OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to describe the technical details of laparoscopic porto-enterostomy and comment the identical results using this technique in patients with biliary atresia. METHODS. We analyzed the results of the first three patients with biliary atresia who underwent a laparoscopic surgical approach. RESULTS: There were no complications during surgery or in the postoperative period. The average surgical time was 220 minutes (150-270 minutes). The three patients began oral feedings 12 hours after the procedure and achieved bowel movement after 24 hours. All of them showed signs of adequate bile flow, such as pigmented stools, and disappearance of jaundice. The cosmetic results were excellent. CONCLUSIONS: The Kasai porto-enterostomy may be performed by laparoscopy without complications. The initial results were encouraging and the patients recovered promptly after this procedure. The surgical time was significantly diminished, thus in the third case it was similar or less than the required with open surgery. The laparoscopic portoenterostomy is a promising technique and its real role will be known after more number of cases.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to describe the technical details of laparoscopic porto-enterostomy and comment the identical results using this technique in patients with biliary atresia. METHODS. We analyzed the results of the first three patients with biliary atresia who underwent a laparoscopic surgical approach. RESULTS: There were no complications during surgery or in the postoperative period. The average surgical time was 220 minutes (150-270 minutes). The three patients began oral feedings 12 hours after the procedure and achieved bowel movement after 24 hours. All of them showed signs of adequate bile flow, such as pigmented stools, and disappearance of jaundice. The cosmetic results were excellent. CONCLUSIONS: The Kasai porto-enterostomy may be performed by laparoscopy without complications. The initial results were encouraging and the patients recovered promptly after this procedure. The surgical time was significantly diminished, thus in the third case it was similar or less than the required with open surgery. The laparoscopic portoenterostomy is a promising technique and its real role will be known after more number of cases.