Hepatoduodenal Ligament Research Articles

A case report: mucinous carcinoma of extrahepatic bile ducts with periportal calcification suggestive of lymphatic calcification.

Mucinous carcinoma is a rare subtype of extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer in which abundant mucin surrounds cancer cell nests. Calcification is often observed in mucus-producing tumors, and we herein report a case of mucinous carcinoma of EHBD with diffuse periportal calcifications. A 92-year-old woman was seen for jaundice. Non-contrast CT showed diffuse semi-linear branching calcifications extending from the hepatoduodenal ligament along the long axis of the intra- and extrahepatic portal veins. A bile duct mass and multiple lymph nodes were hyperintense on T2-weighted MRI images, and periportal abnormal intensity was visible along the intrahepatic portal tract. On contrast-enhanced CT, the mass and enlarged lymph nodes showed a weak enhancing effect. In addition, a lesion with a similar enhancing effect was observed in parallel with periportal calcification, raising suspicion of tumor extension. An endoscopic bile duct biopsy was performed, which resulted in the tumor being diagnosed as a mucinous carcinoma. Considering the imaging findings, it was determined to be a mucinous carcinoma of EHBD origin, with lymphatic vessel infiltration and multiple lymph node metastases. The lymphatic tracts presented lymphangitic carcinomatosis extending from the hepatoduodenal ligament to intrahepatic portal tracts, and the diffuse periportal calcification was presumed to be calcification associated with the mucin component of tumor infiltration.

A subset of image-defined risk factors predict completeness of resection in children with high-risk neuroblastoma: An international multicenter study.

Image-defined risk factors (IDRFs) were promulgated for predicting the feasibility and safety of complete primary tumor resection in children with neuroblastoma (NB). There is limited understanding of the impact of individual IDRFs on resectability of the primary tumor or patient outcomes. A multicenter database of patients with high-risk NB was interrogated to answer this question. Patients with high-risk NB (age <20years) were eligible if cross-sectional imaging was performed at least twice prior to resection. IDRFs and primary tumor measurements were recorded for each imaging study. Extent of resection was determined from operative reports. There were 211 of 229 patients with IDRFs at diagnosis, and 171 patients with IDRFs present pre-surgery. A ≥90% resection was significantly more likely in the absence of tumor invading or encasing the porta hepatis, hepatoduodenal ligament, superior mesenteric artery (SMA), renal pedicles, abdominal aorta/inferior vena cava (IVC), iliac vessels, and/or diaphragm at diagnosis or an overlapping subset of IDRFs (except diaphragm) at pre-surgery. There were no significant differences in event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) when patients were stratified by the presence versus absence of any IDRF either at diagnosis or pre-surgery. Two distinct but overlapping subsets of IDRFs present either at diagnosis or after induction chemotherapy significantly influence the probability of a complete resection in children with high-risk NB. The presence of IDRFs was not associated with significant differences in OS or EFS in this cohort.

A CT-based radiomics model for predicting lymph node metastasis in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis patients to support lymph node dissection

BackgroundHepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a severe zoonotic parasitic disease, and accurate preoperative prediction of lymph node (LN) metastasis in AE patients is crucial for disease management, but it remains an unresolved challenge. The aim of this study was to establish a radiomics model for the preoperative prediction of LN metastasis in hepatic AE patients.MethodsA total of 100 hepatic AE patients who underwent hepatectomy and hepatoduodenal ligament LN dissection at Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital between January 2016 and August 2023 were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set at an 8:2 ratio. Radiomic features were extracted from three-dimensional images of the hepatoduodenal ligament LNs delineated on arterial phase computed tomography (CT) scans of hepatic AE patients. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was applied for data dimensionality reduction and feature selection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to develop a prediction model, and the predictive performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsA total of 7 radiomics features associated with LN status were selected using LASSO regression. The classification performances of the training set and validation set were consistent, with area under the operating characteristic curve (AUC) values of 0.928 and 0.890, respectively. The model also demonstrated good stability in subsequent validation.ConclusionIn this study, we established and evaluated a radiomics-based prediction model for LN metastasis in patients with hepatic AE using CT imaging. Our findings may provide a valuable reference for clinicians to determine the occurrence of LN metastasis in hepatic AE patients preoperatively, and help guide the implementation of individualized surgical plans to improve patient prognosis.

