Respiratory complications in long-term survivors of oesophageal atresia.

One hundred of the 192 survivors of repaired oesophageal atresia at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, aged one year and over on 1 November 1973, were reviewed to determine the frequency of respiratory complications. 78 children suffered from more than 3 attacks of bronchitis per year during the first 3 years of life and 48% of the children aged over 8 years were having more than three attacks per year. Episodes of cough persisting longer than 2 weeks were also common. In the year preceding review, about half the children had more than 3 such episodes. 58 children had been admitted to hospital on at least one occasion for chest infection. It is suggested that recurrent inhalation of milk and food, consequent upon disordered oesophageal motility, is the major factor causing these respiratory complications.     

Late complications of biliary atresia: hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension

Children with biliary atresia (BA) following Kasai portoenterostomy have a high risk for portal hypertension, however, while variceal and hemorrhagic complications have been more commonly studied, less frequent but no less possibly devastating complications of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) and portopulmonary hypertension (PPH) remain less well understood. HPS and PPH both occur in a setting of portal hypertension, however, paradoxically patients with HPS develop pulmonic vasculature dilation leading to shunting and hypoxia, while those with PPH develop an opposite progression of pulmonary vasoconstriction eventually leading to cor pulmonale and decompensation. Given the near diametric evolution of diseases, HPS and PPH differ widely in therapy, though liver transplantation can have a role for treatment in either disease state. We reviewed our series of 320 pediatric patients with biliary atresia treated at our institution over 44 years, highlighting two cases that developed HPS and PPH, respectively, using these cases in further discussion of hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension regarding disease etiology, diagnosis, management, and prognosis. The complicated nature of these processes demand a careful multidisciplinary approach to optimize patient outcomes, including mindful evaluation for when transplantation may offer benefit.     

Analysis of the prognostic factors of long-term native liver survival in survivors of biliary atresia

Purpose

Long-term survivors of biliary atresia (BA) sometimes experience liver dysfunction. We evaluated the prognostic factors for long-term native liver survival (NLS) in BA patients after the Kasai procedure.

Methods

This study included 67 patients with jaundice disappearance after the Kasai procedure performed between 1972 and 1995, and NLS for over 10 years. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical parameters, including the type of BA, age at the Kasai procedure, medical conditions, and treatments. The adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were obtained for 20-year NLS using logistic regression analysis.

Results

The median age of the patients at the Kasai procedure was 63 days. Of the 67 study patients, 62 patients (92.5 %) had jaundice-free NLS at the age of 20 years, 4 patients died before the age of 20 years from liver failure, and 1 patient underwent living related liver transplantation. The presence of gastro-esophageal varices requiring endoscopic injection sclerotherapy was a significant factor (aOR 33.8; p = 0.0033), while hypersplenism and cholangitis were not identified as significant factors.

Conclusions

The existence of symptomatic portal hypertension would influence long-term NLS in BA patients after the Kasai procedure. In such patients, accurate evaluation of hepatic function and adequate treatment for sequelae are needed.

     

胆道闭锁Kasai术后早期并发症的分析

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between early complications of Kasai operation and high-dose steroids and antibiotics and to demonstrate the prognosis of biliary atresia(BA). Methods 281 patients diagnosed with biliary atresia(BA) type Ⅲ,admitted from Aug. 1994 to Aug 2008 were retrospectively reviewed and followed up for two years. The patients were divided into two groups. Patients in Group A were controls while patients in Group B were treated with high-dose steroids and antibiotics. We evaluated the relation between early complications and age at operation (days), baseline bilirubin, different treatments and 2 year survival. Results 93 patients had early complications,and cholangitis is the most common, There is no statistics difference of complications in age at operation and baseline bilirubin. The complication rate was 63. 6% in group A, and 25. 7% in group B(P＜0. 01). The cholangitis rate was 56. 4% in group A and 23. 9% in group B (P＜0. 01). Two groups showed no significant difference in digestive tract bleeding. The visit frequency rate was 92. 5%, while 2 year survival rate was 51. 2%. Patients with early complications or cholangitis have a 34. 4% or 32. 9% 2 year survival rate, while those without have a 59. 6% or 59. 2%(P＜ 0. 01). Patients with high-dose treatment in group B have a better 2 year survival rate (54. 0% vs 40. 0% ,P＜0. 05). Conclusions Early cholangitis was the risk factor of outcome after Kasai operation. These data implied that the use of high-dose steroids and antibiotics can lower the occurrence of cholangitis and elevate 2 year survival rate.     

