Laparoscopic treatment of solid and cystic tumors of the liver. Study of 33 cases

AIM OF THE STUDY: Laparoscopic liver surgery is still in its early stages. The aim of this study was to report our experience in the laparoscopic management of solid and cystic liver tumours. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From April 1991 to December 1999, 32 patients with various lesions of the liver underwent laparoscopic liver surgery. One group of patients presented with cysts (n = 15) (11 giant solitary cysts and 4 polycystic liver diseases) and one group of patients presented with solid tumours (n = 18): focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 8), haemangioma (n = 6), adenoma (n = 2), isolated metastasis from a colonic cancer (n = 1) and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 1). Fifteen cyst fenestrations and eighteen liver resections were performed via a laparoscopic approach including 1 right lobectomy, 5 left lateral segmentectomies, 2 subsegmentectomies IVb, 1 segmentectomy III and 9 non-anatomical resections. RESULTS: Conversion to laparotomy was performed in one case (3%) at the end of the operation (patient who had successfully undergone left lateral segmentectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma) to check the resection margins and surgical transection had been performed in healthy parenchyma. Mean diameter of solid tumours was 6.5 cm and 15.7 cm for solitary cysts. The mean operating time for hepatic resections was 232 minutes. There was no postoperative mortality. Complications occurred in one case for each group and consisted in intestinal stricture through a port site requiring intestinal resection. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 5.6 days for solid tumours and 7.5 days for cystic lesions. In the group of cystic lesions, the recurrence rate was 50% with a 5.5-months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic liver surgery can be safely performed, but requires a good experience in open hepatic surgery and laparoscopic surgery. The laparoscopic approach is indicated in patients with symptomatic or atypical benign solid tumour, giant solitary cyst and polycystic liver disease, located anteriorly on the liver. Indications for malignant lesions have not been clearly defined and require further information.     

Retrospective analysis of prognostic factors after liver resection and transplantation for cholangiocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocellular carcinoma is an uncommon primary liver cancer, which may be mixed with hepatocellular carcinoma. A retrospective analysis was undertaken to evaluate the results of surgical treatment and to identify prognostic factors. METHODS: Between 1978 and 1996, 162 patients underwent surgery for cholangiocellular carcinoma: liver resection (n = 95), liver transplantation (n = 24) and exploratory laparotomy with and without drainage (n = 43). Univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors were performed. RESULTS: Overall survival was 47 per cent at 1 year, 28 per cent at 2 years and 13 per cent at 5 years. Survival rates for patients with resectable tumours were 64, 43 and 21 per cent respectively, and for those who underwent liver transplantation 21, 8 per cent and zero respectively. Univariate analysis showed that the following variables had an effect on survival: age, jaundice, liver resection, T, N and M stage in the tumour node metastasis classification, Union Internacional Contra la Cancrum (UICC) tumour stage, tumour-free margins, vascular infiltration, tumour number, tumour size and serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen. Multivariate analysis identified jaundice, N and M category, and UICC tumour stage as independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: The data underscore the importance and prognostic value of the UICC tumour classification for cholangiocellular carcinoma. The prognosis of mixed tumours is no different. Liver resection remains the treatment of choice; transplantation offers no solution for otherwise unresectable tumours.     

Benign mesenchymal tumours of the lung including sclerosing haemangiomas

Clinical aspects of twelve patients with benign mesenchymal lung tumours including four so-called sclerosing haemangiomas were studied. The age of the patients varied from 17 to 62 years (mean 40 years). Seven patients were female and five were male. The benign tumour was enucleated in five cases and excised by segmentectomy in one case. Three tumours were removed by lobectomy, and one by bilobectomy including bronchial resection and bronchoplasty. Two tumours (an endobronchial leiomyoma and fibroma) were removed by bronchial resection. Two patients who had previous hysterectomy for uterine leiomyomas had intraparenchymal pulmonary leiomyomas with histologically benign appearance. Although these tumours might represent metastases from uterine tumours, the follow-up of 5 and 8 years did not reveal clinically malignant features. None of the patients in this series showed tumour recurrences. Our results confirm earlier observations suggesting that the so-called sclerosing haemangioma is actually an epithelial, not a mesenchymal tumour.     

