Surgical intervention for obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombus in hepatocellular carcinoma

This retrospective study in eight surgically treated patients with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombus in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was performed to evaluate the role of surgical intervention. All biliary tumor thrombi were confirmed preoperatively or intraoperatively. Only two manifested intraluminal biliary obstructions due to a primary tumor that had not been found preoperatively. The operative procedures included hepatectomy with removal of the biliary tumor thrombus (n=3), hepatectomy combined with extrahepatic bile duct resection (n=1), thrombectomy through a choledochotomy (n=3), and piggyback orthotopic liver transplantation (n=1). The 1- and 3-year survival rates were 62.5% and 37.5%, respectively. Two patients survived more than 5 years. Surgical intervention was effective in patients with obstructive jaundice due to a biliary tumor thrombus in an HCC. Thus surgery for a recurrence can prolong survival, and liver transplantation is a treatment worthy of further investigation.