The pancreas is a glandular organ that lies on the posterior abdominal wall in the retroperitoneum (see Chapter 2 ) It is an exocrine gland that secretes enzymes of digestion into the duodenum; it also performs endocrine functions, producing insulin,…
Malignant disease resulting in proximal or high bile duct obstruction ( Fig. 52.1 )—that is, in close proximity to or involving the biliary confluence—may arise from a variety of cancer types and is a common clinical problem. Historically, the proximal…
The perihilar region is among the most common site of origin of cholangiocarcinoma (perihilar cholangiocarcinoma [pCCA]). However, considering the incidence of 1 to 2 per 100,000 in Western countries, which is significantly lower than in Asia, the disease remains rare.…
Overview Extrahepatic biliary tumors are rare. Patients classically present with painless jaundice secondary to biliary obstruction. Management of bile duct tumors is challenging and best approached with input from an experienced multidisciplinary team. This chapter focuses on the cause of…
Introduction Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) is a primary adenocarcinoma of the liver. Like other primary adenocarcinomas of the upper gastrointestinal tract, IHCC often presents with symptoms due to advanced local disease or metastatic disease. IHCC is a biologically aggressive disease; complete…
Benign tumors of the gallbladder Although gallbladder cancer is a rare and aggressive malignancy that generally carries a dismal prognosis, there are a number of benign conditions of the gallbladder that can radiographically mimic malignancy and deserve consideration in a…
Although uncommon, benign tumors and pseudotumors may arise from the intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary ducts and gallbladder. These lesions may originate from both the epithelial and nonepithelial structures that comprise the biliary ducts and gallbladder ( Box 48.1 ). Epithelial…
The biliary tract is lined by simple columnar epithelial cells of foregut origin ( Fig. 47.1 ). The vast majority of biliary neoplasms arise from this cell type and therefore show major similarities to other foregut tumors, particularly those of…
First reported by Vater and Ezler in 1723, bile duct cysts represent a rare pathology. They exist most commonly as a pediatric surgical problem. The majority of bile duct cysts are diagnosed in infants and children within the first decade…
Parasitic infections of the biliary tract are a common cause of biliary obstruction in tropical developing countries and less frequently, in developed countries. These infections are important because they can lead to serious complications such as cholelithiasis (see Chapters 33…