A case of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct suspected to be of peribiliary glands origin.

Peribiliary glands are complex lobular structures containing mucus and serous glands, distributed along the extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. In this report, we describe a case of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct suspected to be of peribiliary glands origin. The patient was an 80-year-old man who was referred to our hospital for a hepatic mass. On further examination, a 38 × 34 mm cystic lesion with papillary growth was found in S1/4. Because the lesion was extensively bordered by both hepatic ducts and the connection was unclear, it was difficult to determine the extent of hepatic resection. To confirm the location, a peroral cholangioscopy was performed. The connection with the cyst was detected in the right hepatic duct and a villous tumor mucosa protruded through the conduit lumen. Since we found that the lesion communicated with the right hepatic duct, a right hepatectomy was subsequently performed. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was an intraductal papillary neoplasm of the blie duct with associated invasive carcinoma. The postoperative course was good, and the patient experienced no recurrence.

Hepatoprotective effects of vildagliptin mitigates lung biochemical and histopathological changes in experimental hepatopulmonary syndrome model in rat.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a liver disease-induced pulmonary complication manifested with arterial hypoxemia. Hepatic cholestasis, encountered in several clinical situations, leads to biliary cirrhosis and HPS, both of which are best reproduced by rat common bile duct ligation (CBDL). Experience from liver transplantation suggests hepatoprotective-based therapy would be most effective in HPS treatment Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) enzyme is involved in different pathogenic mechanisms of liver diseases. Vildagliptin (Vild) is a DPP-4 inhibitor which possesses favorable anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-fibrotic effects. The present work explored hepatoprotective mechanisms of Vild and their participation in its prophylactic effectiveness in HPS induced by CBDL in rats. Male Wistar rats weighing 220-280 g were allocated into 4 groups: normal control, sham, CBDL and CBDL + Vild groups. i.p. saline was administered to the first 3 groups and i.p. Vild (10 mg/kg/day) was given to the fourth group for 6 weeks starting 2 week before CBDL. CBDL produced liver fibrosis, arterial hypoxemia and decreased survivability of rats. It altered liver functions and induced oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)], vasodilatory molecules [endothelin-1 (ET-1), and inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthases] and angiogenesis-associated protein [vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A)] in liver and lung. Vild ameliorated liver fibrosis, and improved hypoxemia and survivability of CBDL rats and reversed these biochemical alterations. Prophylactic Vild administration attenuated CBDL-induced HPS in rats via direct hepatoprotective effects in the form of anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic effects beside inhibition of pathological intrahepatic vasodilatation.

Role of Intraoperative Near-Infrared Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Cholangiography in the Management of Acute Gangrenous Cholecystitis Secondary to Empyema of the Gallbladder in Mirizzi's Syndrome.

Mirizzi syndrome, although rare, is a potential complication of long-standing gallstone disease, particularly cholecystolithiasis. Due to the nonspecific nature of its symptoms, this condition often remains undiagnosed prior to surgery in most cases. While minimally invasive approaches are generally safe in expert hands, they can be challenging and entail the risk of bile duct injuries, often necessitating conversion to bail-out procedures. Delayed management of Mirizzi syndrome can lead to serious consequences, such as empyema of the gallbladder (GB), gangrene of the GB wall, perforation, and sepsis. Intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence imaging during laparoscopic cholecystectomy can help delineate the biliary anatomy and prevent biliary tract injuries in difficult GBs like Mirizzi syndrome.

Two institutes' experience in laparoendoscopic "rendezvous" technique for patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for stones in the gallbladder and bile duct: a prospective randomized comparative clinical trial.

There is still disagreement on the best treatment option for cholecystocholedocholithiasis. Although there are some benefits to the single-step procedure, the "laparoendoscopic rendezvous" (LERV) technique that include a lower risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis and a shorter hospital stay, the standard technique is still the two-step approach for clearing the common bile duct (CBD) using ERCP and then performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of the LERV technique vs. the standard two-step approach. Four hundred thirty-six patients with symptomatized concomitant stones at both the gall bladder (GB) and the (CBD), at two gastroenterology centers in Zagazig city, Egypt, from January 2010 till April 2022, were analyzed. Patients were randomly divided into two equally groups. The overall length of hospital stay was the primary outcome, and the success of CBD clearance and morbidity, particularly post-ERCP pancreatitis, were the secondary endpoints. The LERV group experienced a significantly shorter hospital stay (median 2(2-8) days compared to 4.5 (4-11) days for the two-stage approach (p < 0.001)). The two groups did not differ in terms of CBD clearing success. Also, there was no significant difference in the number of patients with post-ERCP pancreatitis between the LERV group [14 patients (6.4%)] and the two-stage approach [26 patients (11.9%)] with p value = 0.703. For patients with cholecystocholedocholithiasis, the optimal treatment must be determined by the knowledge and resources that are accessible locally. Our data further supported the idea that treating patients with cholecystocholedocholithiasis in one stage is a safe and successful strategy.

