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Purpose: Bile duct injury is a serious complication after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). If it is not detected early and treated actively, it will not only affect the subsequent tumor-related treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, but also may lead to serious consequences such as infection, liver failure and even death. To analyze the risk factors of bile duct injury after TACE in patients with HCC and explore the predictive indicators of bile duct injury after TACE, which is helpful for doctors to detect and intervene early and avoid the occurrence of serious complications., Method: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 847 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent TACE for the first time in our interventional department. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether bile duct injury occurred after TACE: (1) bile duct injury group, N = 55; (2) no bile duct injury group, N = 792. The basic data, intraoperative conditions and the outcome of bile duct injury were analyzed. The chi-square test was used for comparison of enumeration data. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of measurement data. Risk factor analysis was performed using binary logistic regression analysis., Results: Basic data and intraoperative conditions were compared between the bile duct injury group and the group without bile duct injury: preoperative alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (103.24 ± 32.77U/L vs. 89.17 ± 37.35U/L, P = 0.003); history of hepatobiliary surgery (36.4% vs. 20.8%, P = 0.011); intraoperative lipiodol volume (P = 0.007); combined use of gelatin sponge particles (65.5% vs. 35.0%, P < 0.001); hypovascularity (58.2% vs. 24.5%, P < 0.001); and embolization site (P < 0.001). Comparison of postoperative liver function between bile duct injury group and non-bile duct injury group: postoperative total bilirubin (43.34 ± 25.18umol/L vs. 21.94 ± 9.82umol/L, P < 0.001); postoperative γ-glutamyltransferase(GGT) (188.09 ± 55.62U/L vs. 84.04 ± 36.47U/L, P < 0.001); postoperative ALP(251.51 ± 61.51U/L vs. 99.92 ± 45.98U/L, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The dosage of lipiodol in TACE, supplementation of gelatin sponge particles, embolization site, and hypovascularity of the tumor are risk factors for biliary duct injury after TACE. After TACE, GGT and ALP increased ≥ 2 times compared with preoperative indicators as predictors of bile duct injury. Bile duct injury occurring after TACE can achieve good outcomes with aggressive management., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Abstract: This review discusses the grading of cholecystitis, the optimal timing of cholecystectomy, adopting a culture of safe cholecystectomy, understanding the common error traps that can lead to intraoperative complications, and how to avoid them. 1-28 The Tokyo Guidelines, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Nassar, and Parkland scoring systems are discussed. The patient factors, physiologic status, and operative findings that predict a difficult cholecystectomy or conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy are reviewed. With laparoscopic expertise and patient conditions that are not prohibitive, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is recommended. This is ideally within 72 hours of admission but supported up to the seventh hospital day. The majority of bile duct injuries are due to misidentification of normal anatomy. Strasberg's four error traps and the zones of danger to avoid during a cholecystectomy are described. The review emphasizes the importance of a true critical view of safety for identification of the anatomy. In up to 15% of operations for acute cholecystitis, a critical view of safety cannot be achieved safely. Recognizing these conditions and changing your operative strategy are mandatory to avoid harm. The principles to follow for a safe cholecystectomy are discussed in detail. The cardinal message of this review is, "under challenging conditions, bile duct injuries can be minimized via either a subtotal cholecystectomy or top-down cholecystectomy if dissection in the hepatocystic triangle is avoided". 21 The most severe biliary/vascular injuries usually occur after conversion from laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Indications and techniques for bailout procedures including the fenestrating and reconstituting subtotal cholecystectomy are presented. Seven percent to 10% of cholecystectomies for acute cholecystitis currently result in subtotal cholecystectomy. Level of evidence: III., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Dense inflammation obscuring the hepatocystic anatomy can hinder the ability to perform a safe standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy in severe cholecystitis, requiring use of a bailout procedure. We compared clinical outcomes of laparoscopic and open subtotal cholecystectomy against the traditional standard of open total cholecystectomy to identify the optimal bailout strategy for the difficult gallbladder., Methods: A multicenter, multinational retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent bailout procedures for severe cholecystitis. Procedures were compared using one-way analysis of variance/Kruskal-Wallis tests and χ 2 tests with multiple pairwise comparisons, maintaining a family-wise error rate at 0.05. Multiple multivariate linear/logistical regression models were created., Results: In 11 centers, 727 bailout procedures were conducted: 317 laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomies, 172 open subtotal cholecystectomies, and 238 open cholecystectomies. Baseline characteristics were similar among subgroups. Bile leak was common in laparoscopic and open fenestrating subtotal cholecystectomies, with increased intraoperative drain placements and postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(P < .05). In contrast, intraoperative bleeding (odds ratio = 3.71 [1.9, 7.22]), surgical site infection (odds ratio = 2.41 [1.09, 5.3]), intensive care unit admission (odds ratio = 2.65 [1.51, 4.63]), and length of stay (Δ = 2 days, P < .001) were higher in open procedures. Reoperation rates were higher for open reconstituting subtotal cholecystectomies (odds ratio = 3.43 [1.03, 11.44]) than other subtypes. The overall rate of bile duct injury was 1.1% and was not statistically different between groups. Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy had a bile duct injury rate of 0.63%., Conclusion: Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy is a feasible surgical bailout procedure in cases of severe cholecystitis where standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy may carry undue risk of bile duct injury. Open cholecystectomy remains a reasonable option., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 43-year-old man was admitted to our department for accident. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed low-density shadows in the hepatogastric and peripancreatic space. The patient still has abdominal pain after the performation of CT-guided abdominal puncture and drainage. Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed that the middle and lower segments of common bile duct were stricture and truncature. Endoscopic bile duct catheterization and drainage showed that the lower segment was dislocated and disconnected. Then the doctor used the balloon and contrast agent to pressurize, and at the same time, the distal common bile duct was pulled by the mirror, trying to straighten the common bile duct, changing its axial direction, and try to bridge it repeatedly by using the guide wire of misgurnus anguillicaudatus. The patient significantly improved over the next 3 days. After 11 months of follow-up, the patient came to our hospital to remove the biliary stent,and has no abdominal pain anymore.

Background: Bile duct injury (BDI) repair surgery is usually associated with morbidity/mortality. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) easily assesses a patient's inflammatory status. The study aims to determine the possible relationship between preoperative NLR (pNLR) with postoperative outcomes in BDI repair surgery., Methods: Approved Ethics/Research Committee retrospective study, in patients who had a Bismuth-Strasberg type E BDI repair (2008-2023). Data registered was: morbidity, mortality, and long-term outcomes (primary patency and loss of primary patency) (Kaplan-Meier). Group comparison (U Mann-Whitney), receiver operator characteristic (ROC): area under curve [AUC]; cut-off value, and Youden index [J], and logistic regression analysis were used for pNLR evaluation., Results: Seventy-three patients were studied. Mean age was 44.4 years. E2 was the commonest BDI (38.4%). Perioperative morbidity/mortality was 31.5% and 1.4%. Primary patency was 95.9%. 8.2% have lost primary patency (3-year actuarial patency: 85.3%). Median pNLR was higher in patients who had any complication (4.84 vs. 2.89 p = 0.015), biliary complications (5.29 vs. 2.86 p = 0.01), and patients with loss of primary patency (5.22 vs. 3.1 p = 0.08). AUC's, cut-off values and (J) were: any complication (0.678, pNLR = 4.3, J = 0.38, p = 0.007), serious complication (0.667, pNLR = 4.3, J = 0.34, p = 0.04), biliary complications (0.712, pNLR = 3.64, J = 0.46, p = 0.001), and loss of primary patency (0.716, pNLR = 3.24, J = 0.52, p = 0.008). Logistic regression was significant in any complication (Exp [B]: 0.1, p = 0.002), serious complications (Exp [B]: 0.2, p = 0.03), and biliary complications (Exp [B]: 8.1, p = 0.003)., Conclusions: pNLR is associated with complications in BDI repair with moderate to acceptable predictive capacity. pNLR could potentially predict patency of a BDI repair., (© 2024 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)

Background: Bile duct injury (BDI) is one of the most severe complications during cholecystectomy. Early identification of risk factors for BDI may permit risk reduction strategies and inform patient consent. Objective: This study aimed to define patient, provider, and systemic factors associated with BDI; BDI incidence; and short-term outcomes of BDI after urgent cholecystectomy. Methods: Patients who underwent urgent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis were retrospectively screened (2020-2022). All patients who sustained BDI were included without exclusions. Demographics, clinical data, and outcomes were collected and compared with descriptive statistics. Results: During the study period, BDI occurred in 4 (0.5%) of 728 patients who underwent urgent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. Most BDI cases (75%) took place overnight or during the weekend. The attending surgeon was almost exclusively (75%) in their first year of practice. BDI was recognized during index operation in 2 cases (50%). Hepatobiliary surgery performed the bile duct repair in all 4 cases. Two complications occurred (50%). All patients were followed by hepatobiliary surgery in the outpatient setting and returned to their baseline level of function within 2 months of hospital discharge. Conclusion: Most BDI occurred in procedures attended by first-year faculty during after hours cholecystectomies, suggesting a role for increased proctorship in early career attendings in addition to in-hours cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. The timely return to baseline function experienced by these patients emphasizes the favorable outcomes associated with early recognition of BDI and involvement of hepatobiliary surgery. Further examination with multicenter evaluation would be beneficial to validate these study findings., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Bile duct injury is a rare complication in the modern era of minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery; however, it can lead to serious short- and long-term consequences. Repair of bile duct injury with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy is a technically complex operation, especially when undertaken laparoscopically. Newer robotic technology improves surgeon's dexterity for fine suturing tasks such as in creating a delicate hepaticojejunostomy, which overcomes technical limitations of conventional laparoscopic approach. As surgeons accumulate more experience in minimally invasive bile duct surgery for benign and malignant diseases, the accepted surgical approaches gradually transition from open to robotic technique. In this video, we describe our robotic technique for delayed repair of an E2 bile duct injury., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Sharona Ross MD received funding for 2022 Women in Surgery Symposium from Intuitive Surgical Inc.

Background: Intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) is a contrast-enhanced X-ray acquired during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. IOC images the biliary tree whereby filling defects, anatomical anomalies and duct injuries can be identified. In Australia, IOC are performed in over 81% of cholecystectomies compared with 20 to 30% internationally (Welfare AIoHa in Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation, 2017). In this study, we aim to train artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to interpret anatomy and recognise abnormalities in IOC images. This has potential utility in (a) intraoperative safety mechanisms to limit the risk of missed ductal injury or stone, (b) surgical training and coaching, and (c) auditing of cholangiogram quality., Methodology: Semantic segmentation masks were applied to a dataset of 1000 cholangiograms with 10 classes. Classes corresponded to anatomy, filling defects and the cholangiogram catheter instrument. Segmentation masks were applied by a surgical trainee and reviewed by a radiologist. Two convolutional neural networks (CNNs), DeeplabV3+ and U-Net, were trained and validated using 900 (90%) labelled frames. Testing was conducted on 100 (10%) hold-out frames. CNN generated segmentation class masks were compared with ground truth segmentation masks to evaluate performance according to a pixel-wise comparison., Results: The trained CNNs recognised all classes.. U-Net and DeeplabV3+ achieved a mean F1 of 0.64 and 0.70 respectively in class segmentation, excluding the background class. The presence of individual classes was correctly recognised in over 80% of cases. Given the limited local dataset, these results provide proof of concept in the development of an accurate and clinically useful tool to aid in the interpretation and quality control of intraoperative cholangiograms., Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that a CNN can be trained to identify anatomical structures in IOC images. Future performance can be improved with the use of larger, more diverse training datasets. Implementation of this technology may provide cholangiogram quality control and improve intraoperative detection of ductal injuries or ductal injuries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Iatrogenic bile duct injury (BDI) during cholecystectomy is associated with a complex and heterogeneous management owing to the burden of morbidity until their definitive treatment. This study aimed to define the textbook outcomes (TOs) after BDI with the purpose to indicate the ideal treatment and to improve it management., Methods: We collected data from patients with an BDI between 1990 and 2022 from 27 hospitals. TO was defined as a successful conservative treatment of the iatrogenic BDI or only minor complications after BDI or patients in whom the first repair resolves the iatrogenic BDI without complications or with minor complications., Results: We included 808 patients and a total of 394 patients (46.9%) achieved TO. Overall complications in TO and non-TO groups were 11.9% and 86%, respectively (P < .001). Major complications and mortality in the non-TO group were 57.4% and 9.2%, respectively. The use of end-to-end bile duct anastomosis repair was higher in the non-TO group (23.1 vs 7.8, P < .001). Factors associated with achieving a TO were injury in a specialized center (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.01; 95% CI, 2.68-5.99; P < .001), transfer for a first repair (aOR, 5.72; 95% CI, 3.51-9.34; P < .001), conservative management (aOR, 5.00; 95% CI, 1.63-15.36; P = .005), or surgical management (aOR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.50-4.00; P < .001)., Conclusion: TO largely depends on where the BDI is managed and the type of injury. It allows hepatobiliary centers to identify domains of improvement of perioperative management of patients with BDI., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely regarded as the gold standard for assessment of the bile ducts in patients with bile duct injuries (BDIs). This case series aims to highlight the shortcomings of this imaging modality and demonstrate how it may overestimate the injury severity., Methods: Three patients treated at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town in whom MRI/magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) overestimated the severity of BDI were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, blood results and imaging findings are presented., Results: All patients had an MRI/MRCP done which assessed the BDIs as major complete cut-off of the proximal common hepatic duct with substance loss. Subsequent direct cholangiography showed minor injuries and all three patients were successfully managed with endoscopic stenting., Conclusion: Major BDIs are complex, and assessment of severity is intricate and may be overestimated. These patients are best managed in high-volume multidisciplinary team settings., (Copyright© Authors.)

Objective: The most feared complication during laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains a bile duct injury (BDI). Accurately risk-stratifying patients for a BDI remains difficult and imprecise. This study evaluated if the lethal triad of acute cholecystitis, obesity, and steatohepatitis is a prognostic measure for BDI., Methods: A retrospective review of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) registry was performed. All laparoscopic cholecystectomy cases within the main NSQIP database for 2012-2019 were queried. Two study cohorts were constructed. One with the lethal triad of acute cholecystitis, BMI ≥ 30, and steatohepatitis. The other cohort did not have the full triad present. Multivariate analysis was performed via logistic regression modeling with calculation of odds ratios (OR) to identify independent factors for BDI. An uncontrolled and controlled propensity score match analysis was performed., Results: A total of 387,501 cases were analyzed. 36,887 cases contained the lethal triad, the remaining 350,614 cases did not have the full triad. 860 BDIs were identified resulting in an overall incidence rate 0.22%. There were 541 BDIs within the lethal triad group with 319 BDIs in the other cohort and an incidence rate of 1.49% vs 0.09% (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified the lethal triad as an independent risk factor for a BDI by over 15-fold (OR 16.35, 95%CI 14.28-18.78, P < 0.0001) on the uncontrolled analysis. For the controlled propensity score match there were 29,803 equivalent pairs identified between the cohorts. The BDI incidence rate remained significantly higher with lethal triad cases at 1.65% vs 0.04% (P < 0.001). The lethal triad was an even more significant independent risk factor for BDI on the controlled analysis (OR 40.13, 95%CI 7.05-356.59, P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: The lethal triad of acute cholecystitis, obesity, and steatohepatitis significantly increases the risk of a BDI. This prognostic measure can help better counsel patients and potentially alter management., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Background: With the aging of the global population, the incidence rate of acute cholecystitis is increasing. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered as the first choice to treat acute cholecystitis. How to effectively avoid serious intraoperative complications such as bile duct and blood vessel injury is still a difficult problem that puzzles surgeons. This paper introduces the application of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a new surgical concept, in acute difficult cholecystitis., Methods: This retrospective analysis was carried out from January 2019 to January 2021. A total of 36 patients with acute difficult cholecystitis underwent 3-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The general information, clinical features, surgical methods, surgical results, and postoperative complications of the patients were analyzed., Results: All patients successfully completed the surgery, one of them was converted to laparotomy, and the other 35 cases were treated with 3-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Postoperative bile leakage occurred in 2 cases (5.56%), secondary choledocholithiasis in 1 case (2.78%), and hepatic effusion in 1 case (2.78%). No postoperative bleeding, septal infection, and other complications occurred, and no postoperative colon injury, gastroduodenal injury, liver injury, bile duct injury, vascular injury, and other surgery-related complications occurred. All 36 patients were discharged from hospital after successful recovery. No one died 30 days after surgery, and there was no abnormality in outpatient follow-up for 3 months after surgery., Conclusions: Three-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy seems to be safer and more feasible for acute difficult cholecystitis patients. Compared with traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy or partial cholecystectomy, 3-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy has the advantages of safe surgery and less complications, which is worth trying by clinicians., Competing Interests: The authors declares no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Calculous gall bladder disease is often handled by laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In cases where a safe dissection of the hepatocystic triangle cannot be carried out, a subtotal cholecystectomy (STC) may be performed. The perioperative management of patients undergoing STC is characterized by limited evidence. This large single-center series explores some of the perioperative aspects and outcomes after STC., Materials and Methods: The study population includes all patients who underwent STC at Oslo University Hospital (Ullevål and Aker Hospitals) from 01.01.2014 to 30.09.2020. A STC was defined as a cholecystectomy where there was a failure to control the cystic duct during surgery. Study variables included demographic data, comorbidities, previous biliopancreatic disease, indication for surgery, perioperative information, subsequent interventions and outcome data., Results: During the study period, 2376 cholecystectomies were performed, and 102 (4.3%) were categorized as STC. Of all patients with STC, 48 (47.1%) had an intra- or postoperative ERCP during the index hospital admission. The indication for ERCP was bile leak in 37 (42.6%) of the cases. The bile leak resolution rate was 60.0 % in intraoperative ERCP vs 95.7% in postoperative ERCP. Among the STC patients, there were no injuries to the central bile ducts. Later, one patient has undergone a remnant cholecystectomy, following fenestrating STC., Conclusion: STC was a safe bailout strategy for dissection in the hepatocystic triangle in difficult cholecystectomies. Intraoperative ERCP increased procedure time and was associated with a lower rate of leak resolution, as compared to postoperative ERCP.

Background: Bile duct injury (BDI) causes significant sequelae for the patient in terms of morbidity, mortality, and long-term quality of life, and should be managed in centers with expertise. Anatomical variants may contribute to a higher risk of BDI during cholecystectomy., Aims: To report a case of bile duct injury in a patient with situs inversus totalis., Methods: A 42-year-old female patient with a previous history of situs inversus totalis and a BDI was initially operated on simultaneously to the lesion ten years ago by a non-specialized surgeon. She was referred to a specialized center due to recurrent episodes of cholangitis and a cholestatic laboratory pattern. Cholangioresonance revealed a severe anastomotic stricture. Due to her young age and recurrent cholangitis, she was submitted to a redo hepaticojejunostomy with the Hepp-Couinaud technique. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of BDI repair in a patient with situs inversus totalis., Results: The previous hepaticojejunostomy was undone and remade with the Hepp-Couinaud technique high in the hilar plate with a wide opening in the hepatic confluence of the bile ducts towards the left hepatic duct. The previous Roux limb was maintained. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, the drain was removed on the seventh post-operative day, and the patient is now asymptomatic, with normal bilirubin and canalicular enzymes, and no further episodes of cholestasis or cholangitis., Conclusions: Anatomical variants may increase the difficulty of both cholecystectomy and BDI repair. BDI repair should be performed in a specialized center by formal hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeons to assure a safe perioperative management and a good long-term outcome.

Introduction: Bile duct injuries (BDI) following laparoscopic cholecystectomy occurs in approximately 0.6% of the cases, often being more severe and complex. Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (RYHJ) is considered the optimal therapeutic option, with success rates ranging from 75% to 98%. Several series have demonstrated the advancements of the laparoscopic approach for resolving this condition. The objective of this study is to describe our experience in the laparoscopic repair of BDI., Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted, including patients who underwent laparoscopic repair after BDI. Demographic, clinical, surgical, and postoperative variables were analysed using descriptive statistical analyses., Results: Eight patients with BDI underwent laparoscopic repair (out of 81 surgically repaired patients). Women comprised 75% of the sample. A complete laparoscopic repair was achieved in 75% (6) of cases. The mean age was 40.8 ± 16.61 years (range 19-65). Injuries at or above the confluence (Strasberg-Bismuth ≥ E3) occurred in 25% of cases (2). Primary repair was performed in two cases. Half of the cases underwent a Hepp-Couinaud laterolateral RYHJ, while three patients received a terminolateral RYHJ, and one underwent a bi-terminolateral RYH. The mean operative time was 260 min (range 120-360). Overall morbidity was 37.5% (3 cases): two minor complications (bile leak grade A and drainage-related bleeding) and one major complication (bile leak grade C). No mortality was recorded. The maximum follow-up period reached 26 months (range 6-26)., Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of laparoscopic RYHJ in a selected group of patients, offering the benefits of a minimally invasive approach., (Copyright © 2023 AEC. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Evaluation of the cystic duct anatomy prior to bile duct or gallbladder surgery is important, to decrease the risk of bile duct injury. This study aimed to clarify the frequency of cystic duct variations and the relationship between them., Methods: Data of 205 patients who underwent cholecystectomy after imaging at Sada Hospital, Japan, were analyzed. The Chi-square test was used to analyze the relationships among variations., Results: The lateral and posterior sides of the bile duct were the two most common insertion points (92 patients, 44.9%), and the middle height was the most common insertion height (135 patients, 65.9%). Clinically important variations (spiral courses, parallel courses, low insertions, and right hepatic duct draining) relating to the risk of bile duct injury were observed in 24 patients (11.7%). Regarding the relationship between the insertion sides and heights, we noticed that the posterior insertion frequently existed in low insertions (75.0%, P < 0.001) and did not exist in high insertions. In contrast, the anterior insertion coexisted with high and never low insertions. Spiral courses have two courses: anterior and posterior, and anterior ones were only found in high insertion cases., Conclusions: The insertion point of the cystic duct and the spiral courses tended to be anterior or lateral superiorly and posterior inferiorly. Clinically significant variations in cystic duct insertions are common and surgeons should be cautious about these variations to avoid complications., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Bile duct injury (BDI) is still a major worrisome complication that is feared by all surgeons undergoing cholecystectomy. The overall incidence of biliary duct injuries falls between 0.2 and 1.3%. BDI classification remains an important method to define the type of injury conducted for investigation and management. Recently, a Consensus has been taken to define BDI using the ATOM classification. Early management brings better results than delayed management. The current perspective in biliary surgery is the laparoscopic role in diagnosing and managing BDI. Diagnostic laparoscopy has been conducted in various entities for diagnostic and therapeutic measures in minor and major BDIs., Methods: 35 cases with iatrogenic BDI following cholecystectomy (after both open and laparoscopic approaches) both happened in or were referred to Alexandria Main University Hospital surgical department from January 2019 till May 2022 and were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were classified according to the ATOM classification. Management options undertaken were mentioned and compared to the timing of diagnosis, and the morbidity and mortality rates (using the Clavien-Dindo classification)., Results: 35 patients with BDI after both laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) (54.3%), and Open cholecystectomy (OC) (45.7%) (20% were converted and 25.7% were Open from the start) were classified according to ATOM classification. 45.7% were main bile duct injuries (MBDI), and 54.3% were non-main bile duct injuries (NMBDI), where only one case 2.9% was associated with vasculobiliary injury (VBI). 28% (n = 10) of the cases were diagnosed intraoperatively (Ei), 62.9% were diagnosed early postoperatively (Ep), and 8.6% were diagnosed in the late postoperative period (L). LC was associated with 84.2% of the NMBDI, and only 18.8% of the MBDI, compared to OC which was associated with 81.3% of the MBDI, and 15.8% of the NMBDI. By the Clavien-Dindo classification, 68.6% fell into Class IIIb, 20% into Class I, 5.7% into Class V (mortality rate), 2.9% into Class IIIa, and 2.9% into Class IV. The Clavien-Dindo classification and the patient's injury (type and time of detection) were compared to investigation and management options., Conclusion: Management options should be defined individually according to the mode of presentation, the timing of detection of injury, and the type of injury. Early detection and management are associated with lower morbidity and mortality. Diagnostic Laparoscopy was associated with lower morbidity and better outcomes. A proper Reporting checklist should be designed to help improve the identification of injury types., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Rationale: The management of bile duct injury (BDI) remains a considerable challenge in the department of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. BDI is mainly iatrogenic and mostly occurs in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). After more than 2 decades of development, with the increase in experience and technological advances in LC, the complications associated with the procedure have decreased annually. However, bile duct injuries (BDI) still have a certain incidence, the severity of BDI is higher, and the form of BDI is more complex., Patient Concerns: We report the case of a patient who presented with bile duct injury and formation of a right hepatic duct-duodenal fistula after LC., Diagnoses: Based on the diagnosis, a dissection was performed to relieve bile duct obstruction, suture the duodenal fistula, and anastomose the right and left hepatic ducts to the jejunum., Intervention: Based on the diagnosis, a dissection was performed to relieve bile duct obstruction, suture the duodenal fistula, and anastomose the right and left hepatic ducts to the jejunum., Outcomes: Postoperative recovery was uneventful, with normal liver function and no complications, such as anastomotic fistula or biliary tract infection. The patient was hospitalized for 11 days postoperatively and discharged., Lessons: The successful diagnosis and treatment of this case and the summarization of the imaging features and diagnosis of postoperative BDI have improved the diagnostic understanding of postoperative BDI and provided clinicians with a particular clinical experience and basis for treating such diseases., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (RYHJ) is usually required for major bile duct injury (BDI) as a definitive treatment. Hepaticojejunostomy anastomotic stricture (HJAS) is the most feared long-term complication following RYHJ. The ideal management of HJAS remains undefined. The provision of permanent endoscopic access to the bilio-enteric anastomotic site can make endoscopic management of HJAS feasible and attractive option. In this cohort study, we aimed to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes of subcutaneous access loop created adjunct to RYHJ (RYHJ-SA) for management of BDI and its usefulness for endoscopic management of anastomotic stricture if occurred., Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study including patients who were diagnosed with iatrogenic BDI and underwent hepaticojejunostomy with subcutaneous access loop between September 2017 and September 2019., Results: This study included a total number of 21 patients whom ages ranged between 18 and 68 years. During follow-up, three cases had HJAS. One patient had the access loop in subcutaneous position. Endoscopy was done but failed to dilate the stricture. The other 2 patients had the access loop in subfascial position. Endoscopy of them failed to enter the access loop due to failure of fluoroscopy to identify the access loop. The three cases underwent redo-hepaticojejunostomy. Parajejunal (parastomal) hernia occurs in 2 patients in whom the access loop was fixed subcutaneous position., Conclusion: In conclusion, modified RYHJ with subcutaneous access loop (RYHJ-SA) is associated with reduced quality of life and patient satisfaction. Moreover, its role in endoscopic management of HJAS after biliary reconstruction for major BDI is limited., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: Bile duct injuries (BDIs) are a significant source of morbidity among patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). GoNoGoNet is an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that has been developed and validated to identify safe ("Go") and dangerous ("No-Go") zones of dissection during LC, with the potential to prevent BDIs through real-time intraoperative decision-support. This study evaluates GoNoGoNet's ability to predict Go/No-Go zones during LCs with BDIs., Methods and Procedures: Eleven LC videos with BDI (BDI group) were annotated by GoNoGoNet. All tool-tissue interactions, including the one that caused the BDI, were characterized in relation to the algorithm's predicted location of Go/No-Go zones. These were compared to another 11 LC videos with cholecystitis (control group) deemed to represent "safe cholecystectomy" by experts. The probability threshold of GoNoGoNet annotations were then modulated to determine its relationship to Go/No-Go predictions. Data is shown as % difference [99% confidence interval]., Results: Compared to control, the BDI group showed significantly greater proportion of sharp dissection (+ 23.5% [20.0-27.0]), blunt dissection (+ 32.1% [27.2-37.0]), and total interactions (+ 33.6% [31.0-36.2]) outside of the Go zone. Among injury-causing interactions, 4 (36%) were in the No-Go zone, 2 (18%) were in the Go zone, and 5 (45%) were outside both zones, after maximizing the probability threshold of the Go algorithm., Conclusion: AI has potential to detect unsafe dissection and prevent BDIs through real-time intraoperative decision-support. More work is needed to determine how to optimize integration of this technology into the operating room workflow and adoption by end-users., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Bile duct injury (BDI) is an infrequent but serious complication of cholecystectomy, often with life-changing consequences. Liver transplantation (LT) may be required following severe BDI, however given the rarity, few large studies exist to guide management for complex BDI., Methods: A systematic review was performed to assess post-operative complications, 30-day mortality, retransplant rate and 1-year and 5-year survival following LT for BDI in Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science or Cochrane Clinical Trials Database., Results: Seven articles met inclusion criteria, describing 179 patients that underwent LT for BDI. Secondary biliary cirrhosis (SBC) was the main indication for LT (82.2% of patients). Median model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores at time of LT ranged from 16 to 20.5. Median 30-day mortality was 20.0%. The 1-year and 5-year survival ranges were 55.0-84.3% and 30.0-83.3% respectively, and the overall retransplant rate was 11.5%., Conclusion: BDI is rarely indicated for LT, predominantly for SBC following multiple prior interventions. MELD scores poorly reflect underlying morbidity, and exception criteria for waitlisting may avoid prolonged LT waiting times. 30-day mortality was higher than for non-BDI indications, with comparable long term survival, suggesting that LT remains a viable but high risk salvage option for severe BDI., (Copyright © 2023 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Robotic-assisted cholecystectomy is rapidly being adopted into practice, partly based on the belief that it offers specific technical and safety advantages over traditional laparoscopic surgery. Whether robotic-assisted cholecystectomy is safer than laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains unclear., Objective: To determine the uptake of robotic-assisted cholecystectomy and to analyze its comparative safety vs laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used Medicare administrative claims data for nonfederal acute care hospitals from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2019. Participants included 1 026 088 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries 66 to 99 years of age who underwent cholecystectomy with continuous Medicare coverage for 3 months before and 12 months after surgery. Data were analyzed August 17, 2022, to June 1, 2023., Exposure: Surgical technique used to perform cholecystectomy: robotic-assisted vs laparoscopic approaches., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was rate of bile duct injury requiring definitive surgical reconstruction within 1 year after cholecystectomy. Secondary outcomes were composite outcome of bile duct injury requiring less-invasive postoperative surgical or endoscopic biliary interventions, and overall incidence of 30-day complications. Multivariable logistic analysis was performed adjusting for patient factors and clustered within hospital referral regions. An instrumental variable analysis was performed, leveraging regional variation in the adoption of robotic-assisted cholecystectomy within hospital referral regions over time, to account for potential confounding from unmeasured differences between treatment groups., Results: A total of 1 026 088 patients (mean [SD] age, 72 [12.0] years; 53.3% women) were included in the study. The use of robotic-assisted cholecystectomy increased 37-fold from 211 of 147 341 patients (0.1%) in 2010 to 6507 of 125 211 patients (5.2%) in 2019. Compared with laparoscopic cholecystectomy, robotic-assisted cholecystectomy was associated with a higher rate of bile duct injury necessitating a definitive operative repair within 1 year (0.7% vs 0.2%; relative risk [RR], 3.16 [95% CI, 2.57-3.75]). Robotic-assisted cholecystectomy was also associated with a higher rate of postoperative biliary interventions, such as endoscopic stenting (7.4% vs 6.0%; RR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.16-1.33]). There was no significant difference in overall 30-day complication rates between the 2 procedures. The instrumental variable analysis, which was designed to account for potential unmeasured differences in treatment groups, also showed that robotic-assisted cholecystectomy was associated with a higher rate of bile duct injury (0.4% vs 0.2%; RR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.14-2.63])., Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study's finding of significantly higher rates of bile duct injury with robotic-assisted cholecystectomy compared with laparoscopic cholecystectomy suggests that the utility of robotic-assisted cholecystectomy should be reconsidered, given the existence of an already minimally invasive, predictably safe laparoscopic approach.

