Laparoscopic Hepaticoduodenostomy for Choledochal Cysts in Children <1 Year

CONTEXT: Choledochal cyst (CHC) is one of the most common causes of surgical jaundice in infants. In 1955, Farello et al. were the first to introduce the laparoscopic approach for treatment of CHC. AIM OF THE STUDY: Minimally invasive approaches to the management of CHC excision have been done in pre-schoolers and above but have not yet been described in toddlers, let alone infants. Herein, we review the results of 10 consecutive children <1 year managed with laparoscopic CHC excision and hepaticoduodenostomy. METHODS: This retrospective study investigated 10 infants who underwent laparoscopic resection of a CHC with creation of a hepaticoduodenostomy. RESULTS: This study was performed on 10 consecutive patients <1 year. Liver fibrosis was found in 4 patients. We had 7 cases with Type 1 CHCs and 3 cases with Type IV A cysts. Total cyst excision was done in all patients, no cases needed blood transfusion and the mean operative time was 200 min. The mean hospital stay was 6 days. Overall, morbidity occurred in 20% of the cases presenting with bouts of cholangitis that resolved without any intervention, once at 6 months, the other at 1-year post-operative. There were neither anastomotic strictures nor biliary fistula formation; magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography was done to these two cases revealed no stricture and mortality at 30 and 90 days was nil. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic hepaticoduodenostomy in CHC in children <1 year is safe, with satisfactory short-term results.