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Background: Adenomatous gallbladder polyps, premalignant lesions of the gallbladder, have fatal outcomes, whereas cholesterol polyps have benign features. Herein, we proposed a novel, predictive scoring model of adenomatous polyps to distinguish them from cholesterol polyps, by analyzing bile components and bile viscosity.Methods: Patients with gallbladder polyp pathologically confirmed after cholecystectomies were analyzed. After dividing patients into two groups (adenomatous or cholesterol polyps), the clinicopathologic profiles and bile nature, including components and viscosity were compared and a predictive scoring model for adenomatous polyps was assessed.Results: Eleven adenomatous polyps and 96 cholesterol polyps were analyzed. The variables significantly associated with adenomatous polyps were age > 55 years (OR = 23.550, p = 0.020), bile viscosity< 7.5 s- 1 (OR = 22.539, p = 0.012), and bile cholesterol< 414.5 mg/dl (OR = 10.004, p = 0.023) and the points for each variable in the predictive scoring model were allocated as 3, 3, and 2, respectively. Final scores ranged from 0 to 8 points and the best performance of model at a cutoff of ≥6 points had 90.9% of sensitivity and 80.2% of specificity.Conclusions: Bile viscosity and bile cholesterol accompanied by age were revealed as significant predictors of adenomatous polyps, distinguishing them from cholesterol polyps of gallbladder. It can be the cornerstone for creating accurate guidelines for preoperatively determining treatment strategies of gallbladder polyps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic surgery has been performed less frequently in the era of pancreatic cancer due to technical difficulties and concerns about oncological safety. Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) is expected to be helpful to obtain a negative margin during radical lymph node dissection. We hypothesized that it would also be favorable as a laparoscopic application due to unique features.Methods: Fifteen laparoscopic RAMPS for well-selected patients with left-sided pancreatic cancer were performed from July 2011 to April 2016. Five trocars were usually used, and the operative procedures and range of dissection were similar to or the same as those of open RAMPS described by Strasberg. All medical records and follow-up data were reviewed and analyzed.Results: All patients had pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Mean operative time was 219.3 ± 53.8 min, and estimated blood loss was 250 ± 70 ml. The length of postoperative hospital stay was 6.1 ± 1.2 days, and postoperative morbidities developed in two patients (13.3%) with urinary retention. The median number of retrieved lymph nodes was 18.1 ± 6.2 and all had negative margins. Median follow-up time was 46.0 months, and the 3-year disease free survival and overall survival rates were 56.3% and 74.1%, respectively.Conclusion: Our early experience with laparoscopic RAMPS achieved feasible perioperative results accompanied by acceptable survival outcomes. Laparoscopic RAMPS could be a safe and oncologically feasible procedure in well-selected patients with left-sided pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is a treatment modality for choledocholithiasis. The advantages of this technique are that it is less invasive than conventional open surgery and it permits single-stage management; however, other technical difficulties limit its use. The aim of this article is to introduce our novel technique for LCBDE, which may overcome some of the limitations of conventional LCBDE. Since December 2013, ten patients have undergone LCBDE using a V-shaped choledochotomy (V-CBD). After the confluence of the cystic duct and the CBD were exposed, a V-shaped incision was made along the medial wall of the cystic duct and the lateral wall of the common hepatic duct, which comprise two sides of Calot's triangle. The choledochoscope was inserted into the lumen of the CBD through a V-shaped incision, and all CBD stones were retrieved using a basket or a Fogarty balloon catheter or were irrigated with saline. After CBD clearance was confirmed using the choledochoscope, the choledochotomy was closed with the bard absorbable suture material known as V-loc. Results: The diameter of the CBD ranged from 8 to 30 mm, and the mean size of the stones was 11.6 ± 8.4 mm. The mean operative time was 97.8 ± 30.3 min, and the mean length of the postoperative hospital stay was 6.0 ± 4.6 days. All patients recovered without any postoperative complications, except for one patient who developed postoperative pancreatitis. No conversions to laparotomy were observed, and there were no recurrent stones and no need of T-tube insertion. Conclusions: This report suggests that our novel technique, known as V-CBD, may represent a feasible and straightforward procedure for treating choledocholithiasis, especially when the CBD is not dilated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biliary tract cancers have limitations in information about different location-related pathogenesis and clinico-pathological characteristics. The goal of this study was to investigate anatomical site-related similarities and differences in biliary tract cancers and to assess the expression and clinical significance of functional proteins such as p53, cyclin D1, survivin, thymidine phosphorylase, and ERCC1. Methods: One hundred and sixty-one patients with biliary tract adenocarcinomas, who underwent curative or palliative surgery in a single institution between October 1994 and December 2003 were evaluated, retrospectively. The level of protein expression of p53, cyclin D1, survivin, thymidine phosphorylase, and ERCC1 was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results: With respect to clinico-pathological characteristics, gallbladder cancer was more frequent in women, and bile duct cancer was more common in men. Perineural invasion was more common in bile duct cancer. Recurrence as a distant metastasis was more common in gallbladder cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that thymidine phosphorylase expression was significantly higher in gallbladder cancer than in bile duct cancer. Positive thymidine phosphorylase and p53 staining were associated with an advanced stage. Differentiation, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, lymphatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage independently predicted poor prognosis in biliary tract cancer. These correlations were seen more clearly in gallbladder cancer. The immunohistochemical staining patterns of p53, cyclin D1, survivin, thymidine phosphorylase, and ERCC1 showed no prognostic significance in biliary tract cancers. Conclusions: We concluded that gallbladder and bile duct cancers are considered to be separate diseases with different clinico-pathological characteristics and prognostic factors. In addition, we hypothesize that high expression of thymidine phosphorylase by gallbladder cancer results in a higher response rate to capecitabine by gallbladder cancer than bile duct cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]