Background: Hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) is the gold standard procedure for repairing major bile duct injury (BDI). Dilation status of the BD before repair has not been assessed as a risk factor for anastomotic stricture., Method: This retrospective single-centre study was performed on a population of 87 patients with BDI repaired by HJ between 2007 and 2021. Dilation status was assessed preoperatively, and dilation was defined as the presence of visible peripheral intrahepatic BDs with remaining BD diameter > 8 mm. The short- and long-term outcomes of HJ were assessed according to preoperative dilation status., Results: Before final repair, the BDs were dilated (dBD) in 56.3% of patients and not dilated (ND) in 43.7%. Patients with ND at the time of repair had more severe BDI injury than those with dBD (94.7% vs. 77.6%, p = 0.026). The rate of preoperative cholangitis was lower in patients with ND than in those with dBD (10.5% vs. 44.9%, p = 0.001). The rate of short-term morbidity after HJ was 33.3% (ND vs. dBD: 38.8% vs. 26.3%, p = 0.32). Long-term anastomotic stricture rate was 5.7% with a mean follow-up period of 61.3 months. There were no differences in long-term biliary complications according to dilation status (ND vs. dBD: 12.2% vs. 10.5%, p = 1)., Conclusion: Dilation status of the BD before HJ for BDI seemed to have no impact on short- or long-term outcomes. Both surgical and radiological external biliary drainages after BDI appear to be acceptable options to reduce cholangitis before repair without increasing risk for long-term anastomotic stricture., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The infraportal type of the right posterior bile duct (infraportal RPBD) is a well-known anatomical variation that increases the potential risk of intraoperative biliary injury. The aim of this study is to clarify the clinical value of fluorescent cholangiography during single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) for patients with infraportal RPBD., Material and Methods: Our procedure for SILC utilized the SILS-Port, and another 5-mm forceps was inserted via an umbilical incision. A laparoscopic fluorescence imaging system developed by Karl Storz Endoskope was utilized for fluorescent cholangiography. Between July 2010 and March 2022, 41 patients with infraportal RPBD underwent SILC. We conducted retrospective reviews of patient data, focusing on the clinical value of fluorescent cholangiography., Results: Thirty-one patients underwent fluorescent cholangiography during SILC, but the remaining ten did not. Only one patient who did not undergo fluorescent cholangiography developed an intraoperative biliary injury. The detectability of infraportal RPBD before and during the dissection of Calot's triangle was 16.1% and 45.2%, respectively. These visible infraportal RPBDs were characterized as connections to the common bile duct. The confluence pattern of infraportal RPBD significantly influenced its detectability during the dissection of Calot's triangle ( p  < 0.001)., Conclusions: The application of fluorescent cholangiography can lead to safe SILC, even for patients with infraportal RPBD. Its benefit is emphasized when infraportal RPBD is connected to the common bile duct.

Iatrogenic bile duct injury remains the most severe complication of gallbladder surgeries. To reduce post-operation complication, we introduce an improved approach for bile duct injury repairment, named transhepatic percutaneous cholangial drainage (TPCD) which combined with end-to-end biliary anastomosis. Clinical data obtained from 12 patients between February 2012 and May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patient demographic, clinical, operative, and follow-up data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. All injuries were repaired successfully and no fatal cases occurred. The mean operative time and hospital stay duration were 367.5 ± 103.2 min and 11.3 ± 3.5 days, respectively. In two cases (16.7%), bile leakage occurred at the bile duct anastomosis site. Three patients (25.0%) developed low-grade fever and one patient (8.3%) developed a postoperative infection of the incision site. No postoperative bleeding or bile duct strictures occurred in any of the cases. The patients were followed up from 12 to 122 months (median, 70.5 months). No cholangitis or bile duct restenosis was observed after biliary drainage tube removal. There were no long-term bile duct-related complications seen in the follow-up time. It is safe and feasible for TPCD combined with end-to-end biliary anastomosis using in bile duct injury., (© 2023. Italian Society of Surgery (SIC).)

Purpose: Iatrogenic bile duct injuries (BDI) following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) result in major morbidity and incidental mortality. There is a lack of unselected population-based cross-sectional studies on the incidence, management, and outcomes of BDI. We hypothesised that due to improved imaging capabilities and collective laparoscopic experience, BDI incidence will decrease over the study period and compare favourably with contemporary literature., Methods: After IRB approval, all cholecystectomies performed at national public healthcare facilities between 2008 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. BDIs were classified according to the Strasberg classification. The follow-up period ranged from 36 to 156 months., Results: A total of 241 BDIs of 29,739 laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC) resulted in overall, minor, and major BDI incidence rates of 0.81%, 0.68%, and 0.13%, respectively. No significant decline in the BDIs was noted during the study period. Drainage in 66 (42.6%) and cases ERCP stent placement in 65 (41.9%) cases were equally used in Strasberg A lesions. Suture over T-tube in 20 (42.6%) and ERCP stenting in 19 (40.4%) cases were used in Strasberg D lesions. Roux-en-Y hepatojejunostomy (RYHJ) was performed in 30 (88.9%) of Strasberg E lesions. There were 27 (11.2%) patients with long-term bile duct strictures after BDI management. The overall mortality rate of BDIs and subsequent complications was 4.6%., Conclusions: The annual incidence of iatrogenic bile duct injury over an 11-years' time after laparoscopic cholecystectomy did not decline significantly. We noted an overall BDI incidence of 0.81% comprising of 0.68% minor and 0.13% of major lesions. The management of injuries met contemporary guidelines with comparable outcomes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Introduction: Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been standard of care for symptomatic gallstone disease for almost 30 years, the use of routine intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC) remains controversial. There are marked variations in the use IOC during LC internationally. Debate has continued about its benefit, in part because of inconsistent benefit, time, and resources required to complete IOC. This literature review is presented as a debate to outline the arguments in favour of and against routine IOC in laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Methods: A standard literature review of PubMed, Medline, OVID, EMBASE, CINHIL and Web of Science was performed, specifically for literature pertaining to the use of IOC or alternative intra-operative methods for imaging the biliary tree in LC. Two authors assembled the evidence in favour, and two authors assembled the evidence against., Results: From this controversies piece we found that there is little discernible change in the number of BDIs requiring repair procedures. Although IOC is associated with a small absolute reduction in bile duct injury, there are other confounding factors, including a change in laparoscopic learning curves. Alternative technologies such as intra-operative ultrasound, indocyanine green imaging, and increased access to ERCP may contribute to a reduction in the need for routine IOC., Conclusions: In spite of 30 years of accumulating evidence, routine IOC remains controversial. As technology advances, it is likely that alternative methods of imaging and accessing the bile duct will supplant routine IOC., (Copyright © 2023 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bile leak is a rare complication after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. Subvesical bile duct (SVBD) injury is the second cause of minor bile leak, following the unsuccessful clipping of the cystic duct stump. The aim of this study is to pool available data on this type of biliary tree anatomical variation to summarize incidence of injury, methods used to diagnose and treat SVBD leaks after LC. Articles published between 1985 and 2021 describing SVBD evidence in patients operated on LC for gallstone disease, were included. Data were divided into two groups based on the intra or post-operative evidence of bile leak from SVBD after surgery. This systematic report includes 68 articles for a total of 231 patients. A total of 195 patients with symptomatic postoperative bile leak are included in Group 1, while Group 2 includes 36 patients describing SVBD visualized and managed during LC. Outcomes of interest were diagnosis, clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes. The management of minor bile leak is controversial. In most of cases diagnosed postoperatevely, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography (ERCP) is the best way to treat this complication. Surgery should be considered when endoscopic or radiological approaches are not resolutive., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Asian Surgical Association and Taiwan Robotic Surgery Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Most bile duct (BDI) injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) occur due to visual misperception leading to the misinterpretation of anatomy. Deep learning (DL) models for surgical video analysis could, therefore, support visual tasks such as identifying critical view of safety (CVS). This study aims to develop a prediction model of CVS during LC. This aim is accomplished using a deep neural network integrated with a segmentation model that is capable of highlighting hepatocytic anatomy., Methods: Still images from LC videos were annotated with four hepatocystic landmarks of anatomy segmentation. A deep autoencoder neural network with U-Net to investigate accurate medical image segmentation was trained and tested using fivefold cross-validation. Accuracy, Loss, Intersection over Union (IoU), Precision, Recall, and Hausdorff Distance were computed to evaluate the model performance versus the annotated ground truth., Results: A total of 1550 images from 200 LC videos were annotated. Mean IoU for segmentation was 74.65%. The proposed approach performed well for automatic hepatocytic landmarks identification with 92% accuracy and 93.9% precision and can segment challenging cases., Conclusion: DL, can potentially provide an intraoperative model for surgical video analysis and can be trained to guide surgeons toward reliable hepatocytic anatomy segmentation and produce selective video documentation of this safety step of LC., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Impact of timing of repair on outcomes of patients repaired with Hepp-Couinaud hepatico-jejunostomy (HC-HJ) after bile duct injury (BDI) during cholecystectomy remains debated. This is an observational retrospective study at a tertiary referral hepato-biliary center. HC-HJ was always performed in patients without sepsis or bile leak and with dilated bile ducts. Timing of repair was classified as: early (≤ 2 weeks), intermediate (> 2 weeks, ≤ 6 weeks), and delayed (> 6 weeks). 114 patients underwent HC-HJ between 1994 and 2022: 42.1% underwent previous attempts of repair at referring institutions (Group A) and 57.9% were referred without any attempt of repair before referral (Group B). Overall, a delayed HC-HJ was performed in 78% of patients; intermediate and early repair were performed in 17% and 6%, respectively. In Group B, 10.6% of patients underwent an early, 27.3% an intermediate, and 62.1% a delayed repair. Postoperative mortality was nil. Median follow-up was 106.7 months. Overall primary patency (PP) attainment rate was 94.7%, with a 5- and 10-year actuarial primary patency (APP) of 84.6% and 84%, respectively. Post-repair bile leak was associated with PP loss in the entire population (odds ratio [OR] 9.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.64-57.87, p = 0.012); no correlation of PP loss with timing of repair was noted. Treatment of anastomotic stricture (occurred in 15.3% of patients) was performed with percutaneous treatment, achieving absence of biliary symptoms in 93% and 91% of cases at 5 and 10 years, respectively. BDI can be successfully repaired by HC-HJ regardless of timing when surgery is performed in stable patients with dilated bile ducts and without bile leak., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Attention to anatomical landmarks in the appropriate surgical phase is important to prevent bile duct injury (BDI) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Therefore, we created a cross-AI system that works with two different AI algorithms simultaneously, landmark detection and phase recognition. We assessed whether landmark detection was activated in the appropriate phase by phase recognition during LC and the potential contribution of the cross-AI system in preventing BDI through a clinical feasibility study (J-SUMMIT-C-02)., Methods: A prototype was designed to display landmarks during the preparation phase and Calot's triangle dissection. A prospective clinical feasibility study using the cross-AI system was performed in 20 LC cases. The primary endpoint of this study was the appropriateness of the detection timing of landmarks, which was assessed by an external evaluation committee (EEC). The secondary endpoint was the correctness of landmark detection and the contribution of cross-AI in preventing BDI, which were assessed based on the annotation and 4-point rubric questionnaire., Results: Cross-AI-detected landmarks in 92% of the phases where the EEC considered landmarks necessary. In the questionnaire, each landmark detected by AI had high accuracy, especially the landmarks of the common bile duct and cystic duct, which were assessed at 3.78 and 3.67, respectively. In addition, the contribution to preventing BDI was relatively high at 3.65., Conclusions: The cross-AI system provided landmark detection at appropriate situations. The surgeons who previewed the model suggested that the landmark information provided by the cross-AI system may be effective in preventing BDI. Therefore, it is suggested that our system could help prevent BDI in practice. Trial registration University Hospital Medical Information Network Research Center Clinical Trial Registration System (UMIN000045731)., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: According to the National Clinical Database of Japan, the incidence of bile duct injury (BDI) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy has hovered around 0.4% for the last 10 years and has not declined. On the other hand, it has been found that about 60% of BDI occurrences are due to misidentifying anatomical landmarks. However, the authors developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that gave intraoperative data to recognize the extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD), cystic duct (CD), inferior border of liver S4 (S4), and Rouviere sulcus (RS). The purpose of this research was to evaluate how the AI system affects landmark identification., Methods: We prepared a 20-s intraoperative video before the serosal incision of Calot's triangle dissection and created a short video with landmarks overwritten by AI. The landmarks were defined as landmark (LM)-EHBD, LM-CD, LM-RS, and LM-S4. Four beginners and four experts were recruited as subjects. After viewing a 20-s intraoperative video, subjects annotated the LM-EHBD and LM-CD. Then, a short video is shown with the AI overwriting landmark instructions; if there is a change in each perspective, the annotation is changed. The subjects answered a three-point scale questionnaire to clarify whether the AI teaching data advanced their confidence in verifying the LM-RS and LM-S4. Four external evaluation committee members investigated the clinical importance., Results: In 43 of 160 (26.9%) images, the subjects transformed their annotations. Annotation changes were primarily observed in the gallbladder line of the LM-EHBD and LM-CD, and 70% of these shifts were considered safer changes. The AI-based teaching data encouraged both beginners and experts to affirm the LM-RS and LM-S4., Conclusion: The AI system provided significant awareness to beginners and experts and prompted them to identify anatomical landmarks linked to reducing BDI., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Postoperative bile leakage is a common complication of hepatobiliary surgery and frequently requires procedural intervention. Bile-label 760 (BL-760), a novel near-infrared dye, has emerged as a promising tool for identifying biliary structures and leakage, owing to its rapid excretion and strong bile specificity. This study aimed to assess the intraoperative detection of biliary leakage using intravenously administered BL-760 compared with intravenous (IV) and intraductal (ID) indocyanine green (ICG)., Materials and Methods: Laparotomy and segmental hepatectomy with vascular control were performed on two 25-30 kg pigs. ID ICG, IV ICG, and IV BL-760 were administered separately, followed by an examination of the liver parenchyma, cut liver edge, and extrahepatic bile ducts for areas of leakage. The duration of intra- and extrahepatic fluorescence detection was assessed, and the target-to-background (TBR) of the bile ducts to the liver parenchyma was quantitatively measured., Results: In Animal 1, after intraoperative BL-760 injection, three areas of leaking bile were identified within 5 min on the cut liver edge with a TBR of 2.5-3.8 that was not apparent to the naked eye. In contrast, after IV ICG administration, the background parenchymal signal and bleeding obscured the areas of bile leakage. A second dose of BL-760 demonstrated the utility of repeated injections, confirming two of the three previously visualized areas of bile leakage and revealing one previously unseen leak. In Animal 2, neither ID ICG nor IV BL-760 injections showed obvious areas of bile leakage. However, fluorescence signals were observed within the superficial intrahepatic bile ducts after both injections., Conclusions: BL-760 enables the rapid intraoperative visualization of small biliary structures and leaks, with the benefits of fast excretion, repeatable intravenous administration, and high-fluorescence TBR in the liver parenchyma. Potential applications include the identification of bile flow in the portal plate, biliary leak or duct injury, and postoperative monitoring of drain output. A thorough assessment of the intraoperative biliary anatomy could limit the need for postoperative drain placement, a possible contributor to severe complications and postoperative bile leak., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

In 1953, Eden, then Britain's Foreign Secretary, sustained a bile duct injury during a cholecystectomy. After reconstructive surgery at the Lahey Clinic, he continued to experience episodes of cholangitis, notably during the Suez Crisis of 1956. By then prime minister, the crisis ended in a humiliating retreat for Eden and for Britain. The role that his iatrogenic injury, its long term sequelae, and the cocktail of drugs he took to treat them played in his decision making has been an ongoing source of debate almost from the time of the crisis. This article reviews the Suez crisis, Eden's medical history, and the debate over Eden's health.

