[Laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostom: present and future of biliary atresia treatment]

Kasai's operation has proved its value in surgical treatment of biliary atresia (BA). Its laparoscopic approach is a new challenge for pediatric surgeons, with all the potential advantages of minimally invasive surgery. The aim of the present study has been to report our experience in laparoscopic management of five patients with biliary atresia.

The average of age of five patients with biliary atresia, three boys and two girls was 58 days (range 40-64). Pre and postoperative management included antibiotic prophylaxis and choleretic treatment. Laparoscopic procedure was accomplished using one umbilical 10-mm trocar and two additional 5-mm trocars. We carried out the same technique in all the patients except in one of them with a total situs inversus and who compelled us to modify the original procedure.

All five patients underwent a laparoscopic procedure, conversion was not necessary. The mean surgical time was 3 hours and 40 minutes (range: 5:30 y 3:10). There were not intra operative complications and all of them had a satisfactory recovery, except for the patient with situs inversus, who suffered a small bowel volvulus 9 days after the operation, leading us to perform an extensive bowel resection. All the patients, except this one, showed signs of adequate bile flow, with disappearance of clinical cholestasis. Biochemistry test became normal.

Besides the certain advantages compared with conventional surgical procedures (lower surgical damage, diminished post-operative recovery), laparoscopic management of BA, allows a better exposure of the porta hepatis without hepatic mobilization so it shows similar or better preliminary results than conventional techniques. The advantages of laparoscopic portoenterostomy are yet to be proved whenever liver transplantation is indicated.