Accuracy of computed tomography guided core needle biopsy of musculoskeletal tumours

BACKGROUND: The accurate diagnosis of musculoskeletal tumours is important for successful treatment. Image guided biopsy is gaining increasing acceptance for obtaining tissue for diagnosis. The aim of the present study is to assess the accuracy of computed tomography (CT)-guided core needle biopsy of musculoskeletal tumours. METHODS: This is a retrospective study on a series of 127 patients with a musculoskeletal tumour. The biopsies were performed over a 4-year period from 1998 to 2001. The accuracy of the CT-guided core needle biopsy was determined by comparing the histology of the biopsy with the final histology of the specimen obtained at open biopsy or surgical resection of the tumour. The effective accuracy was determined by the accuracy of the biopsy to distinguish between a benign and malignant tumour. RESULTS: Computed tomography guided core needle biopsy in the present series has an overall accuracy of 80.3%. The effective accuracy as determined by a malignant versus benign lesion was 89%. There were 86 malignant tumours with a biopsy accuracy of 81.4% and there were 41 benign tumours with a biopsy accuracy of 78%. The positive predictive value (PPV) of a malignant tumour is 98.9% and the PPV of benign tumour 90.2%. The most common site of biopsy was from the femur and thigh, together accounting for 39.4% of the tumours. The most common tumours in this series were liposarcoma (n = 12), osteosarcoma (n = 11) and giant cell tumour (n = 11). There were no reported complications arising from the biopsy. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography guided core needle biopsy is a safe and effective procedure that is important in the diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal tumours. It should be performed in a specialized institution with a multidisciplinary musculoskeletal tumour team.     

Treatment strategy for patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous irresectable liver metastases

BACKGROUND: The aim of this case-matched study was to determine the best treatment strategy for patients with asymptomatic colorectal cancer and irresectable synchronous liver metastases. METHODS: Between 1997 and 2002, 27 patients with asymptomatic colorectal cancer and irresectable synchronous liver metastases were treated by chemotherapy without initial primary resection (chemotherapy group). These 27 patients were compared with 32 patients matched for age, sex, performance status, primary tumour location, number of liver metastases, nature of irresectable disease and type of chemotherapy, but who were treated initially by resection of primary tumour (resection group). RESULTS: The 2-year actuarial survival rate was 41 per cent in the chemotherapy group and 44 per cent in the resection group (P = 0.753). In the latter group, the mortality and morbidity rates for primary resection were 0 and 19 per cent (six of 32 patients) respectively. In the chemotherapy group, intestinal obstruction related to the primary tumour occurred in four of 27 patients. The mean overall hospital stay was 11 days in the chemotherapy group and 22 days in the resection group (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Systemic chemotherapy without resection of the bowel cancer is the option of choice because, for most patients, it is associated with a shorter hospital stay and avoids surgery without a detrimental effect on survival.     

Survival after hepatic resection for malignant tumours.

A retrospective analysis of 194 patients who underwent hepatic resection for primary or metastatic malignant disease from January 1962 to December 1988 was undertaken to determine variables that might aid the selection of patients for hepatic resection. Hepatic metastases were the indication for resection in 126 patients. The 5-year survival rate was 17 per cent. For patients with resected metastases from colorectal cancer (n = 104), the survival rate at 5 years was 18 per cent. The 5-year survival rate was 27 per cent when the resection margin was > 5 mm compared with 9 per cent when the margin was < or = 5 mm (P < 0.01). No patient with extrahepatic invasion, lymphatic spread, involvement of the resection margin or gross residual disease survived to 5 years, compared with a 23 per cent 5-year survival rate for patients undergoing curative resection (P < 0.02). The survival rate of patients with poorly differentiated primary tumours was nil at 3 years compared with a 20 per cent 5-year survival rate for patients with well or moderately differentiated tumours (P not significant). The site and Dukes' classification of the primary tumour, the sex and preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level of the patient, and the number and size of hepatic metastases did not affect the prognosis. The 5-year survival rate for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 42) was 25 per cent. An improved survival rate was found for patients whose alpha-fetoprotein level was normal (37 per cent at 5 years) compared with those having a raised level (nil at 3 years) (P < 0.01). Involvement of the resection margin, extrahepatic spread and spread to regional lymph nodes were associated with an 8 per cent 5-year survival rate versus 44 per cent for curative resection (P < 0.005). The presence of cirrhosis, the presence of symptoms, and the multiplicity and size of the tumour did not affect the prognosis. The 5-year survival rate of 11 patients with hepatic sarcoma was 25 per cent. No patient with peripheral cholangiocarcinoma survived to 1 year in contrast to patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma, all four of whom survived for more than 14 months.     

Telangiectatic variant of hepatic adenoma: clinicopathologic features and correlation between liver needle biopsy and resection

Telangiectatic hepatic adenoma (THA) is a benign neoplasm treated by resection. The role of liver needle biopsy in identifying THA before resection has not been evaluated. We identified 55 patients who have undergone resection for hepatic adenoma (HA), THA, or focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) after needle biopsy. Needle biopsies and resections were evaluated for the following: (1) abortive portal tracts; (2) sinusoidal dilatation; (3) ductular reaction; (4) inflammation; (5) aberrant naked vessels; (6) nodules, fibrous septa, and/or central stellate scar. THA diagnosis was made if the lesion had the first 4 criteria and lacked criterion 6. Most patients (36 of 55), including patients with THA (12 of 16), had multiple lesions (0.2 to 14.4 cm). Patients with THA showed no difference in age, body mass index, prevalence of diabetes or glucose intolerance, or presence of oral contraceptive (OCP) use from patients with HA or FNH, but patients with THA had longer periods of OCP use than patients with HA. Thirty-one percent of THAs had tumor hemorrhage. Of sampled THAs, 27% showed steatosis compared with 76% of sampled HAs (P<0.05). All resected HAs and FNHs were correctly diagnosed on needle biopsy. Of 14 patients with resected THA, 3 histologic patterns were noted on needle biopsy: (1) All THA criteria and naked vessels were present in 6 patients (43%). (2) Consistent with HA: naked vessels only were present in 4 patients (29%). (3) Suggestive of THA: some but not all THA criteria were present in 4 patients (29%). No needle biopsy of a THA was misdiagnosed as FNH. Although evaluation of resection specimens is the gold standard for diagnosis of THA, liver needle biopsy is a useful diagnostic tool that leads to adequate treatment.     

Randomized clinical trial of the effect of interferon alpha on survival in patients with disseminated midgut carcinoid tumours

BACKGROUND: Midgut carcinoid tumours often present with widespread disease making curative surgery impossible. Medical treatment therefore plays a major role in the treatment of these patients. METHODS: In this prospective randomized study, the effect of interferon (IFN) alpha on survival and risk of tumour progression was evaluated in 68 patients with midgut carcinoid tumours metastatic to the liver. All patients had undergone primary surgical treatment and hepatic arterial embolization of liver metastases before randomization. Patients were randomized to treatment with either octreotide alone (n = 35) or octreotide in combination with IFN-alpha (n = 33). RESULTS: Forty-one of the 68 patients died during a follow-up period of 33-120 months, equivalent to a 5-year survival rate of 46.5 per cent. There was no significant difference in survival between patients treated with octreotide alone (5-year survival rate 36.6 per cent) and those given octreotide in combination with IFN-alpha (56.8 per cent). However, patients treated with IFN-alpha had a significantly reduced risk of tumour progression during follow-up (P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Addition of IFN-alpha to octreotide may retard tumour growth in patients with midgut carcinoid tumours.     

Surgical treatment of adult primary hepatic sarcoma

BACKGROUND: Primary sarcomas of the liver are extremely rare in adults. Optimal therapeutic approaches remain unclear. METHODS: Twenty consecutive adult patients who had surgical treatment for primary hepatic sarcomas were reviewed. Patient age ranged from 23 to 80 years. Other than one patient with primary hepatic angiosarcoma who had a history of thorium dioxide colloid (Thorotrast) exposure 23 years before diagnosis, no predisposing causes were apparent. Nineteen patients had hepatic resection and one patient had an orthotopic liver transplant. No patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy but radiotherapy was delivered intraoperatively in one patient. RESULTS: Leiomyosarcoma was the most common histological type of sarcoma diagnosed (five of 20 patients), followed by malignant solitary fibrous tumour (four) and epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (three). Fourteen tumours were high-grade sarcomas and six were low grade malignancies. Thirteen patients developed a recurrence. Distant metastases (ten patients) and intrahepatic recurrence (six) were the predominant sites of initial treatment failure. Six patients received salvage chemotherapy. Histological grade was the only factor significantly associated with overall patient survival (P= 0.03). With complete resection, patients with high-grade tumours had a 5-year survival rate of 18 (95 per cent confidence interval 5-62) per cent compared with 80 (52-100) per cent for patients with low-grade tumours. The 5-year survival rate for all 20 patients was 37 (20-60) per cent. CONCLUSION: Surgical resection is the only effective therapy for primary hepatic sarcomas at present. Better adjuvant therapy is necessary, especially for high-grade malignancies, owing to the high failure rate with operation alone.     