Schwannoma of the hepatoduodenal legament: A case report and review of literature

Schwannomas are extremely rare and almost constantly benign tumors arising from Schwann cells. Gastrointestinal tract schwannomas are usually asymptomatic, and their radiologically/endoscopic features are not pathognomonic. Schwannomas in the hepatoduodenal ligament are even more unusual. In this article, we present a rare case of a Schwannoma of the hepatoduodenal ligament and a brief overview of the literature. A 65-year-old Caucasian female presented for outpatient general surgery evaluation in our institute after sonography and contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan incidentally revealed an ovoid mass extended along the lesser curvature of the stomach. The patient underwent a laparoscopic excision of the mass. The final histopathologic examination was suggestive for Schwannoma. At 12-month follow-up, the patient is well with no signs of recurrence or metastasis. Even if their incidence is extremely low, Schwannomas should be included in the broad range of abdominal mass differential diagnosis.

Rising pseudocysts in the hepatoduodenal ligament caused by a ruptured intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with surgical treatment

Rising pseudocysts in the hepatoduodenal ligament caused by a ruptured intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with surgical treatment

Assessment of Electrical Impedance of the Liver and Spleen under Occlusion of Hepatic Blood Flow

Introduction. Liver resection remains the main trend in the treatment for primary and metastatic liver tumors and provides better overall and disease-free 5-year survival compared with conservative treatment options. Extensive liver resection is accompanied by the risk of post-resection liver failure. There is currently no absolute algorithm for determining the prognosis of post-resection liver failure. One of the ways to find new approaches to assessing the prognosis and diagnosing post-resection liver failure is bioimpedance analysis of the liver.The aim of the study was to assess the effect of hepatic blood flow occlusion on changes in the electrical impedance of the liver and spleen.Materials and methods. The study involved 20 male Wistar rats weighed 180-270 g. In the first series, experimental animals underwent occlusion of the hepatic blood flow for 15 minutes, and then underwent reperfusion (n=10). In the second series, occlusion of the hepatic blood flow was carried out for 90 minutes (n=10). Under general anesthesia, a median laparotomy was performed, followed by the application of a vascular clip to an analogue of the hepatoduodenal ligament, followed by clamping of the bile duct, hepatic artery and portal vein for 15 minutes in the first series and 90 minutes in the second series of the experiment. Invasive bioimpedansometry of the liver was performed using an original device for measuring the impedance of biological tissues BIM-II (RF patent No. 2366360). The data obtained were analysed at a frequency of 2 kHz, the hepatosplenic index (HSI) was calculated as the ratio of the average electrical impedance of the liver to the average electrical impedance of the spleen.Results. The 1st series of experiments. After applying the clips to the hepatoduodenal ligament analogue, the value of the electrical impedance of the liver parenchyma at a frequency of 2 kHz did not change and amounted to 2.3 (2.11; 3.1) kΩ versus 2.34 (2.05; 2.81) kΩ registered before manipulation. The median spleen impedance decreased statistically significantly from 2.7 (2.07; 3.5) kΩ to 1.63 (1.47; 2.04) kΩ (p 0.05). After 15-minute occlusion of the hepatic blood flow, the electrical impedance of the liver parenchyma statistically significantly increased by 1.47 times and amounted to 3.98 (2.64; 4.59) kΩ. The median value of spleen impedance was 1.86 (1.52; 2.23) kΩ, and was statistically significantly lower (p0.05) than before the clip application. After reperfusion, the liver impedance decreased to 3.11 (2.06; 5.11) kΩ, and the spleen impedance was 2.08 (1.53; 2.55) kΩ, while both parameters were statistically significantly different from the initial values. The dispersion coefficient D2kHz/20kHz of the liver statistically significantly increased to 2.10 (1.67; 2.58) 15 minutes after the clip application relative to the parameters before vascular exclusion – 1.71 (1.44; 2.08) and immediately after clamping analogue of the hepatoduodenal ligament – 1.60 (1.46; 2.11). After reperfusion, the dispersion coefficient D2kHz/20kHz of the liver parenchyma did not differ from the initial values and amounted to 1.79 (1.52; 2.29). The dispersion coefficient D2kHz/20kHz of the spleen decreased significantly immediately after occlusion of the hepatic blood flow from 1.54 (1.28; 1.71) to 1.36 (1.20; 1.62) and was at the corresponding level, including that after reperfusion. Fifteen minutes after the clip application, the dispersion coefficient D2kHz/20kHz of the spleen was statistically significantly lower than the values of D2kHz/20kHz of the liver (p0.05) – 1.42 (1.19; 1.6) versus 2.1 (1.67; 2.58). Before vascular exclusion of the liver, the median HSI was 0.89 (0.72, 1.11). After the clip application, the HSI parameter statistically significantly increased to 1.43 (1.28; 1.95) due to a decreased electrical impedance in the spleen parenchyma. After 15-minute ischemia, HSI statistically significantly increased to 2.01 (1.26; 2.68), and after reperfusion it remained at a level higher than the initial level.The 2nd series of experiments. Before vascular exclusion, the electrical impedance of the liver parenchyma of experimental rats was 2.39 (1.8, 2.57) kΩ. After 15 minutes, the electrical impedance increased significantly to 3.2 (3.08; 3.32) kΩ, which was consistent with the results of the previous experiment. After 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes, the impedance values of the liver parenchyma did not change and were increased if compared with the initial level. The coefficient of the electrical impedance dispersion of the liver increased statistically significantly after 15-minute ischemia and remained at a high level until the end of the experiment. After the clip application, the HSI parameter statistically significantly increased after 15 minutes and remained at a level higher than the initial level in 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes of ischemia.Conclusions. After vascular exclusion of the liver, interrelated changes in the electrical impedance of the liver and spleen occurred within 15 minutes. These processes are mainly associated with changes in blood supply to the studied organs and ischemia effects.

