Antenatal presentation of biliary atresia

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence, presence of associated anomalies, type of malformation, and natural history of children with biliary atresia (BA) who presented antenatally.Study design The database of 194 infants diagnosed with BA at our tertiary referral unit between 1991 and 2002 was reviewed for infants in whom routine antenatal ultrasound had revealed biliary cystic malformations (BCMs). A retrospective analysis of their medical records was undertaken. RESULTS: Nine infants (six girls) with BCM were identified (4.6% of total referred patients with BA); all were born after 37 weeks' gestational age and presented to us at a median age of 4 weeks (range, 1-14 weeks). The presence of the BCM was confirmed on postnatal ultrasonography. Median age at corrective surgery was 5 weeks (range, 2-16 weeks). At surgery, six patients had type III BA, including one with the biliary atresia-splenic malformation syndrome; two had type II BA; and one had type I BA. Postoperatively, the infants were followed for a median of 2 years (range, 6 months to 11 years). All infants successfully cleared their jaundice. CONCLUSIONS: Improved techniques in routine antenatal ultrasonography can allow early recognition of BCM. This study suggests that BCM noted antenatally may represent early presentation of both biliary atresia-splenic malformation and nonsyndromic BA.     

Cytokeratin immunohistochemical examination of liver biopsies in infants with Alagille syndrome and biliary atresia.

Identifying bile duct epithelium is sometimes difficult with standard histologic techniques. The availability of antibodies to specific cytokeratin (CK) intermediate filaments has allowed identification of CK expressed by bile duct epithelium. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver tissue from five infants (aged 1-12 months) with Alagille syndrome and five infants with biliary atresia (aged 1.5-11 months) were pepsin digested then reacted with a combination of anti-cytokeratin monoclonal antibodies using an avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique. Liver tissue obtained at autopsy from infants without primary liver disease (aged 22 weeks gestation to 24 months) was treated similarly for comparison. Control specimens showed progression from prominent immunoreactivity of the ductal plate cells at the rim of the portal tract (22-24 weeks gestation) to incorporation of tubular ductal structures into portal tract mesenchymal tissue (26-34 weeks gestation) and formation of intensely immunoreactive mature discrete interlobular ducts with progressive loss of cytokeratin immunoreactivity of the ductal plate cells (1-24 months). In contrast, biopsies from infants with Alagille syndrome showed few immunoreactive interlobular ducts. Biopsies from infants with Alagille syndrome less than 2 months old showed only immunoreactivity of single ductal plate cells or small ductules at the periphery of the portal tracts. Biopsies from some infants greater than 3 months old showed increased numbers of immunoreactive cells in groups and anastomosing bands lacking true lumens and extending into the fibrous bridges between adjacent portal areas (neoductular proliferation).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Bile-duct diameter at the porta hepatis and liver biopsies in Indian children with biliary atresia

Fibrous remnants from the porta hepatis and wedge biopsies of the liver were studied in 60 patients with biliary atresia. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of bile duct diameter — I: no ducts; II: <50 m; III: >50 m. The liver damage was classified into three grades on the basis of ductular and parenchymal histopathologic changes and extent of inflammatory pathology. There was no correlation between severity of hepatic damage and duct diameter, although the levels of serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase varied in direct proportion to the degree of hepatic damage. There was an inverse relationship between age and duct diameter, but neither correlated with bile flow at surgery or in the postoperative period. The data suggest that Indian children with biliary atresia follow a different clinical course compared to those from Japan and Western countries. Correspondence to: V. Bhatnagar     

小儿胆道闭锁与肝移植

小儿胆道闭锁是小儿外科有代表性的常见病之一。自然死亡率为 10 0 % ,很少存活过 2周岁。葛西手术打破了 10 0 %死亡的铁门 ,然而晚期效果仍很不满意。肝移植如果能 10 0 %成功 ,则患儿可获得 10 0 %的正常寿命与生活质量。《实用儿科临床杂志》组织这 5篇文章 ,正是为了攀登这个目标而铺路。专家们分别从几个方面介绍了胆道闭锁与小儿肝移植的现代观点与技术。对我们开展此项工作将有很大的帮助。欲求小儿胆道闭锁疗效的提高 ,我认为当前应从以下三方面入手 :　　一、扭转对胆道闭锁的“放弃”态度目前因为许多家长认为其疗效很不满意 ,医…     

Predicting native liver injury and survival in biliary atresia

Several patient and treatment related factors significantly modify outcomes of biliary atresia. The extremely variable prognosis mandates intensive postoperative monitoring following portoenterostomy. Accurate prediction of outcome and progression of liver injury would enable individualized treatment and follow-up protocols, patient counseling and meaningful stratification of patients into clinical trials. While results on most biomarkers of cholestasis, hepatocyte function, fibrosis and inflammation studied so far are inconsistent or have not been validated in independent patient cohorts, postoperative serum bilirubin level 3 months after portoenterostomy remains the most accurate clinically feasible predictor of native liver survival. Although liver stiffness and a novel marker of cholangiocyte integrity, serum matrix metalloproteinase-7, correlate with liver fibrosis and may discriminate biliary atresia from other causes of neonatal cholestasis, further information on their ability to predict portoenterostomy outcomes is needed. Recent gene expression profiling has shown promise in overcoming the sampling error associated with histological quantification of liver fibrosis, and provides an important possibility to stratify patients for clinical trials according to the prognosis of native liver survival already preoperatively. As activity and extent of ductular reaction is linked with progression of liver fibrosis in cholangiopathies, further research is also warranted to evaluate predictive value of ductular reaction, matrix metalloproteinase-7 and the underlying gene expression signatures in relation to circulating bile acids in biliary atresia. Discovery of accurate predictive tools will ultimately increase our understanding of the unpredictable response to surgery and pathophysiology of progressive liver injury in biliary atresia.     

Intrahepatic biliary cysts in biliary atresia in the era of liver transplantation

OBJECTIVES: The development of intrahepatic biliary cysts (IBC) after Kasai operation in patients with biliary atresia (BA) is recognized as an important problem; however, management strategy for IBC has not been clarified, particularly in the light of the increased use of liver transplantation. METHODS: Forty consecutive BA patients underwent hepatic portoenterostomy during 18 years from 1983 to 2000. We compared the clinical course and prognosis of the patients who developed IBC with those who did not. RESULTS: Seven of the 40 patients developed IBC. Three patients had type A (non-communicating cyst) and three patients had type C (multiple cystic dilation) IBC, and the remaining patients had type B (communicating cyst). Of the 7 patients, one patient underwent successful internal intestinal drainage, and one patient died of complications at the time of internal intestinal drainage. Three patients underwent liver transplantation due to either hepato-pulmonary syndrome (one case) or liver failure (two cases). One patient with IBC with liver failure was judged to require transplant, but was found to have pulmonary hypertension and was thus not a candidate. The remaining patient has survived without jaundice for 21 months postoperatively. Two of 21 patients with good initial bile drainage and without IBC underwent liver transplantation. The percentage of patients undergoing transplant was significantly higher in the group with IBC than in the group without IBC (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IBC was associated with worsening liver function. Previously, IBC was treated using internal/external drainage, or the patients were observed without treatment, with limited success. We now consider it reasonable to carry out liver transplantation in patients with long-standing IBC.     

Intracranial hemorrhage as initial presentation of biliary atresia: two cases report

Biliary atresia in infants occasionally presents as intracranial, nasal or gastrointestinal bleeding, instead of the classical triad of jaundice, acholia and choluria. We present two female infants aged four and two months, who were hospitalized with convulsive episode, cephalohematoma and drowsiness. Computed tomography findings were subdural hemorrhage in one patient and intraventricular and parenchymal bleeding in the other one. At admission they have history, clinical and laboratory signs of cholestasis of unknown etiology. The patient with subdural hemorrhage required surgical drainage. The other girl with intraventricular and parenchymal bleeding received vitamin K and no surgery. Biliary atresia was diagnosed and treated in both girls. At six months both had an adequate neurological outcome and required liver transplantation at one year old. Biliary atresia should be considered in all infants with sudden acute bleeding and cholestasis.     