Resection rate and effect of postoperative chemotherapy on survival after surgery for colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether adjuvant therapy can improve survival after curative resection of colorectal liver metastases. METHODS: Some 235 patients had 256 liver resections for metastatic colorectal cancer. There were no predefined criteria for resectability with regard either to the number or size of the tumours or to locoregional invasion, except that resection had potentially to be complete and macroscopically curative. All patients who had curative hepatic resection were advised to start postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: The resectability rate in screened patients was 91 per cent (235 of 259 patients); the postoperative mortality rate was 4 per cent. In 35 patients resection of the primary tumour was performed simultaneously with partial liver resection. Forty-four patients (19 per cent) developed intra-abdominal recurrence; 14 (6 per cent) underwent reoperation and the recurrent tumour was resected. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 99 patients (55 per cent), most treatments being based on 5-fluorouracil with folinic acid. The overall actuarial survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 87, 60 and 36 per cent respectively. In a multivariate analysis, four or more metastases, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level higher than 5 ng/ml and a positive resection margin were independent predictors of poor outcome. Adjuvant chemotherapy improved the 5-year survival rate to 53 per cent. CONCLUSION: This study provides some evidence that postoperative chemotherapy is beneficial; however, prospective randomized studies are necessary to define its exact role.     

Benign liver tumors in adults: Diagnosis and management

Benign tumors of the liver are a heterogeneous group of lesions whose detection has greatly increased because of the widespread use of imaging techniques. Only a few types, such as cavernous hemangiomas, focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH), hepatic adenoma (HA), and cysts, are frequent enough to be of clinical importance. Although often asymptomatic, these tumors are sometimes associated with pain or digestive symptoms. In some of them, hormonal manipulation has a role in both the development and the course. Complications, such as spontaneous rupture or sudden increase in size, have been reported. Only in hepatic adenoma is malignant transformation considered possible. The clinical importance of these tumors lies mainly in making a correct diagnosis of the type of lesion, and in ruling out primary or metastatic tumors. Although most cases can now be identified through imaging techniques, in some, diagnosis remains uncertain even after percutaneous biopsy, making surgical exploration necessary. We here consider 104 patients with benign lesions: 60 underwent resection; the remaining 44 had follow up only. Of the former group, 35 had hemangiomas, 16 “cellular” tumors (either FNH or HA), and 9 cystic lesions. Forty-four were resected due to the presence of symptoms and 16 because of uncertain diagnosis. It is concluded that cavernous hemangioma, FNH, and most of the cysts have a favorable clinical evolution and, when the diagnosis is certain, resection is not indicated. Surgery can be considered for symptomatic or complicated cases and those in which the diagnosis remains uncertain with imaging work-up techniques. HA and cystic adenoma require surgical treatment even in asymptomatic patients.     

Determinants of survival in liver resection for colorectal secondaries

All 72 resections for colorectal liver secondaries during the period 1971-1984 were analysed retrospectively. Liver tumours were single in 35 (49 per cent), unilateral in 55 (76 per cent) and associated with extrahepatic disease in 12 (18 per cent) patients. Operative mortality was 5.6 per cent. With respect to the disease in the liver, the presence or absence of four or more metastases was the predominant prognostic determinant with a 5 year survival rate of 20 per cent in patients with less than four liver tumours, and no 3 year survivor among patients with four or more tumours. When the number of liver tumours was less than four, the prognosis in patients with unilateral disease was not significantly better than in patients with bilateral disease (P = 0.19). No other liver disease variable seemed to play any role in the prognosis. Extrahepatic disease was associated with a poor prognosis and no 5 year survivor. The length of the tumour-free resection margin was the only treatment variable that varied with the outcome: a resection margin of less than 10 mm was followed by a poor survival. Variables that did not influence survival included uni- or bilateral disease, liver tumour volume, tumour size, type of liver resection, Dukes' classification, differentiation of the primary tumour and synchronous or metachronous disease. It is concluded that resection for liver colorectal secondaries is indicated when there are less than four liver tumours, even if bilateral, no extrahepatic disease is present, and a resection margin of at least 10 mm can be obtained. It should not be performed unless all of these requirements are met.     

Liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in non-cirrhotic liver without underlying viral hepatitis

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arising in normal liver parenchyma is rare and the outcome after hepatectomy is not well documented. METHODS: Between June 1998 and September 2003, 33 patients without viral hepatitis underwent resection for HCC in a non-cirrhotic, non-fibrotic liver. Data were analysed with regard to operative details, pathological findings including completeness of resection, and outcome as measured by tumour recurrence and survival. RESULTS: Twenty-three major hepatectomies and ten segmentectomies or bisegmentectomies were performed. After potentially curative resection, 19 of 29 patients were alive at a median follow-up of 25 months, with calculated 1- and 3-year survival rates of 87 and 50 per cent respectively. Survival was significantly better after resection of tumours without vascular invasion (3-year survival rate 89 versus 18 per cent; P = 0.024). Disseminated recurrence developed in nine of 29 patients, leading to death within 28 months of operation in all but one of the nine. CONCLUSION: These data justify hepatic resection for HCC arising in non-cirrhotic, non-fibrotic liver without underlying viral hepatitis. Liver transplantation is rarely indicated because the outcome is good after resection of tumours without vascular infiltration, whereas vascular invasion is invariably associated with diffuse extrahepatic recurrence.     

Primary endocrine tumours of the liver

BACKGROUND: In patients with hepatic endocrine tumours, a primary neoplasm is not always found elsewhere despite extensive investigations, raising the possibility that the hepatic lesion is the primary tumour. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence, characteristics and prognosis of patients with primary hepatic endocrine tumours. METHODS: Patients with histologically confirmed hepatic endocrine tumours identified since 1993 were reviewed. All those with no primary tumour identified by computed tomography of the thorax, abdomen and pelvis, upper and lower digestive endoscopy, duodenopancreatic endoscopic ultrasonography or somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) were included. Clinical and tumour characteristics were assessed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of 393 patients with digestive endocrine tumours, 17 (seven men; median age 55 (range 26-69) years) had hepatic endocrine tumours without evidence of an extrahepatic primary lesion either at diagnosis or during a median follow-up of 43 (range 12-108) months. Ten patients had multiple and seven had single tumours. The tumours were non-functional in 13 patients and well differentiated in 14 patients. SRS was positive in the liver in 11 patients. Curative resection was performed in seven. Overall actuarial survival rates were 100, 69 and 51 per cent at 1, 3 and 5 years respectively. Only poor differentiation was associated with an unfavourable outcome (relative risk 20.8; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Primary hepatic endocrine tumours were identified in almost 5 per cent of patients with digestive endocrine tumours. Poor differentiation was the only factor associated with unfavourable outcome.     

Long-term follow-up of resection of primary benign right ventricular tumours: a 10-year surgical experience

IntroductionPrimary benign right ventricular tumours are rare. They can cause significant mortality without appropriate and timely treatment. We investigated surgical treatment and survival characteristics for right ventricular tumours.Materials and methodsFrom 2007 to 2017, 21 patients with primary benign right ventricular tumours who underwent tumour resection were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical findings and follow-up results were analysed.ResultsThirteen men and eight women were enrolled, with a mean age of 42.3 ± 15.3 years. The most frequent histotypes were myxoma, haemangioma and papillary fibroelastoma. Eight patients underwent concomitant tricuspid valvuloplasty and one had tricuspid valve replacement. No major adverse events or death occurred during the perioperative period. One patient with haemangioma underwent partial tumour resection; however, the tumour regressed gradually during follow-up. Within the 10-year follow-up period (mean 4.8 ± 2.6 years), the recurrence-free and overall survival rates were 81.0% and 85.7%, respectively.ConclusionsTumour resection for primary benign right ventricular tumours is safe and effective, and has a good prognosis. Tricuspid valvuloplasty or tricuspid valve replacement may be necessary for the resection of right ventricular tumours to improve the haemodynamics. Haemangiomas naturally undergo spontaneous regression.     

