[Extrahepatic bile duct atresia. Comparison of surgical and non-surgical therapy]

In recent years hepatoportoenterostomy according to Kasai undoubtedly was the only successful therapy for extrahepatic biliary atresia. Since liver-transplantation becomes more successful than previously, the question arises if the Kasai procedure is still justified. From this point of view a prospective study was started based on the following findings in 15 EHBA-children after hepatoportoenterostomy compared to those in 15 patients without the Kasai procedure: the survival rate at the end of two years of life; the development of ascites until the end of the first year of life; the weight and length percentiles at the end of the first year of life; and the activity of serum cholinesterase. In order to calculate significant differences in weight and length percentiles, the exact Fisher test was used. Serum cholinesterase activities of both the above mentioned groups were compared with each other, as well as with the normal values of a third group of 50 healthy children, by analyzing variances and then comparing one by one with adjustment for multiple comparisons. There was a significant difference between the operated and not-operated group, and in addition between the non-operated and the healthy group. In contrast, no significant difference was detected between the operated and the healthy group. These differences were best demonstrated by the findings of weight and length percentiles and the activity of serum cholinesterase. From this we conclude sofar hepatoportoenterostomy undoubtedly is standard procedure in the treatment of EHGA. However, if the Kasai procedure fails or the liver disease progresses to a greater extent, liver transplantation will become the method of choice.