Surgical approach to bismuth Type I and II hilar cholangiocarcinomas: audit of 54 consecutive cases.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the optimal surgical strategy for Bismuth type I and II hilar cholangiocarcinomas.


BACKGROUND
Local or hilar resections is often performed for Bismuth type I and II tumors; however, reported outcomes have been unsatisfactory with a high recurrence and low survival rate. To improve survival, some authors have recommended right hepatectomy. However, the clinical value of this approach has not been validated.


METHODS
Records of 54 consecutive patients who underwent resection of a Bismuth type I or II hilar cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed retrospectively. Through 1996, bile duct resection or the smallest necessary hepatic segmentectomy was performed. Beginning in 1997, choice of resection was based on the cholangiographic tumor type. For nodular or infiltrating tumor, right hepatectomy was indicated; for papillary tumor, bile duct resection with or without limited hepatectomy was chosen.


RESULTS
Right hepatectomy was performed in 5 (20.8%) of 24 patients through 1996 and was done in 22 (73.3%) of 30 patients from 1997 (P = 0.0003). In patients without pM1 disease, R0 resection was achieved more frequently in the later period than in the earlier period (23 of 24 = 95.8% vs. 13 of 21 = 61.9%, P = 0.0073), which lead to better survival (5-year survival, 44.3% vs. 25.0%, P = 0.0495). In the 31 patients with nodular or infiltrating tumor, who tolerated surgery and did not have pM1 disease, survival was better in the 18 patients who underwent right hepatectomy than in those who did not (5-year survival, 62.9% vs. 23.1%, P = 0.0030). In cases of papillary tumor, bile duct resection with or without limited hepatectomy was sufficient to improve long-term survival.


CONCLUSIONS
The surgical approach to Bismuth type I and II hilar cholangiocarcinomas should be determined according to cholangiographic tumor type. For nodular and infiltrating tumors, right hepatectomy is essential; for papillary tumor, bile duct resection with or without limited hepatectomy is adequate.
Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Takashi
T
Ikeyama
Masato
M
Nagino
Koji
K
Oda
Tomoki
T
Ebata
Hideki
H
Nishio
Yuji
Y
Nimura
D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome