[Study on the surgery of malignant biliary tumors (author's transl)]

The principle of the surgical therapy of malignant biliary tumor lies, as in other cancers, in the extensive removal of the tumors and lymph nodes in the regional area. Nevertheless, many problems remain unsolved with biliary carcinoma because of the anatomical structure and ensuing various symptoms depending on the degree of expansion. Seventy-two cases of biliary cancer were recorded during the past 13 years of observation in our clinic. The overall removal rate was 28%, which was extremely low as compared with other cancers. The regional removal rate was 62% in the ampulla, 25% in the gallbladder and 19% in the bile duct. In the bile duct carcinoma jaundice was most frequently seen and the degree and duration of jaundice were well correlated with the operative prognosis.