Objectives:  Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) may be associated with less pain, shorter hospital stay and better cosmetic results than multiport laparoscopic cholecystectomy (MLC). Advocates suggest that patients prefer SILC, although research directly addressing the question of patient preferences is limited. This study aimed to assess patient preferences using currently available evidence.

Methods:  Patients awaiting elective cholecystectomy were shown a series of postoperative images taken after SILC or MLC and asked which procedure this led them to prefer. This was repeated after patients had completed a questionnaire constructed using published objective data comparing patient-reported outcomes of SILC and MLC.

Results:  The study was completed by 113 consecutive patients. After their initial viewing of the images, 16% of subjects preferred MLC. Younger age, lower body mass index and female sex were associated with choosing SILC. After completing the questionnaire, 88% of patients preferred MLC (P < 0.001). Patients ranked the level of risk for complications and postoperative pain above cosmetic results in determining their choice of procedure.

Conclusions:  Patients' initial preference when presented with cosmetic appearance was for SILC. When contemporary outcome data were included, the majority chose MLC. This underlines the need to fully inform patients during the consent process and indicates that patient views of SILC may differ from the views of those introducing the technology.

Background:  The resectability of colorectal liver metastases is in part largely based on the surgeon's assessment of cross-sectional imaging. This process, while guided by principles, is subjective. The objective of the present study was to assess agreement between hepatic surgeons regarding the resectability of colorectal liver metastases.

Methods:  Forty-six hepatic surgeons across Canada were invited. A patient with biologically favourable disease was presented after having received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The scenario was matched with 10 different scrollable abdominal CT scans representing a maximum response after six cycles of chemotherapy. Surgeons were asked to offer an opinion on resectability of liver metastases, and whether they would use adjunct modalities to hepatic resection.

Results:  Twenty-six surgeons participated. Twenty responses were complete. The median number of scenarios deemed resectable was 6/10 (range 3–8). Two control scenarios demonstrated perfect agreement. Agreement on resectability was poor for 4/8 test scenarios, of which one scenario demonstrated complete disagreement. Among resectable cases, the pattern of use of adjunct modalities was variable. A median ratio of 0.87 adjunct modality per resectable scenario per surgeon was used (range 0.25–1.75).

Conclusion:  A significant lack of agreement was identified among surgeons on the resectability and use of adjunct modalities in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases.

Objectives:  The prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accompanied by main portal vein tumour thrombus (MPVTT) is poor. The aim of this study was to clarify the factors linked to survival of >5 years after hepatectomy in HCC patients with MPVTT.

Methods:  Twenty-nine HCC patients with MPVTT were divided into two groups comprising, respectively, patients who survived >5 years after hepatectomy (survivors, n= 5) and those who did not (non-survivors, n= 24). The two groups were compared.

Results:  Overall survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 62.1%, 24.1% and 17.2%, respectively. Four (80.0%) 5-year survivors had recurrences of HCC in which the number of recurrent nodules was under four. Three (21.4%) of the 14 non-survivors who underwent curative resection experienced recurrences of HCC and all of them demonstrated fewer than four recurrent nodules (P= 0.0114). Local therapy, such as radiofrequency ablation and resection of recurrence, had more often been used in survivors than in non-survivors (P= 0.0364).

Conclusions:  Although surgical outcomes in patients with HCC accompanied by MPVTT are unsatisfactory, some patients do enjoy longterm survival. When the number of recurrent nodules is less than four, local therapy should be selected with the aim of achieving 5-year survival.

Background:  The present study is a meta-analysis of English articles comparing one-stage [laparoscopic common bile duct exploration or intra-operative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)] vs. two-stage (laparoscopic cholecystectomy preceded or followed by ERCP) management of common bile duct stones.

Methods:  MEDLINE/PubMed and Science Citation Index databases (1990–2011) were searched for randomized, controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria for data extraction. Outcomes were calculated as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using RevMan 5.1.

Results:  Nine trials with 933 patients were studied. No significant differences was observed between the two groups with regard to bile duct clearance (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.65–1.21), mortality (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.32–4.52), total morbidity (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.53–1.06), major morbidity (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.60–1.52) and the need for additional procedures (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 0.76–3.30).

Conclusions:  Outcomes after one-stage laparoscopic/endoscopic management of bile duct stones are no different to the outcomes after two-stage management.

