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LIVER 357
CL CE1 CE2 CE3 CE4 CE5
Cystic lesion Active Transitional Inactive
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FIG. 2 World Health Organization Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis classification of hepatic echinococcal cysts. CE, cystic echinococcosis; CL,
cystic lesion. (From Goldman L, Schafer A. Goldman Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2009.)
location of the parasite within the liver; N indicates involvement of neighboring organs; and M evaluates the absence (M0) or presence (M1) of distant metastases.
PRESENTATION AND DIAGNOSIS
Patients with echinococcal cyst disease of the liver can have a widely varied presentation that ranges from an extended asymptomatic period to rupture of the cyst into the peritoneal cavity with an acute abdomen and anaphylactic shock. Most patients, however, have uncomplicated disease that may be asymptomatic or present with right upper quadrant pain, fullness from cyst expansion, hepatomeg­aly, or fever. Obstructive jaundice, cholangitis, and productive cough from rupture into the pleural cavity and the lung are less common presenting symptoms. With the increase in abdominal imaging studies, incidental discovery of a cyst before symptom development is another common presentation. The diagnosis of this disease is centered on clinical findings, imaging, and serology and is confirmed with either demonstration of protoscoleces on direct microscopy or changes in ultrasound appearance that are pathognomonic for cystic echinococcosis.
Laboratory Tests
Evaluation may include various laboratory tests to help establish the diagnosis, including routine complete blood count (CBC) with differential demonstrating eosinophilia in approximately 40% of patients, liver function tests (LFTs) revealing normal or mildly elevated alkaline phosphatase or transaminases, and serum anti­gen testing. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has a sensitivity of 85% to 89% and has replaced all other traditional immunodiagnostic methods such as the Casoni intradermal test, complement fixation test, indirect hemagglutination test, indirect immunofluorescence antibody test, immunoelectrophoresis, and latex agglutination test. Confirmatory testing can be performed for E. granulosus by either immunoblotting or ELISA techniques as well as testing for antigen 5 and antigen B on the hydatid cyst fluid. For alveolar disease, the Em2 antigen has a 99% specificity for E. mul- tilocular. Em16 and Em18 were antigens developed to differentiate between active and inactive lesions.
Imaging
Ultrasound and CT are the most widely used imaging modalities for diagnosis of liver cysts, including echinococcal disease of the
liver. These studies show position, size, number of cysts, proxim­ity to vascular structures, and evidence of extrahepatic cysts. The WHO-IWGE classification system, which characterizes the cysts based on ultrasound appearance, has standardized cyst description and attempted to facilitate the use of ultrasound as the primary diagnostic tool (see Table 1 and Fig. 2). Because of its low cost and its specificity of 90%, ultrasound is the preferred first-line imaging study worldwide. Classic findings for hydatid cysts are thick uniloc­ular or multilocular walls (often with calcifications) and daughter cysts.
When compared with ultrasound, CT may offer more detailed information about the location and depth of the cyst as well as the relationship to the vasculature, which is useful for operative planning (Fig. 3A). MRI also can be utilized to demonstrate cyst characteristics, their relation to vascular and biliary structures, and liquid areas within the cyst matrix with T2-weighted imag­ing sequences. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) offers further detail of the biliary tree and can delineate cystobiliary fistulae or associated abscesses in complicated cysts. Hydatid cysts also must be differentiated from simple congenital cysts, amebic abscesses, and cystadenomas. Positron emission tomography (PET) can be performed to detect metastatic lesions as well as demonstrate active areas of infection for alveolar echi­nococcus. However, lack of uptake on PET does not rule out the presence of infection, but it may suggest that the inflammation is being suppressed.
Because communication with the biliary tract occurs in up to 25% of cases of hydatid cysts, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopan­creatography (ERCP) may be useful in the workup, especially in patients presenting with cholangitis or jaundice. ERCP delineates biliary anatomy, shows communication between the cysts and bile ducts, and can be used to drain the biliary tree before surgery (Fig. 3B). Routine use of ERCP is controversial but may be helpful to completely define the bile duct anatomy and visualize any clini­cally silent connections between the bile ducts and the cysts. When operative treatment for hydatid disease is undertaken, intraoperative ultrasound of the liver also should be considered to confirm the rela­tionship of bile ducts and vasculature to the cyst.
TREATMENT
The principles of treatment of echinococcal cyst disease of the liver include early intervention to prevent secondary complications, erad­ication of the parasite, and prevention of disease recurrence with minimization of morbidity and mortality. Although most cysts are
358 MANAGEMENT OF ECHINOCOCCAL CYST DISEASE OF THE LIVER
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FIG. 3 (A) CT scan shows a calcified cyst near the gallbladder fossa. (B) Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography scan shows a cyst with biliary
communication and an abnormally dilated biliary tree.
TABLE 2 Treatment Option Pros, Cons, and Outcomes
Pros Cons Outcomes
Medical therapy Noninvasive Higher recurrence rates Recurrence 70%–80% PAIR Nonsurgical option for high-risk
patients
Open cyst evacuation Definitive treatment option,
lower risk procedure than pericystectomy
Minimally invasive cyst
evacuation
Pericystectomy Decreased risk of spillage and
Liver resection/ transplantation Low risk of recurrence,
PAIR, Puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration.
