Long-term outcome in type I biliary atresia

Abstract

Purpose: This retrospective study reviews the long-term outcome of type I biliary atresia (BA).

Methods: Three hundred twenty-three patients with BA, including 50 with type I, underwent corrective surgery. The surgical results, role of cholangiograms during the corrective surgery, late complications, and current statuses were evaluated.

Results: The overall survival rate of the nontransplant type I patients was better than that of the type II/III patients (52% vs 33%, P = .0009). Cholangiograms of 32 patients were classified into 3 types: cloudy (48%), treelike (13%), and mixed (39%). Of 26 patients who underwent corrective surgery in 1972 or later, 7 (50%), 7 (78%), and 3 (100%) patients of the cloudy type, mixed type, and treelike type, respectively, have survived without liver transplantation (LTx). Of 18 type I patients who survived more than 20 years without LTx, 7 developed severe late complications. Two of them eventually required LTx after 20 years old.

Conclusions: Use of cholangiograms during corrective surgery might have a long-term prognostic value. The overall survival rate of type I BA was better than that of type II/III. The incidence of late complications was, however, considerably high in the type I survivors. All patients required careful long-term follow-up.