Variant anatomy of structures in Calot’s triangle

The variant anatomy of the biliary tract and its sources of blood supply causes technical difficulties and increases the risk of damage to these main structures in the area of the porta hepatis and hepatoduodenal ligament during hepatobiliary operations, especially laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The main structures form a single topographic formation – the Calot’s triangle, with possible multiple anatomical variations, considered in the literature review.

A snapshot on current approaches to lymphadenectomy in liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: results from an international survey

The use of lymphadenectomy (LND) during resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is still debated, leading to differing practices in different centers and countries. The aim of this study was to assess such differences. A survey on LND for ICC was distributed to the members of the International Hepato-PancreatoBiliary Association (IHPBA) and the Italian Chapter of IHPBA (AICEP). Two-hundred thirty-four surgeons completed the survey (88% males; median age 46 years). Preoperative nodal staging was deemed mandatory/very important by 65%. Adequate LND was defined as hepatoduodenal ligament LND by 33%, LND at specific nodal stations by 28% and retrieval of > 5 nodes by 28%. The decision to perform LND was influenced by comorbidities (48%), chronic liver disease (38%) and satellitosis (32%). Most participants modify perioperative management in case of clinically positive nodes, 50% stating they would give neoadjuvant therapy. The role of LND in clinically node negative disease was adequate staging for 88%, survival benefit for 50.5% and clinical trials eligibility for 18.5%. Our survey confirms heterogeneity in the evaluation of role and extent of LND for ICC, how this relates to subjective perception of importance of LND, and need of a systematic approach in this area.

Lesser omentum of white rats: structural and functional characteristics

Background. According to the literature, all mammals have two omenta, one of which is the greater omentum and the other one is the lesser omentum, but white rats have two additional derivatives of the visceral peritoneum, homologous in structure to the greater omentum - called the epididymal omentum. Today, the greater omentum is comprehensively studied and arouses great interest among researchers, in turn, the lesser omentum is not popular among scientists, as a result of which many details of its anatomical and histological structure remain undisclosed. Objective. To study the morpho-functional features of the structure of the lesser omentum of white rats through a bibliographic analysis of the literature. Methods. This bibliographic analysis is based on published articles, books, textbooks, and monographs. The search for which was carried out on the worldwide network "Internet" in the scientific and metric databases of Google Scholar, Web of Science and PubMed, foreign sources of literature and the National Library of Medicine. Results. The lesser omentum is formed due to the successive transition of the duplication of the peritoneum, from the lower surface of the liver to the lesser curvature of the stomach and duodenum. At the small curvature of the stomach, the leaves that form the lesser omentum diverge and cover the front-upper and back-lower walls of the stomach. The lesser omentum consists of the hepatogastric ligament, which is an extremely thin and transparent membrane, and a thicker, transparent membrane - the hepatoduodenal ligament, which is attached to the duodenum. Microscopically, it consists of two main structural elements: thin fenestrated translucent membranes and adipose tissue-rich areas containing milky spots that may play a role in the immune defense of the peritoneal cavity. Conclusion. So, according to the analysis, the lesser omentum mainly performs a connecting role and provides support and stabilization of the organs of the abdominal cavity between which it is located.