Background/purpose:  Complications from biliary drainage in biliary tract cancer (BTC) may influence the relative dose intensity of chemotherapy or increase adverse events during chemotherapy. BT22 was a randomized phase II trial, the results of which were consistent with those of a phase III trial in non-Japanese that demonstrated the effectiveness of gemcitabine plus cisplatin combination therapy (GC) in BTC. The purpose of this exploratory analysis of the BT22 study was to identify the possible effects of biliary drainage on the efficacy and safety of GC or gemcitabine monotherapy (G).

Patients and Methods:  The 83 BTC patients who received GC or G in BT22 were retrospectively analysed in two subgroups dependent upon whether biliary drainage was performed before study entry. Efficacy and safety of treatment (GC vs. G) were compared in these two groups.

Results:  The GC arm had a higher 1-year survival rate and longer median survival time (MST) than the G arm independent of prior biliary drainage. Patients in the drainage subgroup developed cholangitis more frequently, however, the frequency of grade 3/4 adverse events did not differ between the treatment regimens with/without drainage.

Conclusions:  Biliary drainage before chemotherapy did not affect the therapeutic efficacy or tolerability of chemotherapy using G or GC.

Background:  The effect of diabetes on survival after resection pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC) is unclear. The present study was undertaken to determine whether pre-operative diabetes has any predictive value for survival.

Methods:  A retrospective review from seven centres was performed. Metabolic factors, tumour characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing resection for PDAC were collected. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine factors associated with disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results:  Of the 509 patients in the present study, 31.2% had diabetes. Scoring systems were devised to predict OS and DFS based on a training set (n= 245) and were subsequently tested on an independent set (n= 264). Pre-operative diabetes (P < 0.001), tumour size >2 cm (P= 0.001), metastatic nodal ratio >0.1 (P < 0.001) and R1 margin (P < 0.001) all correlated with DFS and OS on univariate analysis. Scoring systems were devised based on multivariable analysis of the above factors. Diabetes and the metastatic nodal ratio were the most important factors in each system, earning two points for OS and four points for DFS. These scoring systems significantly correlated with both DFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:  Pre-operative diabetes status provides useful information that can help to stratify patients in terms of predicted post-operative OS and DFS.

Background:  Cholecystectomy is associated with increased risks in patients with cirrhosis. The well-established advantages of laparoscopic surgery may be offset by the increased risk for complications relating particularly to portal hypertension and coagulopathy.

Methods:  A systematic search was undertaken to identify studies comparing open cholecystectomy (OC) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in patients with cirrhosis. A meta-analysis was performed of the available randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Results:  Forty-four studies were analysed. These included a total of 2005 patients with cirrhosis who underwent laparoscopic (n= 1756) or open (n= 249) cholecystectomy, with mortality rates of 0.74% and 2.00%, respectively. A meta-analysis of three RCTs involving a total of 220 patients was conducted. There was a reduction in the overall incidences of postoperative complications and infectious complications and a shorter length of hospital stay in LC. However, frequencies of postoperative hepatic insufficiency did not differ significantly.

Conclusions:  There are few RCTs comparing OC and LC in patients with cirrhosis. These studies are small, heterogeneous in design and include almost exclusively patients with Child–Pugh class A and B disease. However, LC appears to be associated with shorter operative time, reduced complication rates and reduced length of hospital stay.

Background:  Despite advances in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a great proportion of patients are eligible only for palliative therapy for reasons of advanced-stage disease or poor hepatic reserve. The use of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the palliation of non-resectable HCC has shown a survival benefit in European and Asian populations. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of TACE by analysing overall 5-year survival, interval changes of tumour size and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in a prospective North American cohort.

Methods:  From September 2005 to December 2010, 46 candidates for TACE were enrolled in the study. Collectively, they underwent 102 TACE treatments. Data on tumour response, serum AFP and survival were prospectively collected.

Results:  In compensated cirrhotic patients, serial treatment with TACE had a stabilizing effect on tumour size and reduced serum AFP levels during the first 12 months. Overall survival rates at 1, 2 and 3 years were 69%, 58% and 20%, respectively. Younger individuals and patients with a lower body mass index, affected by early-stage HCC with involvement of a single lobe, had better survival in univariate analysis. After adjustment for risk factors, early tumour stage (T1 and T2 vs. T3 and T4) at diagnosis was the only statistically significant predictor for survival.

Conclusions:  In compensated cirrhotic patients, TACE is an effective palliative intervention and HCC stage at diagnosis seems to be the most important predictor of longterm outcomes.

