Block resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament for carcinoma of the bile duct and gallbladder. Surgical technique and a report of 11 cases.

Carcinoma of the bile duct and gallbladder often infiltrates the entire hepatoduodenal ligament. Therefore radical resection should include block resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament. Over the last two years, block resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament for carcinoma of the bile duct and gallbladder was performed in 11 patients. When the carcinoma was located in the hilar bile duct, a combination of hemihepatectomy including the caudate lobe and ligamentetomy, "hepato-ligamentectomy", was performed (six cases). When the carcinoma was in the lower bile duct, a combination of pancreatico-duodenectomy and ligamentectomy, "ligamento-pancreatectomy", was performed (three cases). In two extremely advanced cases a combination of both hepatectomy and pancreatectomy with ligamentectomy, "hepato-ligamento-pancreatectomy", was performed. To accomplish these procedures safely, double catheter bypass of the portal circulation, devised by the authors in 1986, proved very effective in maintaining sufficient hepatic circulation and preventing portal congestion during block resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament. Histological evidence of invasion of the carcinoma cells into the hepatoduodenal ligament was detected in 10 cases, and in half of them the hepatic artery or portal vein was involved. As of April 1988, five cases in whom curative resection was performed are still alive, the longest survival period being 18 months. Four cases died in the early postoperative period, three of the deaths being due to sepsis and one to respirator malfunction.