Surgical approaches for unresectable primary carcinoma of the hepatic hilus

Thirteen patients with proximal malignant obstruction of the biliary tract secondary to primary cholangiocarcinoma are presented. Seven of these patients had bilateral involvement of the major vessels of the porta hepatis, and 12 had bilateral involvement of the main hepatic ducts up to the level of segmental bifurcation. Resection of the tumor was carried out in all of the patients. Extensive resection of the liver with resection of the regional vascular structures was done in six. Another six underwent resection of the liver without resection of the regional vascular structures. The remaining patient underwent resection of the tumor and of the regional revascular structures alone. Vascular resection included resection and reconstruction of both the portal vein and hepatic artery in four patients or only of the portal vein in three. Biliary drainage was carried out by intrahepatic cholangiojejunostomies between segmental hepatic ducts and a Roux-en-Y loop. Two patients died and ten are alive. The quality of postoperative life is satisfactory and the patients are free of sequelae and symptoms secondary to operation or disease. This approach is recommended for the management of a number of patients with bilateral vascular or biliary involvement secondary to primary cholangiocarcinoma of the porta hepatis. For those patients, this approach offers a promising alternative.