Surgical experience of 204 cases of adult choledochal cyst disease over 14 years

Abstract

Background: This study presents our 14-year surgical experience with adult choledochal cyst disease (CCD), focusing on the clinical outcomes after surgical treatment.

Methods: Medical records of 204 adult patients who had undergone surgery for CCD were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: Median patient age was 40.2 years, and 157 (77%) of the patients were female. Todani classification was type I in 116 patients (56.9%), type II in 1 patient (0.5%), type IVa in 86 patients (42.2%), and type V in 1 patient (0.5%). Extrahepatic cyst excision and hepaticojejunostomy were performed in 185 patients (90.7%). Major perioperative complications occurred in 5 patients (2.5%), resulting in no mortality. Late complications occurred in 48 patients (23.6%). Concurrent cancer was diagnosed in 20 patients (9.8%). Mean age of patients with or without biliary cancer was 48.1±13.2 years and 39.1±11.8 years, respectively (P=0.001). Anomalous union of the pancreaticobiliary duct was more frequently associated with gallbladder cancer than with bile duct cancer. De novo malignancy at the cyst remnant occurred in 2 patients (1%). The survival outcomes in CCD patients with concurrent biliary cancer were comparable to those in cancer patients without CCD.

Conclusions: As a result of diverse features of adult CCD, various clinical problems occurred after surgical excision. Surgical treatment for adult patients with CCDs having complex features should be individualized to maintain a balance between risk of surgery and potential risk of late complications.