Hepatoma with obstructive jaundice due to the migration of a tumor mass in the biliary tract: report of a successful resection.

A 51-year-old man underwent extended right lobectomy for hepatoma of the right lobe with obstructive jaundice due to migration of the tumor mass in the common and bilateral hepatic ducts. Severe jaundice amounting to 32.6 mg% and suppurative cholangitis were relieved by drainage through the cannulation into the hepatic ducts of the bilateral lobes. Although hepatoma was combined with liver cirrhosis, the patient could tolerate extended right lobectomy. The patient is doing relatively well without jaundice 2 years after operation, but a recurrent tumor appeared on the celiac angiogram taken 1 year and 6 months following operation. This is the fourth report on hepatic resection of such cases, and difficult problems involved with that procedure are presented and discussed.