Lymphatic spread from left-sided intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: reconsiderations based on the lymphatic drainage from the liver

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is known to have a high frequency of lymph node metastasis. Lymph node dissection (LND) is recommended for accurate staging, but the survival benefit of LND remains unclear. Knowledge of the pathways and direction of lymphatic drainage to the regional lymph nodes is essential when considering LND to improve patient survival. The liver has three lymphatic drainage pathways: portal, sublobular, and subcapsular. Of these, the portal lymphatic pathway, which lies along with the portal tracts, is the primary pathway. The efferent portal lymphatic vessels from the left-sided liver, which continue from the portal lymphatic pathway of the liver, communicate with the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes along the hepatic artery at the hepatoduodenal ligament. In addition, lymphatic flow may also present along the left embryonic (aberrant) hepatic artery in the lesser omentum, based on our experience. This pathway is the previously reported pathway from the left-sided ICC to the lesser curvature of the stomach. However, through this pathway, ICC cells reach lymph nodes along the root of the left gastric artery but not the perigastric lymph nodes along the lesser curvature because of the opposite direction of lymph flow. Although further analyses using a large number of cases are needed to confirm these observations, these two pathways, along the hepatic artery at the hepatoduodenal ligament and the left embryonic (aberrant) hepatic artery in the lesser omentum should be considered when performing LND in the case of ICC in the left-sided liver.

Anatomical, Radiological, and Corrosion Casting of the Liver, Gallbladder, and Biliary Duct System of Local Breed Cattle (Bos ttaurus)

Local breed cattle's liver, reddish-brown, occupies the right hypochondriac region with 35.2 ± 3.24 cm long and 5.5 ± 0.5 kg weight. Connected by left and right triangular ligaments; and falciform ligaments with the diaphragm, and hepatorenal ligament with the right kidney. While the coronary ligament encompassing the caudal vena cava divides into dorsal and ventral branches, enclosing the nuda region. The round ligament connects the umbilical fissure to the umbilicus. The lesser omentum on the liver's visceral surface connects the stomach and duodenum through hepatogastric and hepatoduodenal ligaments, respectively. The liver has, parietal and visceral surfaces; right, left, ventral, and dorsal borders; and left, right, caudate, and quadrate liver lobes that are not clearly separated, except for the caudate. The gallbladder has a dark green color and pear-shaped morphology, measures 16 ± 1.5 cm, and is located in a shallow cystic fossa. Consisting of the neck, forms an inverted funnel shape, body, and fundus. The diameters were 2 ± 0.3, 6 ± 1.2, and 4 ± 1.3 cm, respectively. The biliary tract consists of extrahepatic and intrahepatic ducts. The extrahepatic ducts have a left duct of 3 ± 0.5 cm and a right duct of 2 ± 0.25 cm. Converging to form a common hepatic duct 8 ± 0.5 cm. The cystic duct is 3± 0. cm, joins with the common hepatic duct ventrally. The intrahepatic ducts consisted of primary, secondary, tertiary, interlobular, intralobular, and intercalated ducts. The left hepatic duct received 9 ± 1 of dorsal primary ducts and 8 ± 2 ventral primary ducts. The right hepatic duct receives 4 ± 1 dorsal ducts and 2 ± 1 ventral ducts.

