title: Clinical analysis of 221 cases of adult choledochal cysts.
abstract: Choledochal cyst, usually recognized as a problem in infants, is increasingly reported in adult patients. The aim of this study was to share our experience in treating adult patients with choledochal cysts. Two hundred twenty-one adult patients with choledochal cysts who were treated  in our hospital from January 2002 to December 2010 were enrolled. The clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed. There were 168 Type I, three Type II, three Type III, 26 Type IV, and 21 Type V cysts. The presentations were nonspecific with 177 patients having abdominal pain  and a few patients having other rare symptoms including back pain, cirrhosis, occupying lesions, or spontaneous rupture. The cysts were completely removed in 169 patients, and 36 patients required liver resection. There was one death resulting from abdominal bleeding. Morbidity was limited  to 27 patients, 11 of whom underwent invasive interventions. Choledochal cysts remain an interesting clinical problem. In some adult cases, the diagnosis is very difficult. Treatment is type-dependent, complete removal of the cysts is widely accepted, and lifelong follow-up for these patients  is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Beijing Tsinghua Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D015529:Choledochal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D004766:Enterostomy; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult