Intrahepatic segment III cholangiojejunostomy in advanced carcinoma of the gallbladder

The majority of patients with advanced carcinoma of the gallbladder have irresectable disease and require palliation for jaundice, pruritus and cholangitis. Intrahepatic segment III cholangiojejunostomy has been described for palliation of high biliary obstruction in these patients. Forty-one patients with stage IV gallbladder cancer underwent intrahepatic segment III cholangiojejunostomy. Subsequent jaundice, pruritus and cholangitis were documented; liver function tests and isotope hepatobiliary scans were performed. All patients had jaundice, 29 had pruritus and 12 had cholangitis. Postoperative complications included anastomotic leak in six patients and wound infection in six. Five patients died within 30 days of operation. Thirty-two patients were available for follow-up. The procedure failed to relieve jaundice, pruritus or cholangitis in four patients; 18 were free of jaundice, pruritus and cholangitis until death or last follow-up, and ten had recurrent jaundice or cholangitis. Isotope scanning was found to be useful to predict success of the procedure. Intrahepatic segment III cholangiojejunostomy provided excellent palliation from jaundice, pruritus and cholangitis with acceptable mortality and morbidity rates in patients with advanced carcinoma of the gallbladder.