Abstract 2393: Development of a novel implantable drug-eluting product for the local treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Abstract Background Local control of non-metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a major challenge. Therapies with reduced systemic toxicity are needed as intravenous (IV) infusions are limited by patient tolerance with only small amounts reaching the tumor. PanTher created PTM-101, a novel absorbable drug formulation containing paclitaxel, designed to be locally applied via minimally invasive surgery to provide chemotherapy precisely to the peritumoral area in PDAC. Methods A study was conducted using 3 cadaveric abdomens to evaluate surgical feasibility of delivering PTM-101 via laparoscopy. Prior to insertion of PTM-101 into the peritoneum, the surgeons prepared each product by suturing a 3-0 Vicryl SH (Ethicon) at four evenly spaced locations around the edge of the flat circular product. A periumbilical 10mm Hasson port was placed to insufflate the abdomen, followed by placement of 3 additional working ports (5mm). The liver capsule was carefully surveyed to exclude metastatic disease. The surgeons opened a window into the lesser sac through the greater omentum, lifting the stomach up from the transverse colon to expose the pancreas. PTM-101 (a 1mm thick and 6cm diameter film) was rolled into a tubular shape, inserted through the cannula, and affixed to the peri-pancreatic fat with existing vicryl stitches. Results The estimated total operative time from placement of the first trocar to removal of all equipment was 45 minutes, for the 3 procedures. The operations included 25 minutes for entry, port placement, exposure of the simulated pancreatic tumor location and 20 minutes to place and suture PTM-101. PTM-101 was easy to fit through the cannula and was sutured without difficulty to the peri-pancreatic fat that surrounds the capsule of the pancreas. To simulate a tumor with hepatic artery involvement, the implant was sutured towards the hepatoduodenal ligament in one specimen, near the area of the gastroduodenal artery takeoff, proper hepatic artery, and proximal portal vein. PTM-101 covered the entire head/neck area of the simulated tumor locations without requiring disruption of the tumor area or dissection of the tunnel under the pancreatic neck. Conclusion PTM-101 is flexible and conforms easily to the underlying topography, both in a concave (i.e., with the tumor intact) and convex (i.e., after resection) scenario. Although human anatomy does not allow for PTM-101 to completely wrap around the pancreas, the size and flexibility of the product enables it to “drape” over the edges covering areas near the superior mesenteric vein and artery (SMV/SMA). This placement could hypothetically increase the amount of drug reaching the area behind the pancreas to target tumors which abut or encase the mesoportal vasculature. A decrease in the tumor-vessel interface could downsize pancreatic tumors, with the goal of increasing resection rates and post-resection local control. Citation Format: Margaret Lashof-Sullivan, Leslie S. Sloan, Michael P. Kim, Laura Indolfi, Ching-Wei D. Tzeng. Development of a novel implantable drug-eluting product for the local treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2393.

REMOVED: Successful management of an Iatrogenic portal vein and hepatic artery injury in a 4-month-old female patient: A case report and literature review

Serious iatrogenic vascular injuries are considered uncommon; however, they are underreported. There are limited studies discussing the proper management of these injuries; therefore, the management is often anecdotal. A 4-month-old female patient presented with elevated liver enzymes and cholecystitis with sludge. Her HIDA scan suggested biliary atresia. During the surgery, there was a bilateral iatrogenic injury to the hepato-duodenal ligament, including the portal vein, hepatic artery, and bile ducts. The patient underwent splenectomy and cholecystectomy, and the hepatic artery transection was successfully managed with a splenic artery jump graft and a portal vein bypass initiated with the SMV using a Gore-TexⓇ vascular graft. The management of iatrogenic vascular injury depends primarily on the assessment of the stage of the injury, which should be conducted by experienced surgeons using proper strategies in an established hepato-biliary surgical center. Additionally, there is little data provided in the literature, mostly case reports. Therefore, no preferred or specific approach can be found.

Young Man With Multiple Partially Septated Cysts in the Hepatoduodenal Ligament and Retropancreatic

The differential diagnosis of cystic liver changes includes multiple dysontogenetic cysts, liver abscesses and amoebic abscesses. Cystic changes in the abdomen with partly necrotic lymph nodes should also suggest tuberculosis, even in young and immunocompetent patients. In tuberculosis hepatoduodenal lymphadenopathies can be observed, and necrotic lymph nodes might mimic other thin-wall cystic lesions. Unexplained weight loss with clinical signs of severe infection and septicaemia also includes a differential diagnosis of consumption, i.e. miliary tuberculosis and treated immediately.

Malignant melanoma located in the ureter and gallbladder: A case report and literature review.

