Diagnosis and treatment of biliary pancreatic duct dilatation

Objective To summarize the diagnosis and treatment of biliary pancreatic duct dilatation. Methods The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 22 patients with biliary pancreatic duct dilatation who were admitted to Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine between October 2013 to September 2017 were collected. There were 6 males and 16 females, aged from 33 to 82 years, with an average age of 66 years. Surgical exploration was decided according to clinical symptoms, results of laboratory test and imaging examinations. For patients with space occupying lesions, surgical procedure was selected based on results of pathological examination. Patients without surgical exploration or space occupying lesions were allocated into follow-up. Observation indicators: (1) surgical exploration; (2) relationship of clinical symptoms and preoperative examinations with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions; (3) surgical treatment; (4) follow-up. Follow-up using outpatient examination was performed on patients up to October 2018. Follow-up was performed on patients with positive surgical exploration to detect postoperative complications.For patients with positive results of imaging examinations, no jaundice, normal laboratory indicators or mild abnormality, liver function, tumor markers and B-ultrasound were re-examined each month, and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed once every 3 months. Surgical exploration was performed when total bilirubin (TBil) or tumor markers showed a progressive increase. Follow-up was performed on patients with negative results of imaging examination, jaundice, and mildly elevated CA19-9. TBil and CA19-9 were re-examined monthly, and if they were progressively elevated, patients were transferred to surgical exploration. For patients with negative results of imaging examination, no symptoms, and negative laboratory test, liver function, tumor markers, and B-ultrasound were re-examined once every 3 months, and enhanced CT and MRI were re-examined once every 6 months within one year. Follow-up was performed once every 6 months during the second year, and once a year after two years. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test. Count data were descibed as absolute numbers, and they were analyzed using the chi-square test under R×C chart or Fisher exact probability. Results (1) Surgical exploration: of 22 patients, 11 underwent surgical exploration, and 11 underwent follow-up. Of the 11 patients with surgical exploration, 4 were positive for space occupying lesions including 1 of false negative, and 7 were negative for space occupying lesions. (2) Relationship of clinical symptoms and preoperative examinations with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions. ① Relationship of clinical symptoms and laboratory test with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions: juandice was significantly associated with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (P 0.05). PET-CT had no significant association with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (P>0.05). ③ Relationship of imaging examination and laboratory test with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions: positive imaging examination combined with elevated TBil and CA19-9 was significantly associated with surgical exploration positive for space occupying lesions (P 0.05). (3) Surgical treatment: 9 of 11 patients with surgical exploration followed the standard procedure. Of the 9 patients, 4 were found space-occupying lesions at the choledocho-pancreatico-duodenal junction (3 undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy and 1 undergoing duodenal papilla partial resection), 5 with negative exploration underwent common bile duct incision and T-tube drainage (one patient was unable to pinch the T-tube one month after operation and detected obstruction at the lower end of the bile duct by radiography, and was confirmed pancreatic head cancer by reoperation 3 months after the first operation). Two patients didn′t follow the exploratory procedure, and underwent the child operation only based on the preoperative imaging findings, without intraoperative pathological examination. Postoperative pathological examination showed chronic ampulla and chronic pancreatitis, respectively. (4) Follow-up: 22 patients were followed up for 12-60 months, with a median follow-up time of 36 months. Two of 11 patients with surgical exploration had postoperative gastroplegia, 1 had bile leakage, 1 had incisional infection, and they were improved after symptomatic treatment. Four patients undergoing surgeries for positive exploration had no recurrence during follow-up. Of 5 patients with negative exploration undergoing common bile duct incision and T-tube drainage, 1 was confirmed pancreatic head cancer and underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, 4 were removed T-tube after by T-tube cholangiography at 2 months after surgery. During the follow-up, no positive signs showed in laboratory test or imaging examination. No recurrence occurred in the two patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. Of 11 patients with follow-up, 10 had abdominal pain before surgery, including 3 with pain during follow-up and 7 with symptoms disappeared. There was no abnormalities in the laboratory test. Conclusions The positive imaging examinations combined with jaundice and elevated CA19-9 is an absolute indication for surgical exploration in patients with biliary duct dilatation. Those patients who do not meet this criteria should be distributed into the follow-up. If no positive pathological results were obtained during the operation, the surgery should be terminated and the patients should be transferred into follow-up. The reckless biliary anastomosis or biliary stents placement is opposed. Key words: Biliary and pancreatic duct dilatation; Jaundice; Tumour markers; Imaging examinations; Surgical exploration; Follow-up