Background:  Non-functional endocrine pancreatic tumours (NPT) of more than 2 cm have an increased risk of malignancy. The aim of the present study was: (i) to define the guidelines for laparoscopic enucleation (LapEn) in patients with a non-functional NPT ≤3 cm in diameter; (ii) to evaluate pancreas-related complications; and (iii) to present the long-term outcome.

Methods:  Between April 1998 and September 2010, 30 consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic surgery for a non-functional NPT (median age 56.5 years, range 44–83). Only 13 patients with tumours ≤3 cm in size underwent LapEn. Local lymph node dissection to exclude lymph node involvement was performed in all patients.

Results:  The median tumour size, operative time and blood loss were 2.8 cm (range 2.8–3), 130 min (range 90–280) and 220 ml (range 120–300), respectively. A pancreatic fistula occurred in five patients: International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula (ISGPF) A in two patients and ISGPF B in three patients. The median follow-up was 48 months (12–144). Three patients with well-differentiated carcinoma are free of disease 2, 3 and 4 years after LapEn and a regional lymphadenectomy. One patient, 5 years after a LapEn, presented with lymph node and liver metastases.

Conclusions:  The present study confirms the technical feasibility and acceptable morbidity associated with LapEn. Intra-operative lymph node sampling and frozen-section examination should be performed at the time of LapEn; when a malignancy is confirmed, oncologically appropriate lymph node dissection should be performed.

Objectives:  To investigate whether Helicobacter spp. infection and the cagA of H. pylori are associated with hepatobiliary pathology, specifically biliary inflammation, cell proliferation and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).

Methods: Helicobacter species including H. pylori, H. bilis and H. hepaticus were detected in the specimens using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Biliary inflammation of the liver and gallbladders was semi-quantitatively graded on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides. Biliary proliferation was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using the Ki-67-labelling index.

Results: Helicobacter pylori was found in 66.7%, 41.5% and 25.0% of the patients in the CCA, cholelithiasis and control groups (P < 0.05), respectively. By comparison, H. bilis was found in 14.9% and 9.4% of the patients with CCA and cholelithiasis, respectively (P > 0.05), and was absent in the control group. The cagA gene of H. pylori was detected in 36.2% and 9.1% of the patients with CCA and cholelithiasis, respectively (P < 0.05). Among patients with CCA, cell inflammation and proliferation in the liver and gallbladder were significantly higher among those DNA H. pylori positive than negative.

Conclusions:  The present findings suggest that H. pylori, especially the cagA-positive strains, may be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatobiliary diseases, especially CCA through enhanced biliary cell inflammation and proliferation.

Objectives:  This study aimed to determine longterm outcomes and factors associated with increased survival after photodynamic therapy (PDT) compared with endoscopic biliary drainage alone in patients presenting with advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CC).

Methods:  A retrospective analysis of the institutional database identifying all patients who presented with a diagnosis of hilar CC between December 1999 and January 2011 was conducted.

Results:  Of the 232 patients identified, 72 (31%) were treated with PDT (Group A) and 71 (31%) were treated with endoscopic biliary drainage alone (Group B). Median survival was 9.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 7.42–12.25] in Group A and 7.3 months (95% CI 4.79–9.88) in Group B (P= 0.029). On multivariate analysis, biliary drainage without PDT (P= 0.025) and higher T-stage (P= 0.002) were significant predictors of shorter survival in all patients. In a subgroup analysis of patients in the PDT group, lower pre-PDT bilirubin level (P= 0.005), multiple PDT treatments (P= 0.044) and shortened time to treatment after diagnosis (P= 0.013) were significant predictors of improved survival. Median metal stent patency was longer in Group A than in Group B (215 days vs. 181 days; P= 0.018).

Conclusions:  Photodynamic therapy with stenting resulted in longer survival than stenting alone. Early PDT after diagnosis and multiple PDT treatments were shown to have survival benefits. Metal stent patency was longer in patients receiving PDT. Higher T-stage appears to be a predictor of early mortality in advanced bile duct cancer treated with PDT.

Objectives:  Accurate prediction of safe remnant liver volume to minimize complications following liver resection remains challenging. The aim of this study was to assess whether quantification of steatosis improved the predictive value of preoperative volumetric analysis.