胆道闭锁Kasai术后早期并发症的分析

目的 分析胆道闭锁Kasai术后早期并发症与激素抗生素治疗方案、生存预后的关系.方法 回顾性分析1994年8月至2008年8月Ⅲ型胆道闭锁Kasai术后281例临床资料.根据治疗方案分为一般治疗A组和术后大剂量激素和抗生素治疗B组.随访术后2年生存,分析早期并发症与手术日龄、术前胆红素、术后激素抗生素治疗方案、生存预后之间的关系.结果 术后共93例(33.1%)发生早期并发症,急性胆管炎最常见.无并发症与并发症相比,术前总胆红素及手术日龄无差异;危险因素分析,急性胆管炎、上消化道出血分别与术前胆红素及手术日龄无明显相关.B组并发症较A组明显降低(25.7%比63.6%,P＜0.01),其中反流性胆管炎较A组明显降低(23.9%比56.4%,P＜0.01),但术后早期消化道出血无统计学差异.2年随访率92.5%,术后2年以上存活率51.2%,早期并发症2年生存率较无早期并发症明显降低(34.4%比59.6%,P＜0.01).急性胆管炎2年生存率亦明显降低(32.9%比59.2%,P＜0.01).B组2年生存率高于A组(54.0%比40.0%,P=0.043＜0.05).结论 胆道闭锁Kasai术后早期急性胆管炎是影响术后生存的危险因素;术后大剂量应用激素和抗生素疗法明显降低早期急性胆管炎发生率,提高术后2年生存率.

Abstract：

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between early complications of Kasai operation and high-dose steroids and antibiotics and to demonstrate the prognosis of biliary atresia(BA). Methods 281 patients diagnosed with biliary atresia(BA) type Ⅲ,admitted from Aug. 1994 to Aug 2008 were retrospectively reviewed and followed up for two years. The patients were divided into two groups. Patients in Group A were controls while patients in Group B were treated with high-dose steroids and antibiotics. We evaluated the relation between early complications and age at operation (days), baseline bilirubin, different treatments and 2 year survival. Results 93 patients had early complications,and cholangitis is the most common, There is no statistics difference of complications in age at operation and baseline bilirubin. The complication rate was 63. 6% in group A, and 25. 7% in group B(P＜0. 01). The cholangitis rate was 56. 4% in group A and 23. 9% in group B (P＜0. 01). Two groups showed no significant difference in digestive tract bleeding. The visit frequency rate was 92. 5%, while 2 year survival rate was 51. 2%. Patients with early complications or cholangitis have a 34. 4% or 32. 9% 2 year survival rate, while those without have a 59. 6% or 59. 2%(P＜ 0. 01). Patients with high-dose treatment in group B have a better 2 year survival rate (54. 0% vs 40. 0% ,P＜0. 05). Conclusions Early cholangitis was the risk factor of outcome after Kasai operation. These data implied that the use of high-dose steroids and antibiotics can lower the occurrence of cholangitis and elevate 2 year survival rate.     

Late cholangitis after successful surgical repair of biliary atresia

Bacterial cholangitis is a frequent complication of successful surgical repair of biliary atresia, occurring in 93% of patients before the age of 1 year, but thought to be rare after 2 years of age. Among 76 children free of jaundice more than 5 years after operation, four presented with late cholangitis (7 to 13.5 years old), consisting of fever, jaundice, and abdominal pain with biochemical features of an inflammatory process and cholestasis. Liver biopsy specimens consistently demonstrated histological features of cholangitis, growth of microorganism, or both. Cholangitis subsided spontaneously in one patient or in response to intravenous administration of antibiotics. Cholangiography consistently demonstrated biliary abnormalities but no definite obstruction to the bilioenteric anastomosis. All the children had good hepatic function 3 weeks to 4 years after the episode of cholangitis. These results suggest that cholangitis may occur several years after surgery but does not seem to alter prognosis.     

Early cytomegalovirus infection and the long-term outcome of biliary atresia

Aim:  To study the impact of ongoing cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection at presentation of biliary atresia (BA) on the long-term outcome after Kasai procedure.
Methods:  Twenty-eight patients with BA born 1988–1997 were included and followed-up until 2007. Eleven patients (group A) had ongoing CMV infection at presentation and were compared to the remaining 17 patients (group B). Median age at Kasai procedure was 75 days in group A and 70 days in group B (p = 0.12).
Results:  Including all patients, survival with native liver was 50% and 36% at 4 and 10 years of follow-up respectively. At the end of follow-up, it was 25% and overall survival was 68%. When comparing groups A and B, neither difference in survival with native liver (p = 0.67, log-rank test) nor in survival after liver transplantation was detected.
Conclusion:  Survival with native liver after Kasai procedure is comparable to that of other centres. CMV positive patients may present with a later onset, alternatively the detection of CMV infection could delay the referral of BA patients. No significant differences in long-term outcome were detected with regard to early CMV infection.     

Current management of biliary atresia.