Background: Injury of the bile duct during cholecystectomy (CHE) is a severe complication. The critical view of safety (CVS) can help to reduce the frequency of this complication during laparoscopic CHE. So far, no scoring of CVS images with a grading system is available., Method: The CVS images of 534 patients with laparoscopic CHE could be structurally analyzed and assessed with marks from 1 (very good) to 5 (insufficient). The CVS mark was correlated with the perioperative course. Additionally, the perioperative course of patients after laparoscopic CHE with and without a CVS image was investigated., Results: In 534 patients 1 or more CVS images could be analyzed. The average CVS mark was 1.9, whereby 280 patients (52.4%) had a 1, 126 patients (23.6%) a 2, 114 (21.3%) a 3 and 14 patients (2.6%) a 4 or 5. Younger patients with elective laparoscopic CHE had CVS images significantly more frequently (p ≤ 0.04). The statistical examination with Pearson's χ 2 -test and the F‑test (ANOVA) showed a significant correlation between improving CVS marks and reduction of surgery time (p < 0.01) and the hospitalization time (p < 0.01). For senior physicians the quota of CVS images ranged from 71% to 92% and the average marks from 1.5 to 2.2. The marks for the CVS images were significantly better for female than male patients (1.8 vs. 2.1, p < 0.01)., Discussion: There was a relatively broad distribution of marks for CVS images. Injuries of the bile duct can be avoided with a high degree of certainty with marks 1‑2 for the CVS image. The CVS is not always adequately visualized in laparoscopic CHE., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Anastomotic stricture is a common underlying cause of long-term morbidity after hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) for bile duct injury (BDI) following cholecystectomy. However, there are no methods for predicting stricture risk. This study was aimed at establishing two online calculators for predicting anastomotic stricture occurrence (ASO) and stricture-free survival (SFS) in this patient population., Methods: The clinicopathological characteristics and follow-up information of patients who underwent HJ for BDI after cholecystectomy from a multi-institutional database were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the risk factors of ASO and SFS were performed in the training cohort. Two nomogram-based online calculators were developed and validated by internal bootstrapping resamples ( n =1000) and an external cohort., Results: Among 220 screened patients, 41 (18.64%) experienced anastomotic strictures after a median follow-up of 110.7 months. Using multivariate analysis, four variables, including previous repair, sepsis, HJ phase, and bile duct fistula, were identified as independent risk factors associated with both ASO and SFS. Two nomogram models and their corresponding online calculators were subsequently developed. In the training cohort, the novel calculators achieved concordance indices ( C -indices) of 0.841 and 0.763 in predicting ASO and SFS, respectively, much higher than those of the above variables. The predictive accuracy of the resulting models was also good in the internal ( C -indices: 0.867 and 0.821) and external ( C -indices: 0.852 and 0.823) validation cohorts., Conclusions: The two easy-to-use online calculators demonstrated optimal predictive performance for identifying patients at high risk for ASO and with dismal SFS. The estimation of individual risks will help guide decision-making and long-term personalized surveillance., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Bile duct injury (BDI) is one of the serious complications of cholecystectomy procedures, which has a disastrous impact on long-term survival, health-related quality of life (QoL), healthcare costs as well as high rates of litigation. The standard treatment of major BDI is hepaticojejunostomy (HJ). Surgical outcomes depend on many factors, including the severity of the injury, the surgeons' experiences, the patient's condition, and the reconstruction time. The authors aimed to assess the impact of reconstruction time and abdominal sepsis control on the reconstruction success rate., Methods: This is a multicenter, multi-arm, parallel-group, randomized trial that included all consecutive patients treated with HJ for major post-cholecystectomy BDI from February 2014 to January 2022. Patients were randomized according to the time of reconstruction by HJ and abdominal sepsis control into group A (early reconstruction without sepsis control), group B (early reconstruction with sepsis control), and group C (delayed reconstruction). The primary outcome was successful reconstruction rate, while blood loss, HJ diameter, operative time, drainage amount, drain and stent duration, postoperative liver function tests, morbidity and mortality, number of admissions and interventions, hospital stay, total cost, and patient QoL were considered secondary outcomes., Results: Three hundred twenty one patients from three centres were randomized into three groups. Forty-four patients were excluded from the analysis, leaving 277 patients for intention to treat analysis. With univariate analysis, older age, male gender, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, conversion to open cholecystectomy, failure of intraoperative BDI recognition, Strasberg E4 classification, uncontrolled abdominal sepsis, secondary repair, end-to-side anastomosis, diameter of HJ (< 8 mm), non-stented anastomosis, and major complications were risk factors for successful reconstruction. With multivariate analysis, conversion to open cholecystectomy, uncontrolled sepsis, secondary repair, the small diameter of HJ, and non-stented anastomosis were the independent risk factors for the successful reconstruction. Also, group B patients showed decreased admission and intervention rates, decreased hospital stay, decreased total cost, and early improved patient QoL., Conclusion: Early reconstruction after abdominal sepsis control can be done safely at any time with comparable results for delayed reconstruction in addition to decreased total cost and improved patient QoL., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Introduction: Aim is to evaluate geographical and demographic factors influencing management of bile duct injuries occurring during cholecystectomy in a tertiary hepato-pancreato-biliary center in Southeast US., Methods: All referrals for biliary injuries during cholecystectomy, between Jan 2017 and December 2020 were included., Results: 19 patients were identified with a median age of 59 (47-65), average BMI of 30.3 (18-49), and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular disease of 11%, 47% and 16%, respectively. The average transfer distance was 76 miles (8-102) and median transfer time was 3 days (1-12). 16 (84%) had Strasberg E injury, with 4 (21%) having a concomitant vascular injury (3 - right hepatic artery, 1 - right portal vein). Two (10.5%) were managed non-operatively, immediate surgical repair was performed in 2 (10.5%) and 15 (78.9%) patients underwent a delayed repair with a median of 87 days (69-118) from injury to repair. Median operative time was 5 hours (4-7), blood loss was 150 mL (100-200) and hospital stay was 8 days (6-12)., Discussion: Factors including distance between hospitals, delays in patient transfer due to bed availability and transportation, play a role in the decision-making towards delayed repair. The delayed repair has the benefit of medical optimization of our high-risk patients' population.

