En Bloc Resection of the Hepatoduodenal Ligament for Advanced Biliary Malignancy

Background En bloc resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament (HDL) for advanced biliary malignancy by hepato-ligamento-pancreatoduodenectomy (HLPD) or hepatoligamentectomy (HL) remains challenging, and only short-term outcomes have been reported. We showed our surgical technique of HLPD and HL, and retrospectively investigated surgical outcomes of the patients. Methods Between 2003 and 2014, we performed four HLPD and three HL including major hepatectomy with concomitant caudate lobectomy. Portal vein reconstruction (PVR) was performed with a right external iliac vein graft, and hepatic artery reconstruction (HAR) was accomplished with the heterogeneous artery using the continuous suturing method. Results Mean operation time and blood loss were 575 ± 111 min and 1539 ± 950 mL, respectively, and patency of the reconstructed vessels was confirmed postoperatively in all cases. Histologically, negative surgical margins (R0) were achieved in 57 % of patients, while the resected vascular invasion was confirmed in all patients. Overall morbidity was high at 57 %, but we have achieved no postoperative mortality. Overall median survival time of the patients was 36 months, and a patient of HL survived over 5 years. Conclusions En bloc resection of the HDL based on steady vascular reconstruction can improve the surgical outcome of biliary cancer in selected patients.