Clinical experience in 20 hepatic resections for peripheral cholangiocarcinoma.

During the 10-year period from 1978 to 1987, hepatic resections were performed on 20 patients with peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (PCC). Nine of these patients were men and 11 were women (mean age, 48.5 years). Among them, 80% had intrahepatic stones with recurrent cholangitis. The 20 patients were subdivided into the following three groups: Group I (12 patients with surgery for PCC); Group II (4 patients with surgery for chronic cholangitis [but the final pathologic diagnosis confirmed PCC]); and Group III (4 patients with surgery for space-occupying liver lesions). No early postoperative mortality was noticed. The few complications that occurred were related to surgery for hepatolithiasis. Postoperative wound infection was the most common complication. The overall mean survival time was 20.5 months. Four patients survived for more than 3 years; one was even alive for more than 5 years after surgery.