Melanoma is one of a common cutaneous malignancy. Currently, metastatic malignant melanoma is difficult to be diagnosed through imaging examinations. Furthermore, the incidence of metastatic melanoma affecting the gallbladder and ureter is exceptionally rare. A 54-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with a half-month history of left lower back pain. Correlative examination revealed an occupying lesion in the mid-left ureter and the neck of the gallbladder. The patient was initially diagnosed with gallbladder cancer and left ureteral carcinoma based on imaging. Following 2 operations, immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of metastatic melanoma involving both the gallbladder and ureter. After multidisciplinary consultation and obtaining consent from the patient and her family, the patient underwent left radical nephroureterectomy, radical cholecystectomy, laparoscopic partial hepatectomy (Hep IV, Hep V), and lymph node dissection of hepatoduodenal ligament. One month after treatment, the patient imaging showed no disease progression, and at 6 months of follow-up, the patient was still alive. It is difficult to distinguish metastatic melanoma from carcinoma in situ by imaging. In addition, metastatic malignant melanoma lacks specific clinical manifestations and is prone to misdiagnosis, which emphasizes the highly aggressive nature of malignant melanoma.

A case of rapidly progressing sarcomatous intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with suddenly appearing lymph node metastasis

BackgroundThe sarcomatous variant of carcinoma is relatively rare in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Sarcomatous ICC (SICC) is associated with a poorer prognosis compared with ICC. SICC is rarely diagnosed before surgery due to non-descriptive findings; it progresses rapidly, resulting in miserable prognosis. Here, we report a case of rapidly progressing SICC that showed a clinically significant tumor growth rate.Case presentationA 77-year-old woman who had undergone ileocecal resection for cecal cancer 5 years previously was found to have elevated levels of the tumor marker carbohydrate antigen 19-9. Although an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan did not detect any liver mass lesions until 3 months before this serum examination, the subsequent CT scan revealed a hypodensity 20 mm mass lesion in the right anterior section. Contrast-enhanced CT and magnetic resonance imaging revealed peripheral enhancement in the arterial-to-equilibrium phase. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography revealed uptake in the lesion. None of the imaging modalities showed lymph node swelling or distant metastases. She underwent hepatectomy under the diagnosis of ICC or an atypical metastasis from previous cecal cancer. Although preoperative images showed no suspicious lymph node metastasis 3 weeks prior, the hilar lymph node swelled 3 cm and contained adenocarcinoma. Consequently, the patient underwent right anterior sectionectomy and lymph node dissection of the hepatoduodenal ligament. Histopathological examination revealed that the liver tumor was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with sarcomatous pattern. While the patient received adjuvant gemcitabine and S-1 therapy, lymph node metastasis appeared in the mediastinum 13 months after the surgery. She received gemcitabine + cisplatin + S-1 therapy but died 20 months after surgery.ConclusionSICC and lymph node metastasis clinically appeared within 3 months and 3 weeks, respectively. Suspected ICC that rapidly progresses should be considered SICC and treated with early resection. SICC is often missed in clinical diagnosis and has a poor prognosis, even after curative resection. While an alternative strategy involving preoperative biopsy and neoadjuvant therapy may be beneficial, it should be approached with discretion due to the potential risks of tumor progression and peritoneal dissemination.

Wandering gallbladder wrapping hepatoduodenal ligament and mimicking gastrointestinal stromal tumor at imaging. Case report and literature review

Wandering or free-floating gallbladder is a rare anomaly of position of the gallbladder, characterized by an unusually long or absent mesentery. This condition may present clinically as an emergency case of gallbladder torsion or as part of a complex clinical picture, where patients may present symptoms that trace to gallbladder pathology, but show morphologic features that are distant from gallbladder disease. We present a case where a wandering gallbladder wrapping around the hepatoduodenal ligament adhered to the stomach mimicking features of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor at preoperative imaging.

Benefit of lymph node dissection for perihilar and distal cholangiocarcinoma according to lymph node stations.