Purpose: Bile duct injury (BDI) remains the most serious complication following cholecystectomy. However, the actual incidence of BDI in the Czech Republic remains unknown. Hence, we aimed to identify the incidence of major BDI requiring operative reconstruction after elective cholecystectomy in our region despite the prevailing modern 4 K Ultra HD laparoscopy and Critical View of Safety (CVS) standards implemented in daily surgical practice among the Czech population., Methods: In the absence of a specific registry for BDI, we analysed data from The Czech National Patient Register of Reimbursed Healthcare Services, where all procedures are mandatorily recorded. We investigated 76,345 patients who were enrolled for at least a year and underwent elective cholecystectomy during the period from 2018-2021. In this cohort, we examined the incidence of major BDI following the reconstruction of the biliary tract and other complications., Results: A total of 76,345 elective cholecystectomies were performed during the study period, and 186 major BDIs were registered (0.24%). Most elective cholecystectomies were performed laparoscopically (84.7%), with the remaining open (15.3%). The incidence of BDI was higher in the open surgery group (150 BDI/11700 cases/1.28%) than in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (36 BDI/64645 cases/0.06%). Furthermore, the total hospital stays with BDI after reconstruction was 13.6 days. However, the majority of laparoscopic elective cholecystectomies (57,914, 89.6%) were safe and standard procedures with no complications., Conclusion: Our study corroborates the findings of previous nationwide studies. Therefore, though laparoscopic cholecystectomy is reliable, the risks of BDI cannot be eliminated., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Minimally Invasive bile duct repair is an emerging modern technique in hepatobiliary surgery. Conventional laparoscopic technique had been sporadically reported by high volume surgeons as an alternative to open operation, however, the majority of those repairs were undertaken for biliary injury below the biliary bifurcation. Roux-en-Y Hepaticojejunostomy below the biliary bifurcation is technically much simpler to complete when compared to that above the hilar plate (high bile duct injury). The risk of long-term anastomotic stricture is also higher as bile duct caliber decreases. This is anatomically inherent as we travel further cranial beyond the hilar plate. In this multimedia article, we describe our minimally invasive technique for high bile duct injury repair using robotic technology., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The Critical View of Safety (CVS) has been increasingly recognised as the standard method for identification of the cystic structures, to prevent vasculobiliary injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, however, its adoption has been anything but universal. A significant proportion of surgeons has a poor understanding of the three requirements. To bridge this gap between theory and practice, we aimed to summarise the available evidence on CVS, emphasising on current debates and future perspectives., Method: We systematically reviewed the literature (1995-2021), to identify studies reporting on the CVS. Eligible articles were classified according to methodology and key idea. A quantitative analysis was performed to evaluate effectiveness of the CVS in preventing bile duct injury (BDI)., Results: 150 relevant articles were identified, focusing on six main points, (1) safety and effectiveness, (2) intraoperative documentation, (3) complementary imaging techniques, (4) bail-out alternatives, (5) adoption among surgeons, and (6) education and training. The quantitative analysis included 11 studies, with 10,938 cases. Overall, the CVS was achieved in 92.5%. Conversion rate was 4.8%. CVS-related BDI was 0.09% (0.05% technical errors and 0.04% misidentification errors)., Conclusion: Routine application of the CVS reduces BDI, but does not eliminate them altogether. Besides operative notes, the CVS should be documented by an imaging modality of sufficient quality. When the CVS cannot be safely established, the threshold for bail-out alternatives or complementary imaging should be low. Adoption by the surgical community worldwide shows great variability and focus should be placed on training through structured educational modules., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Société Internationale de Chirurgie.)

Background: Bile duct injury (BDI) following cholecystectomy is associated with malpractice litigation. Aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors for litigation in patients with BDI referred in a tertiary care center., Methods: Patients treated for BDI between 1994 and 2016. Stabilized inverse probability therapy weighting was used and multivariable logistic regression analysis identified risk factors for malpractice litigation., Results: Of the 211 treated patients, 98 met the inclusion criteria: early-referral group (<20 days; 51.0%), late-referral (≥20 days; 49.0%). 36 patients (36.7%) initiated malpractice litigation with verdict in favor of plaintiff in 86.7% of cases (median payment = €90 500, up to €600 000). Attempts at surgical and endoscopic repair before referral were significantly higher in late-referral group. Failed postoperative management (delayed referral, attempts at repair before referral) was one of the strongest predictors for litigation. Risk of litigation progressively increased from 23.8%, when referral time was within 19 days, to 54.5% (61-120 days), to 60.0% (121-210 days) and to 65.1% (211-365 days)., Discussion: Litigation rate after BDI was 37%. Delayed referral to tertiary care center was one of the strongest predictors for litigation. Prompt referral to tertiary experienced centers without any attempt at repair may reduce the risk of litigation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None to declare., (Copyright © 2023 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) is the gold standard procedure for the reconstruction of the bile duct in many benign and malignant situations. One of the major situation is the bile duct injury (BDI) after cholecystectomy, either for early or late repair. This procedure presents some specificities associated to a debated management of BDI., Purpose: This article provides a state-of-the-art of the hepaticojejunostomy procedure focusing on bile duct injury including its indications and outcomes CONCLUSION: Performed at the right moment and respecting the technical rules, HJ provides a restoration of the biliary patency in the long term of 80 to 90%. It is the main surgical technique to repair BDI. Complications and failure of this procedure can be difficult to manage. That is why the primary repair requires an appropriate multidisciplinary approach associated with an expert high quality surgical technique., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Objectives : Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is one of the most performed surgeries worldwide. Procedure difficulty and patient outcomes depend on several factors which are not considered in the current literature, including the learning curve, generating confusing and subjective results. This study aims to create a scoring system to calculate the learning curve of LC based on hepatobiliopancreatic (HPB) experts' opinions during an educational course. Materials and Methods : A questionnaire was submitted to the panel of experts attending the HPB course at Research Institute against Digestive Cancer-IRCAD (Strasbourg, France) from 27-29 October 2022. Experts scored the proposed variables according to their degree of importance in the learning curve using a Likert scale from 1 (not useful) to 5 (very useful). Variables were included in the composite scoring system only if more than 75% of experts ranked its relevance in the learning curve assessment ≥4. A positive or negative value was assigned to each variable based on its effect on the learning curve. Results : Fifteen experts from six different countries attended the IRCAD HPB course and filled out the questionnaire. Ten variables were finally included in the learning curve scoring system (i.e., patient body weight/BMI, patient previous open surgery, emergency setting, increased inflammatory levels, presence of anatomical bile duct variation(s), and appropriate critical view of safety (CVS) identification), which were all assigned positive values. Minor or major intraoperative injuries to the biliary tract, development of postoperative complications related to biliary injuries, and mortality were assigned negative values. Conclusions : This is the first scoring system on the learning curve of LC based on variables selected through the experts' opinions. Although the score needs to be validated through future studies, it could be a useful tool to assess its efficacy within educational programs and surgical courses.

Background: A single-institution retrospective analysis was undertaken to assess long-term results of definitive surgical reconstruction for major bile duct injuries and risk factors for restenosis., Methods: Patients treated between January 1995 and October 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. The primary outcome measure was patency., Results: Of 417 patients referred to a tertiary center, 290 (69.5%) underwent surgical reconstruction; mostly in the form of a hepaticojejunostomy (n = 281, 96.8%). Major liver resection was undertaken in 18 patients (6.2%). There were 7 postoperative deaths (2.4%). Patency was achieved in 97.4% of primary repairs and 88.8% of re-repairs. Primary patency at three months (including postoperative deaths and stents removed afterwards) in primary repairs was significantly higher than secondary patency attained during the same period in re-repairs (89.3% vs 76.5%, p < 0.01). The actuarial primary patency was also significantly higher compared to the actuarial secondary patency 10 years after reconstruction (86.7% vs 70.4%, p = 0.001). Vascular disruption was the only independent predictor of loss of patency after reconstruction (OR 7.09, 95% CI 3.45-14.49, p < 0.001), showing interaction with injuries at or above the biliary bifurcation (OR 9.52, 95% CI 2.56-33.33, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Long-term outcome of surgical reconstruction for major bile duct injuries was superior in primary repairs compared to re-repairs. Concomitant vascular injury was independently associated with loss of patency requiring revision., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None declared., (Copyright © 2022 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)