Comparison of the current characteristics and management of congenital biliary dilatation with and without a fetal diagnosis: report of 231 consecutive cases from the Kyushu Pediatric Surgery Study Group in Japan over the past decade.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate and to compare the current characteristics and management of congenital biliary dilatation (CBD) with and without fetal diagnosis (FD) based on a multicenter study at all institutions in Kyushu, Japan.

Methods: A regional multicenter study was conducted among the institutions affiliated with the Kyushu Pediatric Surgery Study Group. Patients with CBD who underwent definitive surgery between 2014 and 2023 were enrolled.

Results: All 28 affiliated institutions joined this multicenter study. There comprised 231 cases (Date collection rate: 100%), including 35 cases (15.2%) with an FD. Compared to cases without an FD, cases with an FD were significantly more frequently recognized in type Ia (p < 0.01), significantly less frequently recognized in type Ic (p = 0.04), and IV-A (p < 0.01), and showed a significantly lower frequency of preoperative cholangitis (p < 0.01) and pancreatitis (p < 0.01). Cases with an FD had significantly shorter operative times (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the frequency of postoperative and late postoperative complications between the patients with and without an FD.

Conclusion: CBD cases with an FD were more likely to be type Ia and less likely to have preoperative symptoms than those without an FD, with a comparable risk of postoperative complications.