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Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Complete Laparoscopic Radical Resection of Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma Type IIIb
Published on: January 17, 2025
Survival outcomes of hepatic resections in Bismuth-Corlette type IV cholangiocarcinoma
Dominic Ku1,2, Reuben Tang1, Tony Pang1,2
1General Surgical Department, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Background:
Surgical resection for Bismuth-Corlette type IV (BC-IV) hilar cholangiocarcinomas, also termed Klatskin tumours are technically challenging and were once considered unresectable tumours. Following advances in hepatobiliary imaging and surgical techniques, emerging evidence suggests that surgical resection is a viable avenue for long-term survival. We aimed to identify factors affecting survival outcomes of hepatic resections for BC-IV cholangiocarcinomas.
Method:
A systematic review was performed across multiple databases and several clinical trial registries. Two reviewers independently screened and selected papers that contained survival data on BC-IV cholangiocarcinoma after hepatic resections.
Results:
Of 13 499 papers from our search result, 21 papers satisfied the inclusion criteria. The median post-operative survival was 30.8 months. The average 1- and 5-year post-operative survivals were 61.6 and 33.3%, respectively. Predictors of long-term survival included achievement of R0 margins, minimisation of operative time and reduction intra-operative blood loss.
Conclusion:
Our analysis demonstrates improving post-operative outcomes and survival in surgical resection of BC-IV cholangiocarcinoma and suggests that radical surgical resection is a valid treatment option for the disease.
