Liver abscess is an uncommon entity that over the past 100 years has seen fairly dramatic changes in demographics, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Although the mortality from liver abscess has decreased significantly since the early 20th century, the incidence appears…
Hepatic cysts are a diverse group of lesions, ranging from developmental to infectious to neoplastic in etiology. The clinical implications of these lesions also vary widely. The increased use and sensitivity of abdominal imaging have led to the increasingly common…
Even the most straightforward surgical procedure can become exceptionally challenging when performed on a patient with an underlying hepatobiliary disorder. Hepatic dysfunction, as manifest by portal hypertension, synthetic impairment, and cholestasis may be present to varying degrees, and can have…
Liver function tests or a hepatic function panel consists of serum biochemical tests that include serum albumin, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). These terms, however, are misleading because only the serum albumin truly measures the…
Our understanding of functional surgical hepatic anatomy evolved significantly through technical advances in repair of hepatobiliary injury, liver transplantation, hepatic resection, and radiologically guided intervention. This evolution was essential to the development of live-donor and deceased-donor segmental liver transplantation. Molmenti…
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic, cholestatic liver disease of unknown cause characterized by diffuse inflammation and fibrosis of intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic bile ducts and is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). PSC is ultimately progressive, leading to…
Classification of Cystic Disorders of the Bile Ducts In 1959 Alonso-Lej first classified extrahepatic bile duct cystic dilatation into the following three types: type I is congenital cystic dilatation of the common bile duct in which the intrahepatic tree is…
Biliary atresia is a disease characterized by progressive obliterative destruction of intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary structures. It is the most common cause of direct hyperbilirubinemia in infancy and must be quickly and effectively differentiated from the numerous other causes of…
Bile duct strictures can result from a myriad of conditions, both benign and malignant. These strictures represent a significant clinical problem and if not managed correctly can result in major morbidity, both short and long term, and possible mortality. Complications…
Bile duct injuries most commonly occur after primary operations on the gallbladder or biliary tree. Biliary injuries themselves are also among the most difficult challenges that a surgeon will face. Although numerous technologic developments have facilitated diagnosis and management, bile…