The benefits of lymph node (LN) dissection at each station have not previously been fully investigated in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC) and distal cholangiocarcinoma (DCC). The efficacy index (EI) was calculated in patients who underwent surgery for PHCC (n = 134) and DCC (n = 135) by multiplying the frequency of metastasis to the LN station and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of patients with metastasis to that station. In PHCC, the frequency of metastasis, 5-year OS rates, and the EI in para-aortic LNs (4.7%, 0%, and 0, respectively) and posterior pancreaticoduodenal LNs (8.1%, 0%, and 0, respectively) were lower than those in hepatoduodenal ligament LNs (30.1%, 24.1%, and 7.25, respectively) and LNs along the common hepatic artery (CHA) (16.2%, 15.0%, and 2.43, respectively). In DCC, these values were lower in LNs along the CHA (6.4%, 0%, and 0, respectively) than in the posterior pancreaticoduodenal LNs (31.2%, 34.5%, and 10.8, respectively), the hepatoduodenal ligament LNs (14.8%, 15.2%, and 2.25, respectively), and para-aortic (4.0%, 25.0%, and 0.99, respectively) LNs. According to the EI, this study raises concerns about the effectiveness of dissection in the posterior pancreaticoduodenal LNs in PHCC and LNs along the CHA in DCC.

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report and gene analysis

BackgroundFibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (FL-HCC) is rare in Japan. FL-HCC develops in young patients with no history of cirrhosis and tends to manifest lymphatic metastasis with clinical features similar to those of HCC. We present a case of FL-HCC in a young male patient.Case presentationA 14-year-old male patient underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) to diagnose appendicitis, wherein a hepatic tumor was detected. Dynamic enhanced CT revealed a 35-mm solid tumor, which contrasted at the early phase of dynamic enhanced study of the right hepatic segments, with occlusion of the right portal vein. We performed right hepatectomy for these lesions. The patient experienced a single lymphatic recurrence on the hepatoduodenal ligament 12 months after the initial surgery. We performed lymphadenectomy for the recurrent tumor. We performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and targeted DNA sequencing of the resected specimens (primary tumor, lymphatic metastasis, and normal liver). RNA-seq detected DNAJB1-PRKACA in both primary and metastatic lesions as previously reported. Furthermore, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to compare other gene expressions in this case with those of previously reported cases of FL-HCC and HCC in young patients. Principal component analysis of differentially expressed genes in the top 10% revealed that the gene expression in our case was similar to that of previous FL-HCC cases but was a different cluster from that in HCC cases in young patients. Mutational analysis did not detect any somatic mutations associated with carcinogenesis, including previously reported mutations (Kastenhuber et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 114: 13076–84, 2017).ConclusionWe encountered a case of FL-HCC, a rare hepatic tumor in an adolescent patient, and evaluated the genetic background. Our findings could contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis and progression in patients with FL-HCC and thereby contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies in the future that may improve patient prognosis.

“Hooking method” for hepatic inflow control: a new approach for laparoscopic Pringle maneuver

BackgroundThe laparoscopic Pringle maneuver is crucial for controlling bleeding during laparoscopic hepatectomy. In this study, we introduce a new laparoscopic Pringle maneuver and preliminarily investigate its application in laparoscopic hepatectomy.MethodsWe collected and analyzed the clinical data of 17 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy at the Department of Hepatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China, from January 2022 to January 2023. All patients underwent the hooking method for intermittent occlusion of hepatic inflow. Intraoperative and postoperative clinical indices were observed and recorded.ResultsAll 17 patients underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy with hepatic inflow control using the hooking method. Four patients with adhesions under the hepatoduodenal ligament successfully had occlusion loops placed using the hooking method combined with Zhang’s modified method during surgery. The median occlusion time for the 17 patients was 34 (12–60) min, and the mean operation time was 210 ± 70 min. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 145 ± 86 ml, and no patients required intraoperative blood transfusion. The patients’ postoperative peak AST was 336 ± 183 U/L, and the postoperative peak ALT was 289 ± 159 U/L. Postoperative complications occurred in 2 patients (11.8%), including 1 Clavien-Dindo grade I and 1 Clavien-Dindo grade II complication. No Clavien-Dindo grade IIIa or higher complications or deaths occurred in any patient. None of the patients developed portal vein thrombosis or hepatic artery aneurysm formation. The median postoperative hospital stay was 6 (4–14) days.ConclusionThe hooking method combines the advantages of both intracorporeal Pringle maneuver and extracorporeal Pringle maneuver. It is a simple, safe, and effective method for controlling hepatic inflow and represents a promising approach for performing totally intracorporeal laparoscopic Pringle maneuver.