño: longitudinal, retrospectivo, descriptivo. Población: 414 hígados para ser implantados en receptores de Trasplante Hepático, 374 fueron obtenidos de donante cadavéricos y 40 segmentados laterales izquierdo de donante vivo relacionado. Método: se disecaron y clasificaron de acuerdo a su disposición anatómica (según la clasificación propuesta por Michels y modificada por Hiatt) todas las arterias hepáticas de 374 hígados obtenidos de donante cadavérico y 40 de donante vivo relacionado. Resultados: encontramos un 70,7 por ciento de variantes tipo I (distribución normal), 10,6 por ciento tipo II (rama izquierda de la coronaria estomáquica), 7 por ciento tipo III (rama derecha de la Mesentérica superior), 4,8 por ciento tipo IV (triple arteria), 2 por ciento tipo V (hepática común de Mesentérica), 0,8 por ciento tipo VI (hepática común directa de aorta) y 4 por ciento otras variantes no clasificadas. Conclusión: las variantes anatómicas de la arteria hepática son más frecuentes de lo que uno puede esperar y rondan entre el 25 y 40 por ciento. Es importante su estudio preoperatorio y su reconocimiento intraquirúrgico para evitar lesiones de alguna de sus ramas que deriven en consecuencias graves e irreversibles tanto sobre la vía biliar como el hígado

Tratamiento laparoscópico y endoscópico en un tiempo de la litiasis coledociana / Laparoscopic and endoscopic treatment in on step for choledocho lithiasis

Antecedentes y objetivos: Cuando la esfinterectomía endoscópica (E.E.) preoperatoria no es la indicación electiva, el tratamiento de la litiasis coledociana tiende a ser hoy inicialmente laparoscópico. El acceso transcístico laparoscópico cuando es factible es el método ideal, sin embargo tiene señaladas limitaciones y en esos casos, puede optarse por la coledocotomía laparoscópica, la E.E. diferida o la conversión a cirugía abierta. La E.E. intraoperatoria ha sido en general desaconsejada por ser dificultosa, pero esas dificultades podrían ser superadas si se finaliza la operación laparoscópica y se coloca al paciente en decúbito lateral. Método: En cinco pacientes con coledocolitiasis, en quienes fracasó el tratamiento transcístico, procedimos a finalizar la operación laparoscópica, cambiar de posición al paciente y realizar una E.E. inmediata en el quirófano. Resultados: En los cinco pacientes pudo realizarse la E.E. sin ninguna dificultad y completar con éxito el tratamiento de la litiasis coledociana. No hubo complicaciones de importancia y la evolución postoperatoria fue similar a una colecistectomía laparoscópica. Conclusión: El tratamiento laparoscópico y endoscópico en un tiempo (tratamiento laparoscópico y transcístico y cuando éste fracasa, E.E. inmediata en el quirófano) es un procedimiento viable y eficaz para el tratamiento en la litiasis coledociana