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Combined portal vein and liver resection for carcinoma of the biliary tract

Authors :
Nimura, Y.
Hayakawa, N.
Kamiya, J.
Maeda, S.
Kondo, S.
Yasui, A.
Shionoya, S.
Source :
British Journal of Surgery. June, 1991, Vol. 78 Issue 6, p727, 5 p.
Publication Year :
1991

Abstract

Cancer of the biliary (gallbladder) system is usually diagnosed only when it has reached an advanced stage, and usually results in an early death. Radical surgery has not improved the prognosis of patients with invasive gallbladder cancer. A report is presented of the outcome of 29 patients with advanced cancer of the biliary tract who underwent combined portal vein (source of blood for the liver) and liver resection. This procedure involved excision of a portion of the portal vein and removal of a portion of the liver; the amount of excision was determined by extent of the cancer. The average patient age was 60; 16 patients had cancer of the bile ducts, and 13 had gallbladder cancer. Five patients died within a month of surgery, yielding a 17 percent mortality rate. The average survival for the 24 who were discharged from the hospital was 19.8 months. Actuarial survival has been determined to be 48 percent at one year; 29 percent at three years; and 6 percent at five years. This compared favorably with the survival rates obtained using this surgical procedure, and the difference in survival was statistically significant. These findings suggest that combined portal vein and liver resection is a reasonable approach in patients with advanced cancer of the biliary tract. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Details

ISSN :
00071323
Volume :
78
Issue :
6
Database :
Gale General OneFile
Journal :
British Journal of Surgery
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
edsgcl.11016489