Application of three-dimensional visualization technology in early surgical repair of bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the application value of three-dimensional (3D) visualization technology in the early surgical repair of bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 15 patients who underwent early surgical repair of bile duct injury during LC with the assistance of 3D visualization technology at the Hepatobiliary Surgery Department of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region People's Hospital from January 2019 to December 2022. Postoperative efficacy and long-term follow-up outcomes were summarized. RESULTS: Before the repair surgery, 15 cases of bile duct injury during LC were evaluated using 3D visualization technology according to the Strasberg-Bismuth classification: 2 cases of type C, 4 of type E1, 3 of type E2, 3 of type E3, and 3 of type E4. Intraoperative findings were consistent with the 3D visualization reconstruction results, and all patients successfully underwent hepaticojejunostomy using Roux-en-Y anastomosis guided by the 3D visualization navigation. The time interval between LC and bile duct repair surgery ranged from 5 to 28 (14.2 ± 9.7) days. The surgical time was between 120 and 190 (156.40 ± 23.92) min, and estimated blood loss ranged from 80 to 250 (119.66 ± 47.60) mL. The length of hospital stay ranged from 12 to 25 days (median: 16 days). One patient experienced mild bile leakage after the operation, which healed with conservative treatment. All patients were followed up for 12-56 months (median: 34 months) without any loss to follow-up. During the follow-up period, no complications, such as anastomotic stricture or stone formation, were observed. CONCLUSION: The application of 3D visualization technology for preoperative evaluation and intraoperative navigation can accurately and effectively facilitate early surgical repair of bile duct injury during LC and has clinical value for promotion and application.

[Repeated liver resections for recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma]. / Povtornye rezektsii pecheni pri retsidive vnutripechenochnoi kholangiokartsinomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and advisability of repeated liver resection (RLR) for recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of RLR for ICC recurrence (n=10) were retrospectively analyzed between 1999 and 2023. The control group consisted of patients undergoing primary liver resection for ICC (n=195). RESULTS: Surgery time (p=0.001) and blood loss (p=0.038) were lower in the RLR group. There were no blood transfusions (0 vs. 31.8%, p=0.034) and 90-day mortality (0 vs. 3.2%, p=1.0) in the same group. The risk of complications (30.0% vs.45.6%, p=0.517) and adverse events grade ≥ III (20.0% vs. 17.9%, p=1.0) was similar in both groups. Multifocal intrahepatic nodes were more common in the RLR group (60% vs. 37.9%, p=0.193), while there were no negative factors such as lymph nodes involvement (0 vs. 34.4%, p=0.032) and invasion of surrounding structures (0 vs. 38.5%, p=0.015). Dimensions of the largest node were smaller in repeated resection (2 vs. 8 cm, p<0.0001). Incidence of R0 resections (80.0% vs. 82.1%, p=1.0) was comparable. Long-term results were similar: five-year overall survival 17.2% and 34.7% (p=0.912), three-year disease-free survival 20.0% and 26.5% (p=0.421). CONCLUSION: Similar results of repeated and primary liver resections confirm advisability of RLR for intrahepatic recurrence of ICC.

'H-type' duplex gallbladder resected laparoscopically with transcystic choledochoscopy and stone retrieval.

A duplex gallbladder is an extremely rare congenital anomaly that while may remain asymptomatic, may also develop into biliary colic, cholecystitis, cholangitis or pancreatitis. In these circumstances, it is advisable to surgically remove both gallbladders. Typically, a cholecystectomy is performed laparoscopically as this aids patient recovery and complication risk; however, when congenital abnormalities are present, some may choose to revert to an open operation. Through this case, we demonstrate that even when presented with a duplex gallbladder during surgery, it is safe to remove it laparoscopically as well as performing transcystic choledochoscopy and basket retrieval without complications.

Edoxaban-Induced Vanishing Bile Duct Syndrome: A Case Report With Review of the Literature.

Edoxaban is an oral, highly selective, direct factor X-inhibitor approved by the European Medical Agency for the prevention of stroke in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Edoxaban is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic insufficiency and, among adverse effects, serum bilirubin level and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase elevation are described as common events. We report the case of an 82-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma who developed a fatal vanishing bile duct syndrome (VBDS) a few weeks after the administration of edoxaban for non-valvular atrial fibrillation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe a case of acute VBDS possibly related to edoxaban.

Role of endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage for palliation of malignant biliary obstruction.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) directs bile flow into the digestive tract and has been mostly used in patients with malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-guided biliary drainage was unsuccessful or was not feasible. Lumen apposing metal stents (LAMS) are deployed during EUS-BD, with the newer electrocautery-enhanced LAMS reducing procedure time and complication rates due to the inbuilt cautery at the catheter tip. EUS-BD with electrocautery-enhanced LAMS has high technical and clinical success rates for palliation of MBO, with bleeding, cholangitis, and stent occlusion being the most common adverse events. Recent studies have even suggested comparable efficacy between EUS-BD and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography as the primary approach for distal MBO. In this editorial, we commented on the article by Peng et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery in 2024.

Acute cholangitis due to Micrococcus lylae: First case report.

Micrococcus lylae, a Gram-positive bacterium of the Micrococcaceae family, is considered an opportunistic microorganism with only a few reported cases of infection. In this report, we present a case of cholangitis caused by Micrococcus lylae in a 69-year-old woman with a medical history of type 2 diabetes and a cholecystectomy performed a decade ago. She was admitted to the gastroenterology department with symptoms indicative of acute cholangitis. Abdominal computed tomography and endoscopic ultrasound showed a consistent and symmetrical dilatation and thickening of the main bile duct, containing micro stones and a macro stone in the cystic duct stump. The patient received empirical antibiotic therapy based on ceftriaxone and metronidazole. She underwent ERCP with biliary endoscopic sphincterotomy and marginal biopsy, followed by balloon-assisted manipulation to facilitate bile release and collection of an intraoperative bile fluid sample for microbiological examination to identify the pathogen and guide the treatment adjustments. The microbiological examination demonstrated the exclusive presence of Micrococcus lylae. The patient's condition notably improved, marked by the normalization of inflammatory indicators. After three days, the patient was discharged in a stable condition, continuing the antibiotic regimen with the oral administration of ciprofloxacin and metronidazole. Jaundice resolved after one week, and liver function tests were completely normalized on follow-up at one month.