J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 102(6): 490-496, 2001
Feature topic
OPTIMAL LYMPH NODE DISSECTION FOR CARCINOMA OF THE BILIARY TRACT
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First Department of Surgery, Mie University School of Medicine, Mie, Japan Masami Tabata, Yoshifumi Kawarada |
Of the 86 patients with carcinoma of the gallbiadder, 62 (72.1%) had lymph node metastasis. Patients with mand mp tumors (n=9) had no lymph node metastasis, whereas ss tumors (n=13) had 23.1% lymph node metastasis, Those with se, si tumors (n=64) had greater lymph node involvement (92.2%). In 4 patients with advanced carcinomas (ss or more) who survived more than 5 years, only one (limited to periportal lymph nodes) of them had lymph node metastasis.
Of the 139 patients with carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct, 58 (41.7%) had lymph node metastasis. There was no lymph node metastasis in 15 patients with m or fm tumors. The frequency of metastasis in the ss (n=39) and se, si (n=85) tumors was 17.9% and 60.0%, respectively. Twenty-four patients with advanced tumors survived more than 5 years. Curative resection was achieved in all 24 and lymph node metastasis was n0 in 19, n1 in 4 and n2 in 1 patients.
Satisfactory long-term result can be achieved in carcinoma of the biliary tract after resection when lymph node metastasis is limited to nodes in the hepatoduodenal ligament. In view of our surgical results and the lymphatic drainage system of the biliary tract, systemic dissection of the regional lymph nodes, including periportal, posterior pancreato-duodenal, and celiac nodes, is necessary in patients with N0-N2 (limited to lymph nodes in the hapatoduodenel ligament) tumors in whom it contributes to good prognosis.
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