Extra-hepatic biliary atresia occurs in approximately 1:15,000 live births leading to about 50 new cases/year in the UK. Presentation is with prolonged jaundice, usually in a term baby who develops signs of obstructive jaundice. Management has been improved by public and professional education to encourage early referral and diagnosis to facilitate initial surgery before 8 weeks of age. Surgical management is complementary and includes an attempt to restore biliary flow (the Kasai portoenterostomy) and liver transplantation if necessary. Medical management consists of antibiotics, ursodeoxycholic acid to encourage bile flow, fat soluble vitamin supplementation and nutritional support. Centralising surgery to specialised centres has improved survival of this potentially fatal disease to over 90% in the UK. Over half of infants undergoing portoenterostomy will clear the jaundice and have a greater than 80% chance of a good quality of life, reaching adolescence without transplantation. For those children developing intractable complications of cirrhosis and portal hypertension, liver transplantation provides a 90% chance of achieving normal life.     

Prognosis of extrahepatic biliary atresia.

We carried out a retrospective investigation of the 89 patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia born in The Netherlands during a 10 year period. Of these 89 patients 10 had a diagnostic laparotomy only. Eight patients had an anastomosis between the proximal bile duct and the intestine, and the remaining 71 had hepatic portoenterostomies. Bile drainage was re-established in 46 (65%). After successful hepatic portoenterostomy the development of cholangitis was the most important determinant of long term survival; five year survival was 54% in the 19 patients who had cholangitis and 91% in the 27 who did not. In the whole group of 71 patients the five year survival was 47%. Seventeen patients were at least 5 years of age at the time of writing, three of whom had had liver transplantation. Three patients have cirrhosis and hyperbilirubinaemia, and the other 11 have normal bilirubin concentrations and normal or slightly raised transaminase activities. To improve these results early surgical intervention in all children with extrahepatic biliary atresia is necessary, as are better methods of prophylaxis and treatment of cholangitis.     

Hazards of hepatic portocholecystostomy in biliary atresia.

A hepatic portocholecystostomy (HPC) has been recommended to avoid postoperative cholangitis in the case of a patent distal extrahepatic bile duct (PDEBD) for the treatment of biliary atresia (BA). We investigated the efficacy and clinical problems of HPC in BA. The clinical records of eight patients with BA and PDEBD were reviewed. The diameter of the common bile duct was compared between the patients with BA and PDEBD and age-matched patients with neonatal hepatitis (NH). Five of 8 patients with PDEBD underwent HPC. One patient had to be converted to a cholecystojejunostomy because of common bile duct stenosis at 19 years of age. The other two patients underwent a reoperation by a hepatic portojejunostomy due to poor bile drainage after HPC. Another patient became jaundice-free one month after HPC, but died of sepsis due to bile leakage 3 months thereafter. The mean diameter of the common bile duct in BA with PDEBD was significantly smaller than that of NH (0.76 +/- 0.16 mm (n = 8) in BA vs. 1.90 +/- 0.39 mm (n = 11) in NH, p<0.01). HPC was thus found to be an excellent operative method for preventing postoperative cholangitis in BA, however, many clinical problems still need to be overcome for such a narrow distal duct.     

Ten minute radiopharmaceutical test in biliary atresia.

To provide an objective rapid means of excluding extrahepatic biliary atresia (atresia), a hepatic index was devised from the ratio of the net hepatic to cardiac distribution of 99mTc diisopropyl iminodiacetic acid or methylbrom iminodiacetic acid between 2.5 and 10 minutes after injection. The hepatic index was compared with subjective assessment of abdominal scintigraphy performed repeatedly over 24 hours. In 22 infants with hepatitis the hepatic index ranged from 5.03 to 14.9, one having no excretion on scintiscan. In 26 infants with atresia the index ranged from 0.49 to 4.26 and in two with paucity of intralobular bile ducts it was 1.85 and 3.69. None of these infants had excretion apparent on scintiscans. Similarly, low hepatic indices occurred in four infants with liver dysfunction but pigmented stools, three of whom had no excretion apparent on scintiscans. These preliminary studies suggest that a hepatic index of greater than 5 is much more rapid and as specific in excluding atresia as repeated abdominal scintigraphy.     

Glomerular alterations in children with biliary atresia.

To investigate the association of glomerular involvement with biliary atresia, we carried out the following studies: (1) review of the clinical records of 120 patients, (2) histologic study of the kidneys obtained at autopsy from 28 patients, and (3) measurements of circulating immune complexes. Of 90 patients with adequate follow-up information, 40 (44.4%) had hematuria, proteinuria, or both. All the kidney specimens showed a wide variety of mesangial proliferation, and immunoglobulins were present in 23 of 26 cases. There was a good correlation between the glomerular alterations and the period of reduced hepatic function. When IgA was present in the mesangium, IgA2 and secretory components were detected. Elevated serum IgA and circulating IgA-containing immune complex levels were found in patients with prolonged obstructive jaundice. These findings indicate that glomerular alterations may occur subsequently in patients with biliary atresia, and that IgA of intestinal mucosal origin plays some role in the development of these lesions.