Small pancreatic carcinoma misdiagnosed as superficially spreading cholangiocarcinoma

We report a case of small pancreatic carcinoma misdiagnosed as superficially spreading cholangiocarcinoma using percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS). The patient was a 72-year-old man admitted to a local hospital with obstructive jaundice. The patient underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and PTCS. He was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of superficially spreading cholangiocarcinoma. Cholangiography revealed a stenosis of the common bile duct, and also revealed some irregularities from the common hepatic duct to the left hepatic duct, suggesting a superficial spread of cancer. No pancreatic tumor was identified by endoscopic retrograde pancreatography or by enhanced computed tomography. Cholangioscopy disclosed an elevated tumor with torsional vessels and granular mucosal lesions, which were extended to the left hepatic duct. Repeated cholangioscopic biopsies of the bile duct mucosa revealed adenocarcinoma. The patient was diagnosed with superficially spreading cholangiocarcinoma extending to the left hepatic duct and the right anterior hepatic duct. Left trisectionectomy combined with pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. The cut surface of the resected specimen showed a pancreatic head tumor that was 8 mm in diameter. Histological findings of the resected specimen revealed adenocarcinoma arising from the pancreatic head with invasion in the common bile duct. Additionally, extensive inflammatory granulation tissue was observed along the surface of the bile duct, without any evidence of carcinoma. This case implies to us that the results of PTCS, even after repeated biopsies, should be interpreted with great caution.     

Is preoperative biliary drainage necessary according to evidence-based medicine?

Preoperative biliary drainage has been in use for a long time and is still being performed today in some institutions, but there has been a long-standing issue as to whether the necessity of this procedure has been proven medically. Many problems existed previously, such as systemic complications due to the difficulty in diagnosing and differentiating obstructive jaundice from jaundice left untreated for a long time, or surgeon-based problems such as a lack of surgical skill or undeveloped surgical techniques, or even inexperience in perioperative patient management. These problems, however, are being overcome with time, and the advantages of preoperative biliary drainage are now being questioned according to evidence-based medicine. Several recent controlled trials have clearly shown that preoperative biliary drainage is not necessary for lower bile duct obstruction, although it was noted that surgery after reduction of jaundice by percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD) was very easily performed. It is important to understand that preoperative biliary drainage is unnecessary for lower bile duct obstruction, whether the technique follows a percutaneous approach, an endoscopic apporach, or stenting. Although it is still being debated, there have already been several reports regarding whether preoperative biliary drainage is necessary for upper bile duct obstruction, such as hilar bile duct carcinoma. This also needs to be clarified by randomized controlled trials. Aside from preoperative biliary drainage, the utilization of biliary drainage or stenting has been fully recognized as important for removing intrahepatic stones or choledochal stones, as well as for emergency drainage for acute cholangitis and for the treatment of unresectable malignant biliary stenosis. Additionally, percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS), using the PTCD, or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) route, plays a major role not only in the removal of biliary stones but also in the diagnosis of cases in which it is difficult to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. Received: August 2, 2000 / Accepted: September 22, 2000     

经皮经肝胆道镜对原发性肝内胆管结石的疗效评价

目的 探讨经皮经肝胆道镜(PTCS)治疗肝内胆管结石的临床应用价值.方法 回顾性分析70例进行PTCS手术的肝内胆管结石患者,评价患者术后结石清除情况以及在接受PTCS手术后随访评价结石复发情况.结果 肝内胆管结石患者的彻底清除60例,术后清除率为85.7％.61例患者的平均随访时间为6年,经影像学检查证实有12例结石复发.结论 PTCS对治疗肝内胆管结石是一种安全、有效、易重复的方法,具有取石快、结石残留率低、术后并发症少、微创等优点.PTCS是原发性胆管结石中具有较大临床应用价值.