Endoscopic evaluation of the porta hepatis in patients with biliary atresia

Endoscopic inspection of the porta hepatis was undertaken through external enterostomy in nine postoperative patients with biliary atresia. The endoscopic appearance of bile flow in the porta hepatis was classified into three types. 1) Ductal type (D-type), which revealed good bile flow from distinct bile duct orifices (4 cases); 2) Oozing type (O-type), which showed adequate bile flow, but no definite bile duct (3 cases); and 3) Covered type (C-type), in which the porta hepatis was covered with bile "clots" and fibrous tissue (2 cases). The clinical course of the D-type was excellent with immediate disappearance of jaundice and relatively good liver function. In the case of the O-type, jaundice disappeared in 2 but persisted in one. Two patients with C-type died of hepatic failure or sepsis in the early postoperative period. In the D-type intrahepatic bile ducts were well visualized by cholangiography; however, those of the O-type were not so clear. Endoscopic inspection of the porta hepatis is very useful for evaluation of the postoperative state of bilioenteric fistulae in patients with biliary atresia.