A Technique to Define Extrahepatic Biliary Anatomy Using Robotic Near-Infrared Fluorescent Cholangiography

Bile duct injury is a rare but serious complication of minimally invasive cholecystectomy. Traditionally, intraoperative cholangiogram has been used in difficult cases to help delineate anatomical structures, however, new imaging modalities are currently available to aid in the identification of extrahepatic biliary anatomy, including near-infrared fluorescent cholangiography (NIFC) using indocyanine green (ICG).1-5 The objective of the study was to evaluate if this technique may aid in safe dissection to obtain the critical view.

Thirty-five consecutive multiport robotic cholecystectomies using NIFC with ICG were performed using the da Vinci Firefly Fluorescence Imaging System. All patients received 2.5 mg ICG intravenously at the time of intubation, followed by patient positioning, draping, and establishment of pneumoperitoneum. No structures were divided until the critical view of safety was achieved. Real-time toggling between NIFC and bright-light illumination was utilized throughout the case to define the extrahepatic biliary anatomy.

ICG was successfully administered to all patients without complication, and in all cases the extrahepatic biliary anatomy was able to be identified in real-time 3D. All procedures were completed without biliary injury, conversion to an open procedure, or need for traditional cholangiography to obtain the critical view. Specific examples of cases where x-ray cholangiography or conversion to open was avoided and NIFC aided in safe dissection leading to the critical view are demonstrated, including (1) evaluation for aberrant biliary anatomy, (2) confirmation of non-biliary structures, and (3) use in cases where the infundibulum is fused to the common bile duct.

NIFC using ICG is demonstrated as a useful technique to rapidly identify and aid in the visualization of extrahepatic biliary anatomy. Techniques that selectively utilize this technology specifically in difficult cases where the anatomy is unclear are demonstrated in order to obtain the critical view of safety.