Percutaneous fine-needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis and management of liver tumours

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the value of percutaneous fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis and management of liver tumours. METHODS: FNAC followed by histopathological examination was carried out in 216 patients with suspected liver tumours. The final diagnosis was primary liver cancer in 106, colorectal metastases in 51, non-colorectal metastases in 46, benign tumour in nine and no tumour in four patients. RESULTS: Cytology resulted in correct classification of the lesion as benign or malignant in 87 per cent of patients, correct discrimination between primary and secondary malignancy in half of the patients, and a correct diagnosis of tumour type in one-third of patients. The tumour was erroneously classified as benign or malignant in 22 patients (11 per cent) and four patients (2 per cent) respectively. When FNAC showed malignancy, the predictive value was 98 per cent, whereas the predictive value was 27 per cent when it did not. FNAC guided investigations and treatment in one-quarter of patients. Implantation metastases were recorded in seven patients (3 per cent), including five (10 per cent) of 51 patients with colorectal liver metastases, and caused major local problems and death in four patients. CONCLUSION: FNAC was valuable in about a quarter of patients with liver tumour. The risks of implantation metastases and a false-negative finding do not justify its use in candidates for curative therapy of liver tumours.     

Successful Arterial Embolisation of Giant Liver Haemangioma

A 28-year old man presented with a symptomatic giant haemangioma. On June 26, 1983, at laparotomy, no resection was attempted because the lesion involved the right lobe of the liver and a part of segments II and III. The patient underwent a right hepatic arterial embolisation with gelatine sponge particles. During follow-up, the patient remained asymptomatic. Five-year review by CT-scan showed a diminution of the size of the haemangioma and hypertrophy of the left lobe. On October 21, 1988, the patient was reoperated on for liver abscess and complete necrosis of the haemangioma. A right hepatectomy was performed. In conclusion, the long-term effect of hepatic arterial embolisation, as demonstrated in our case by regular CT-scans, is useful in cases of diffuse haemangioma as an alternative to hazardous major liver resection. To our knowledge, the long-term effect of hepatic arterial embolisation on symptoms and tumor size have never been reported for giant liver haemangioma.     

Incidence of benign lesions in patients resected for suspicious hilar obstruction

BACKGROUND: The differentiation between benign and malignant strictures at the hepatic hilum is difficult. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and radiographical features of hilar lesions in a series of patients resected for a presumed cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: Of 132 consecutive patients undergoing resection for a suspicious lesion at the hepatic hilum, 20 (15 per cent) had a histopathologically proven benign tumour, diagnosed as chronic fibrosing or erosive inflammation, sclerosing cholangitis, or a granular cell tumour. All medical files and radiological examinations of the patients were reassessed. RESULTS: Clinical symptoms were considered suspicious in 16 of 19 patients. At ultrasonography only one of 16 patients had an unsuspicious examination. In 14 of 18 patients cholangiographic images were considered suspicious. Overall reassessment confirmed a suspicious lesion in all 20 patients. CONCLUSION: Because of the limitations of current diagnostic tools, a false-positive preoperative diagnosis of malignancy resulted in a 15 per cent resection rate of benign lesions in this series of suspicious hilar strictures.     

Surgical treatment of patients with stenosis of the central airway due to tracheal tumours

This study retrospectively evaluated bronchoscopic and surgical treatments for patients with central airway stenosis due to tracheal tumours. Seven patients treated by resection and reconstruction of the trachea for tracheal tumours between 1994 and 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The most common histological finding was thyroid carcinoma (n = 3), followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 2), a metastatic thyroid tumour (n = 1), and a benign granular cell tumour (n = 1). Three of the patients required preoperative laser treatment (Nd:YAG) for recanalization. Five patients underwent end-to-end anastomosis for reconstruction. There was no postoperative mortality or morbidity such as anastomotic insufficiency of the reconstructed trachea. Three patients with a microscopic residual tumour required postoperative external radiotherapy. Surgical resection of malignant tracheal tumours is recommended not only for curative purposes, but also for reduction of the risk of smothering.     

Intraperitoneal hemorrhage in a patient with hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia

Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is a common benign liver tumor that is often confused with hepatic adenoma. Despite the benign course of both lesions, hepatic adenomas are associated with rupture and bleeding, and suggested management often includes prophylactic surgical resection. FNH lesions are thought to not rupture or bleed, and traditional management does not include resection. We report the case of a woman with FNH who presented with intraperitoneal hemorrhage after the rupture of a FNH lesion. Only six previous documented cases of hemoperitoneum associated with FNH have ever been reported. This report reviews all previously recorded cases of FNH lesions that have resulted in intraperitoneal hemorrhage. We suggest that although FNH is a benign lesion and intervention is typically unnecessary, the potential for rupture requiring surgical resection should always be considered.