One-stage Resection for Bismuth Type IV Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma with High Hilar Resection and Parenchyma-preserving Strategies: A Cohort Study

Background Bismuth type IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) tumors are usually considered unresectable. The strategies of high hilar resection while preserving liver parenchyma can achieve potentially one-stage curative resection for this condition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of available strategies. Methods Fifty-one consecutive patients with bismuth type IV HC who underwent one-stage resection were retrospectively reviewed with regard to curative resection rate, remnant liver volume, morbidity, mortality, and survival time. Results The total median survival time was 29 months. The R 0 (curative resection) rate was 57.8 %. The ratio of the remnant liver volume (RLV) to the standard liver volume (SLV) ranged from 35.0 to 60.6 %, with a mean of 44.5 %. The in-hospital mortality and morbidity rates were 3.9 and 37.2 %, respectively. In the R 0 patients’ survival, there was not a significant difference between bilioenteric anastomosis and hepatoenteric anastomosis ( P = 0.714). Conclusions Combined caudate lobe and high hilar resection (CCHR) is technically safe and oncologically justifiable and could be adopted with a high cure rate as a one-stage resection procedure for most patients with Bismuth type IV HC whose total bilirubin level is less than 20 mg/L and whose direct bilirubin is more than 60 % of total bilirubin.