Intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma: role of cyst fluid analysis and surgical management in the laparoscopic era.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Recent interest in cyst fluid analysis (CFA) for carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and the introduction of laparoscopic surgery (LS) in the management of hepatic cysts have resulted in sporadic reports of elevated CA 19-9 and CEA levels in intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma (IBC) CFA, and the application of LS in the management of simple cysts. However, the role of CA 19-9 and CEA in the diagnosis of IBC and the role of LS in the management of IBC have not been previously defined.

METHODS:

We studied 34 patients with IBC at a single institution (8 years). The first 12 patients with IBC were managed with open surgical intervention. We subsequently developed a diagnostic and treatment algorithm for IBC that included, in the last 22 patients, prospective analysis of CFA for CA 19-9 and CEA, and LS for management

RESULTS:

All patients with IBC who underwent CFA had elevated CA 19-9 (range, 2247-1,757,510; N <33 U/mL) and mildly elevated CEA (range, 3.3-212,; N <3 ng/ml). In all 22 patients the cyst lining consisted of biliary epithelium +/- mesenchymal stroma (MS). In 1/22 patients (highest CA 19-9 level), the cyst epithelium did not contain either MS or intestinal metaplasia. In contrast, control patients (simple cysts, n=8) had normal CFA. In the previous 12 patients managed with laparotomy, 6/12 patients had biliary epithelium alone; the other 6 also contained MS with 1 patient exhibiting intestinal metaplasia and cystadenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS:

We have proposed a management algorithm for IBC that incorporates CFA and laproscopic surgical management that allows for selective minimally invasive cyst wall sampling for patients with IBC.

• Authors: Alan Koffron, Sambasiva Rao, Mario Ferrario, Michael Abecassis
• Journal: Surgery (Surgery) Vol. 136 Issue 4 Pg. 926-36 (Oct 2004) ISSN: 0039-6060 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15467680 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• CA-19-9 Antigen
• Carcinoembryonic Antigen

Topics

• Algorithms
• Bile Duct Neoplasms (pathology, surgery)
• CA-19-9 Antigen (analysis)
• Carcinoembryonic Antigen (analysis)
• Cholestasis, Intrahepatic (pathology, surgery)
• Cohort Studies
• Cystadenoma (pathology, surgery)
• Cytodiagnosis
• Exudates and Transudates (cytology)
• Humans
• Laparoscopy (methods)
• Prospective Studies
• Retrospective Studies