Methods:  Thirty patients undergoing planned right or extended right hemi-hepatectomy for colorectal metastases were recruited prospectively. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the level of hepatic steatosis and future remnant liver volume. These data were correlated with data on postoperative hepatic insufficiency, complications and hospital stay. Correlations of remnant percentage, remnant mass to patient mass and remnant mass to body surface area with and without steatosis measurements were assessed.

Results:  In 10 of the 30 patients the planned liver resection was altered. Moderate–severe postoperative hepatic dysfunction was seen in 17 patients. Complications arose in 14 patients. The median level of steatosis was 3.8% (range: 1.2–17.6%), but was higher in patients (n= 10) who received preoperative chemotherapy (P= 0.124), in whom the median level was 4.8% (range: 1.5–17.6%). The strongest correlation was that of remnant liver mass to patient mass (r= 0.77, P < 0.001). However, the addition of steatosis quantification did not improve this correlation (r= 0.76, P < 0.001).

Conclusions:  This is the first study to combine volumetric with steatosis quantifications. No significant benefit was seen in this small pilot. However, these techniques may be useful in operative planning, particularly in patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy.

Objectives:  The aim of this study is to analyse national trends in discharge disposition following pancreatic resection for malignancy in the USA.

Methods:  The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was queried for 1993–2005 to identify patients who underwent pancreatic resection for malignancy. The status of patients at discharge (to home, home with home health care or to another facility) was noted.

Results:  A weighted total of 51 866 patients who underwent pancreatectomy for malignant neoplasm of the pancreas were identified. Patients who died in the postoperative period and patients without a specified discharge disposition were excluded, leaving 43 603 patients for inclusion in the study. Overall mortality improved over the period of the study from 7.1% in 1993 to 5.2% in 2005. The number of patients discharged to another facility increased significantly from 5.5% in 1993 to 13.3% in 2005. Similarly, the number of patients discharged to home with home health assistance increased from 20.0% in 1993 to 33.0% in 2005. This corresponded with a statistically significant decrease in the number of patients discharged to home without assistance, from 74.5% in 1993 to 53.7% in 2005 (P= 0.002).

Conclusions:  The results of our study demonstrate that following pancreatic resection for malignancy, nearly half the patients will require some assistance after discharge.

Objectives:  The prognosis of patients with liver metastases of gastric cancer (LMGC) is dismal, but little is known about prognostic factors in these patients; thus justification for surgical resection is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to review recent outcomes of hepatectomy for LMGC and to determine which patients represent suitable candidates for surgery by assessing surgical results and clinicopathologic features.

Methods:  Outcomes in 21 patients with LMGC who underwent hepatectomy between 1998 and 2007 were assessed. Isolated metastases and potential to perform a curative resection were requisite indi-cations for surgery. Surgical outcome and clinicopathologic features of the hepatic metastases were analysed.

Results:  Overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates after hepatic resection were 68%, 31% and 19%, respectively; three patients survived for >5 years without recurrence. Univariate analysis revealed a solitary metastasis, negative margin (R0) resection and the presence of a peritumoral fibrous capsule as significant favourable prognostic factors. These characteristics were present in all of the three patients who survived for >5 years.

Conclusions:  Solitary metastases from gastric cancer should be treated surgically and confer a better prognosis. Surgical resection should provide microscopically negative margins (R0). A new prognostic factor, the presence of a pseudocapsule, may be associated with improved prognosis.

Background:  The guidelines for resection of gallbladder cancer include a regional lymphadenectomy; yet it is uncommonly performed in practice and inadequately described in the literature. The present study describes the technique of a regional lymphadenectomy for gallbladder cancer, as practiced by the author.

Methods/Technique:  After confirming resectability, the duodenum is kocherized. The dissection starts from the posterior aspects of the duodenum and head of the pancreas and extends superiorly to the retroportal area. This is followed by dissection of the common hepatic artery and its branches, the bile duct and the anterior aspect of the portal vein until the hepatic hilum. Resection of the gallbladder with an appropriate liver resection completes the surgery.

Results:  This technique was used for a regional lymphadenectomy in 27 patients, of which 14 underwent radical cholecystectomy upfront, and 13 had revisional surgery for incidentally detected gallbladder cancer. The median number of lymph nodes dissected on histopathology was 8 (range 3 to 18). Eleven patients had metastatic lymph nodes on histopathological examination. There was no post-operative mortality. Two patients had a bile leak which resolved with conservative management.

Conclusion:  A systematic approach towards a regional lymphadenectomy ensures a consistent nodal harvest in patients undergoing radical resection for gallbladder cancer.