Percutaneous access to the surgical bed after pancreaticoduodenectomy can be a challenge, due to the post-operative anatomy alteration. However, immediate complications, such as surgical bed abscess or suspected tumor recurrence, are often best accessed percutaneously, as open surgical or endoscopic approaches are often difficult, if not impossible. We, hereby, describe a safe approach that is highly replicable, in accessing the surgical bed for percutaneous intervention, following pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Abscess/radiography/therapy ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/pathology/radiography ; Biopsy/methods ; Catheterization/*methods ; Cholangiocarcinoma/pathology/radiography ; Drainage/instrumentation/*methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology/radiography ; Pancreatic Diseases/radiography/therapy ; *Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Postoperative Complications/radiography/*therapy ; Radiography, Interventional/methods ; Retroperitoneal Space

Portal vein embolization (PVE) is known as an effective and safe preoperative procedure that increases the future liver remnant (FLR) in patients with insufficient FLR. However, some possible major complications can lead to non-resectability or delayed elective surgery that results in increased morbidity and mortality. Although the majority of these complications are rare, knowledge of the radiologic findings of post-procedural complications facilitate an accurate diagnosis and ensure prompt management. We accordingly reviewed the CT findings of the complications of PVE.
Aged ; Cholangiocarcinoma/radiography/therapy ; Embolization, Therapeutic/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal/etiology ; Liver Neoplasms/radiography/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein/*radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vascular System Injuries/etiology ; Venous Thrombosis/etiology

Because a cavitary pulmonary metastasis is rare, it may not be readily identified. However, various types of cancers can metastasize to the lung in the form of cavities. We report a case of a multiple cavitary metastases to the lung from a cholangiocarcinoma in a 60-year-old man. He complained of generalized weakness and a poor oral intake for 2 months. The plain chest radiography and the chest computed tomography showed multiple small thick-walled cavities and nodules the both lungs. A bronchoscopic examination revealed a focal irregularly elevated surface of the mucosa at the orifice of the superior segment of the right lower lobe and the biopsy demonstrated an infiltrative metastatic adenocarcinoma. The abdomen-pelvis computed tomography showed an ill-marginated and irregularly low-dense area in the right lobe of the liver and a diffuse dilatation of the peripheral intrahepatic bile ducts. The esophagogastroscopy and colonoscopy showed no abnormal findings. It was concluded that the cholangiocarcinoma of the liver metastasized to the lung in the form of cavities. Thereafter, the patient underwent six cycles of the systemic chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin, and the follow-up imaging studies showed a partial response.
Adenocarcinoma ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Biopsy ; Cholangiocarcinoma* ; Cisplatin ; Colonoscopy ; Dilatation ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Radiography ; Thorax

We report a case in an inoperable patient with the hilar malignant biliary obstruction treated palliatively by the use of a newly designed Y-shaped covered stent without interfering contra-lateral bile duct. We percutaneously inserted a newly designed Y-shaped covered stent into a biliary tree in an inoperable patient with Bismuth Type II cholangiocarcinoma. We checked tubograms, enhanced CT studies, and blood bilirubin levels before, one week after, and at every three month after the stenting, by observing closely the signs of clinical infection as well. The follow-up period was about 12 months. The placement of the Y-shaped covered stent was successful and resulted in adequate biliary drainage in the immediate post-procedural tubogram and in the follow-up abdominal CT. The serum bilirubin levels did not show elevation after the insertion of the Y-shaped covered stent.
Aged ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/pathology/radiography/*therapy ; *Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Bilirubin/blood ; Cholangiocarcinoma/pathology/radiography/*therapy ; Cholangiography ; Drainage/instrumentation ; Female ; Humans ; *Palliative Care ; Prosthesis Design ; *Stents ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Bile Duct Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*diagnosis/radiography/therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Cholangiocarcinoma/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratin-7/metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography/therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the method of palliative drainage by means of metallic indwelling stents or plastic tubes for patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

METHODSFrom January 1995 to February 2001, 243 consecutive patients (161 men and 82 women; aged 26 - 91 years, mean of 61.3 years) with malignant biliary obstruction were treated with transhepatic placement of metallic stents and/or plastic tubes. Among them, 47 patients had pancreatic carcinoma, 98 cholangiocarcinoma, 28 metastatic carcinoma and 60 hepatic carcinoma. 169 stents of nine types were used in this series. After stenting, 47 patients were treated for local tumors. Procedure- and device-related complications were recorded. Patient survival and stent patency rates were calculated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

RESULTSOne hundred and three patients underwent successfully stent placement for the first time. Others had their stents installed 1 - 2 weeks after catheterization. Stents were used in 132 patients. Ninety-five patients were treated with a single stent. Seventeen patients had two stents installed for bilateral drainage, 20 patients had two stents installed from top to bottom to create stenting of adequate length, and 12 patients had stents placed across the ampulla. The 2-month mortality rate was 8.64% (21/243). Major complications occurred in two patients (0.8%, 2/243). Minor complications included self-limited bleeding into the drainage tubes and fever. The average patency of the initial stent was 7.5 months and average survival was 9 months. Thirteen patients received brachytherapy in their stents, 15 extra radiation therapy, and 19 intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy. The 47 patients treated for local tumors had an average survival of 11.3 months (log rank 32.8, P < 0.001) with an average patency of 9.7 months (log rank 4.7, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPercutaneous transhepatic bile drainage as a palliative procedure is well tolerated by patients. After stenting, treatment for local tumor may prolong the duration of stent patency and the survival of patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; complications ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; complications ; Cholestasis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Palliative Care ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; complications ; Radiography, Interventional ; Stents

Hepatoblastoma usually occurs in children under the age of 2 years, with very few cases reported in adults. We experienced a case of adult hepatoblastoma in a 36-year-old female with chronic hepatitis B . She had experienced sudden onset abdominal pain. Her serum alpha-fetoprotein level was markedly elevated, and abdominal CT showed a 9-cm mass with internal hemorrhage in the right hepatic lobe with hemoperitoneum, so an emergency hepatic central bisectionectomy was performed. The initial histologic examination revealed that the mass mimicked combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma with spindle-cell metaplasia of the cholangiocarcinoma element. Follow-up abdominal CT performed 3 months later showed a 5.5-cm metastatic mass in the left subphrenic area. Laparoscopic splenectomy with mass excision was performed, and hepatoblastoma was confirmed histologically. A histologic re-examination of previously obtained surgical specimens also confirmed the presence of hepatoblastoma. Metastatic hepatoblastoma was found at multiple sites of the abdomen during follow-up, and so chemotherapy with cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and vincristine was applied, followed by carboplatin and doxorubicin . Despite surgery and postoperative chemotherapy, she died 12 months after symptom onset.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology ; Cholangiocarcinoma/pathology ; Cisplatin/therapeutic use ; Diagnostic Errors ; Doxorubicin/therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Fluorouracil/therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/complications/diagnosis ; Hepatoblastoma/drug therapy/*pathology/radiography ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy/*pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vincristine/therapeutic use