Extrahepatic biliary atresia: from diagnosis to liver transplantation

Thirty infants were diagnosed with extrahepatic biliary atresia (EBA) from July 1978 to July 1989; 28 have undergone a Kasai or Lilly-Altman modification of the Kasai portoenterostomy; 2 were excluded from surgery because they presented after 3 months of age and had advanced biliary cirrhosis. Immediate postoperative drainage (>30 ml/day was achieved in 24 patients (86%), with 14 (50%) surviving free of jaundice. The average follow-up was 2.25 years (range 3 months to 10 years); the longest survivor is 10.3 years old. The overall survival was 64%, and 5-year survival 50%. Of 24 infants operated on at <12 weeks of age, 14 are free of jaundice (58%), 4 are alive with jaundice (17%), and 6 have died (25%). No correlation existed between subsequent bile drainage and duct size at the porta hepatis, presence or absence of hepatic fibrosis, giant-cell transformation, or hepatic inflammation. Complications included cholangitis (57%), progressive hepatic failure (39%), portal hypertension (21%), gastrointestinal bleeding (21%), esophageal varices (18%), stomal hemorrhage (11%), seizures (7%), rickets (3.5%), biliary calculus in the Roux-en-Y (3.5%), and hepatic abscess (3.5%). Five infants required revision, with 1 patient undergoing six reoperations, each followed by successful re-establishment of bile drainage. One infant had a successful liver transplant, and 2 are currently candidates for transplantation. Based on this analysis, an algorithm has been formulated for the diagnostic evaluation and subsequent surgical management from initial portoenterostomy to orthotopic liver transplantation for infants diagnosed with EBA. From our review of this experience and the literature on EBA and orthotopic liver transplantation, we have concluded that portoenterostomy has a substanial chance (P <0.05) of providing bile drainage and survival is comparable to that after liver transplantation. Although ultimate failures occur at a steadily increasing rate, portoenterostomy delays transplantation until children are older and can more easily undergo transplantation with its attendant risks of immunosuppression and complications.     

新生儿巨细胞病毒感染与胆道闭锁肝脏纤维化的相关研究

目的探讨新生儿巨细胞病毒感染与胆道闭锁肝脏损伤的关系。方法回顾我院2004年1月-2005年1月收治21例胆道闭锁患儿临床资料。对肝组织纤维化和肝细胞变性坏死程度分级，同时进行肝脏和肝门纤维块巨细胞病毒-pp65免疫荧光染色。根据血清及病毒学检查结果将病人分组，比较两组患儿肝功能，肝脏纤维化，肝细胞破坏程度。结果巨细胞病毒感染组13例，非感染组8例。两组肝功能各指标除总胆红素，γ-谷氨酰转肽酶外无明显差异。巨细胞病毒感染组肝脏纤维化程度重于非感染组（P〈0．05）。结论巨细胞病毒活动性感染加重胆道闭锁患儿胆汁淤积和肝脏的纤维化。     

胆道闭锁肝纤维化与自体肝生存关系的研究进展

胆道闭锁是婴儿期最严重的肝胆系统疾病之一。肝门-空肠吻合术(Kasai手术)是治疗胆道闭锁的主要手段,但术后自体肝长期生存效果不佳,大部分患儿需要通过肝移植来挽救生命。肝纤维化是影响胆道闭锁患儿自体肝生存的重要因素之一,其发生机制复杂,涉及多种信号通路及细胞因子的调控。Kasai手术后胆汁引流不畅、胆管炎发作都会导致肝纤维化进展,进而发生肝硬化。在完善早期诊断、早期手术、通畅引流胆汁及控制胆管炎的同时,还应积极应对患儿肝纤维化的持续进展,以期达到自体肝的长期生存。     

Kasai手术与肝移植治疗胆道闭锁的利弊思考

胆道闭锁是婴儿期严重肝胆疾病之一,手术是挽救生命的唯一方法 ,目前遵循Kasai手术-肝移植序贯治疗的手术方式,但随着儿童肝移植技术的发展,BA患者肝移植后的疗效得到了明显改善,学者们重新思考Kasai手术在胆道闭锁治疗中的作用.本文对两种手术方式的发展、结果 、利弊等进行对比总结,分析肝移植时代Kasai手术的价值.     

EpCAM阳性的不成熟胆道上皮细胞促进胆道闭锁肝纤维化的研究

目的 分析在胆道闭锁患儿肝组织中增生的EpCAM阳性的不成熟胆道上皮细胞与肝纤维化形成的关系,从而探讨不成熟的胆道上皮细胞在胆道闭锁病程进展中的作用.方法 选取2012年1月至2015年6月于我院就治的患儿肝石蜡标本进行连续切片,其中胆道闭锁(biliary atresia,BA) 65例,胆总管囊肿(choledochal cyst,CC) 27例,门静脉海绵样病变(cavernous transformation of portal vein,CTPV) 15例,应用CK19、EpCAM免疫组织化学染色及饱和苦味酸天狼星红染色方法,分析肝组织中增生的胆道上皮细胞的成熟性、EpCAM阳性的不成熟胆道上皮细胞与肝纤维化在位置上的关系,并应用Image-pro对400倍视野下肝组织切片中EpCAM阳性细胞进行计数,观察其增生数量与肝纤维化分级间的关系.结果 在CTPV组可见由CK19阳性的胆道上皮细胞组成的正常成熟的胆管,未见明显增生的胆道上皮细胞.在BA组及有纤维化的CC组可见胆道上皮细胞增生明显,邻近肝纤维化部位的胆道上皮细胞主要为EpCAM阳性的不成熟胆道上皮细胞,与肝纤维化存在位置上的关联.在胆道闭锁肝组织中随着肝纤维化的程度越高,EpCAM阳性的不成熟胆道上皮细胞的数量越多,且不同肝纤维化分期中EpCAM阳性细胞增生的数量存在显著差异(r=0.56,P＜0.001).结论 在小儿胆道闭锁疾病中,EpCAM阳性的不成熟胆道上皮细胞在短时间内迅速增生,可能是胆道闭锁患儿肝纤维化进展迅速的主要原因.     

Orthotopic liver transplantation in patients with biliary atresia and situs inversus

Situs inversus (SI) and the polysplenia syndrome (PS) occur relatively frequently in patients with biliary atresia, the largest subgroup of pediatric liver transplantation patients. We present two cases of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in pediatric patients with SI. One had SI totalis, where a normal liver was placed in the left upper quadrant (LUQ) with the right lobe overlying the vertebral column. The second had PS and isolated SI of the liver, and a living-related left-lateral-segment graft was placed in the LUQ. Although multiple, often unpredictable vascular and intestinal anomalies occur frequently in association with SI, particularly in the setting of the PS, these cases, as well as several others recently reported, reveal that these anomalies can be managed successfully by a variety of technical modifications of the standard OLT technique. Likewise, concerns about the placement of a situs solitus liver in the midline or LUQ position of a SI abdomen have proved to be unfounded. Accepted: 24 June 1997     

儿童终末期肝病评分在胆道闭锁患儿肝移植中的应用

儿童终末期肝病(pediatric end-stage liver disease,PELD)评分系统是根据客观的实验室检查数据评估儿童肝脏疾病严重程度的模型,国际上用它来分配日益减少的供肝给儿童肝移植受者.对于Kasai手术效果不佳的胆道闭锁(biliary atresia,BA)患儿来说,肝移植成为唯一的选择.本文通过分析PELD评分系统与经典的临床肝功能Child分级、BA肝移植手术时机的选择、活体肝移植(living donor liver transplantation,LDLT)、肝纤维化、葛西手术(Kasai procedure,KP)以及肝移植手术预后之间可能存在的关联,旨在较全面的了解PELD评分在BA患儿肝移植中所发挥的作用,力求使其应用更加科学、合理.     

Gastroschisis and biliary atresia in a neonate: uncommon presentation or common precipitant.

We report here on a newborn infant who initially presented with a history of gastroschisis, abdominal distension, and jaundice. Further studies revealed that the child had findings consistent with extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA). The child later developed hepatic failure and subsequently expired. The purpose of this case report is to discuss the pathogenesis of each disease process and to identify any commonality between the pathogenesis of gastroschisis and EHBA.     

Living-related liver transplantation for biliary atresia associated with polysplenia syndrome

This report describes a 1-yr-old boy with biliary atresia (BA) and polysplenia syndrome (PS) who underwent successful living-related liver transplantation (LTx). At the time of initial hepatic portoenterostomy, he was noticed to have a preduodenal portal vein (PV), non-rotation of the intestine, and polysplenia. Because he did not achieve good bile excretion, he underwent a living-related LTx (using a left lateral segment from his mother) at the age of 14 months. Evaluation of the vascular anatomy was made by angiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT), and Doppler ultrasound. The PV was stenotic from the confluence of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) and splenic vein (SpV) to the hepatic hilum. The retrohepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) was deficient cranially to the renal vein and was connected to the azygous vein. The supra-hepatic IVC was detected below the diaphragm and was connected to three hepatic veins. The common hepatic artery (HA) originated from the superior mesenteric artery. At LTx, the PV was dissected to the level of confluence of the SMV and the SpV, from which the venous graft was interposed using the donor's ovarian vein. Three hepatic veins were plastied into one orifice, which was anastomosed to the graft's hepatic vein under the diaphragm. The graft vascularity and function has been good for 1 yr after LTx. In the present case, sufficient pre-LTx evaluation of vascular anomalies seemed to help performance of the successful LTx.     

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity and its serial measurement in differentiation between extrahepatic biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis

The liver functions of 17 babies with extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) and 19 babies with neonatal hepatitis (NNH) were analyzed. The serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) level and its rate of rise were significantly higher in the EHBA group. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showed a positive correlation between the GGTP activity and the duration of the disease. The diagnostic accuracy is 79% for EHBA and 95% for NNH. It is suggested that GGTP and its rate of rise are the most important biochemical parameters in the differential diagnosis of these two diseases.