Antenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies of the biliary tract.

BACKGROUND: The accuracy of the technique of antenatal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of congenital bile duct lesions is unknown.
METHODS: Thirteen patients with proven biliary disease who had abnormal antenatal scans were reviewed. Two infants had type I cystic biliary atresia and one had a noncommunicating segmental dilatation of the bile duct in a type 3 biliary atresia. The remainder had choledochal cysts and included two patients with intrahepatic cysts. The correct diagnosis was made antenatally in only two (15%) cases. Of the remaining patients, seven received a diagnosis of intraabdominal cysts of unknown etiology, three of duodenal atresia, and one ovarian cyst. The median gestational age at the antenatal diagnosis was 20 weeks.
RESULTS: Jaundice developed in 11 infants, and dilatation of intrahepatic biliary radicals was noted in four of the choledochal cysts. Obstructive jaundice and increasing cyst size were indications for early surgery, and twelve infants underwent a laparotomy at a median age of 4 weeks. During the median follow-up period of 2 years, 12 of the 13 patients have lost their jaundice or remained anicteric. Antenatal diagnosis offers the possibility of early definitive surgery for uncomplicated choledochal dilatation and the chance of improved outcome for surgically treated biliary atresia. An algorithm is suggested for the management of antenatally detected cystic biliary lesions.