asymptomatic, complications such as cholangitis, anaphylaxis from cyst rupture, and pulmonary infection do occur and necessitate complete therapy. Protection of the patient against spillage of scolices and management of any complications that develop are imperative. Surgery remains the predominant therapeutic modality, but systemic chemotherapy; puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration (PAIR); other percutaneous interventions; and watchful waiting also play a role in hydatid cyst management (Table 2). Factors such as the patient’s health, cyst characteristics, and the presence of complicated disease all contribute to the decision over which treatment is most appropriate for each individual patient. The optimal or “best” treat­ment option for this disease has yet to be identified, and clinical trials comparing all available modalities do not exist. Therefore, available medical and surgical expertise and equipment, patient compliance,
Decreased length of stay, shorter
operating room time, quicker recovery
recurrence
minimizes risk of ischemic hepatic tissue
Lower risk of major and minor morbidity
than with surgery (8% and 13% for PAIR, 25% and 33% for surgery)
Invasive, potential for spillage, 5% risk of
major morbidity
Pneumoperitoneum with increased risk
of spillage and contamination, limited manipulation, difficulty aspirating thick cyst contents
Invasive, 20% risk of major morbidity
including bile leak and bleeding
Most invasive option; increased operative
times and length of stay, postoperative morbidity around 40%
and the presence of recognized or national treatment centers should be weighed in the decision-making process.
Recurrence 10%
Recurrence 20%
Recurrence 20%
Recurrence 10%
Recurrence 10%
Medical Management
Systemic chemotherapy with antihelminthic drugs (benzimidazoles) is the mainstay of medical treatment for echinococcal disease of the liver. Albendazole (400 mg orally twice daily for patients 60 kg or greater; 10 to 15 mg/kg/day divided twice daily for patients less than 60 kg, with 800 mg/day maximum daily dose) is the drug of choice because it is readily absorbed from the gut, metabolized in the liver to its active form, and concentrated better in cystic fluid when com­pared with mebendazole. Formal assessment of the optimal treatment dose and regimen has not been performed, and recommendations
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vary from continuous treatment for 3 to 6 months with monotherapy to immediate discontinuation after surgery. These agents are not indi­cated for the treatment of inactive or calcified cysts, except in compli­cated lesions. Monitoring of leukocyte counts and LFTs are essential because side effects include neutropenia, hepatotoxicity, nausea, and alopecia. More recent data suggest that albendazole combined with the antiparasitic drug praziquantel (a synthetic isoquinoline-pyrazine derivative, 25 mg/kg/day orally in varying regimens) is more effective than albendazole alone. When used without other therapeutic modal­ities, the success rate of monotherapy with these drugs is approxi­mately 30%; thus it is only recommended in specific smaller (<5 cm) liver cysts (WHO cystic echinococcosis type 1 [CE1]). Therefore additional percutaneous or surgical therapy should be used in con­junction with medical treatment (see Table 1). When combined with surgery, albendazole has been shown to both reduce the number of viable cysts at the time of surgery and decrease disease recurrence.
Percutaneous Therapy
Percutaneous treatment of hepatic cystic echinococcosis has become increasingly acceptable in recent years for carefully selected patients. Therapy can consist of either PAIR aimed at destroying the germinal cyst layer or needle decompression and catheter drainage with the goal of evacuating the entire endocyst. Catheter drainage is generally reserved for giant (>10 cm) unilocular cysts. In this procedure, the catheter is left in place until the daily output is less than 10 mL per day. Current consensus guidelines recommend PAIR for patients who are at high-risk or patients who refuse surgery, fail medical management alone, have infected cysts, or experience recurrence after surgery. Cysts that are greater than 5 cm and classified as CE1, CE2, or CE3 are most amenable to primary treatment with PAIR plus a benzimidazole. PAIR is contraindicated in patients with biliary fistulae, complicated cysts, and inaccessible or high-risk locations (superficial) and in those with CE4 or CE5, inactive, or calcified cysts. Symptomatic pregnant women and children older than 3 years of age should be evaluated with care, and individual treatment deci­sions should be made regarding the use of PAIR.
The PAIR procedure consists of percutaneous puncture and aspiration of the cyst with ultrasound guidance followed by injec­tion or instillation of an indwelling scolicidal solution for 10 to 30 minutes, and then reaspiration of the agent and final irrigation with
0.9% saline solution. Protoscolicides typically used include either hypertonic 20% saline or absolute alcohol. The goal is to reduce the size and volume of the cyst, detach the inner germinal layer from the pericyst with the scolicidal agent, thicken the cyst wall, and eventually solidify the cyst. To prevent spillage of protoscoleces and improve efficacy of the therapy, albendazole should be administered before PAIR and for up to 1 month after the procedure. Whether preprocedural albendazole should be started a few hours or up to 1 week before PAIR is unclear. However, data have shown that com­bined treatment of PAIR plus albendazole is superior to either alone.
More than 4000 PAIR interventions have been performed over the past 20 years, proving the safety of the procedure. A 2003 meta-anal­ysis compared PAIR plus albendazole or mebendazole with surgical therapy and found that PAIR and chemotherapy had a higher cure rate, less recurrence, fewer complications, and decreased length of stay. However, the surgical group was a historic control of mixed cases performed before 2001, and more than half of the patients did not receive any antihelminthic drug therapy, the standard of care, which makes interpretation of the results difficult. Although PAIR and percutaneous drainage have been proven to be relatively safe, better data on the various therapies will be required before the optimal treatment of hepatic hydatid cysts can be fully determined.
Operative Therapy
Surgical management of echinococcal cyst disease of the liver was the only treatment option before the 1980s and has long been the primary therapeutic modality. Indications for surgery include large CE2 to CE3 cysts with multiple daughter cysts; superficial singular
cysts at risk for spontaneous or traumatic rupture; infected cysts or those with biliary communication, particularly when percutaneous therapy is not available or possible; and cysts with a mass effect on adjacent vital organs. Evaluation of cyst type, size, location, presence or absence of complications, and patient factors (comorbidities, com­pliance) should be considered when choosing surgical intervention versus other therapies. Operative management is generally contrain­dicated in patients who are unfit for surgery or those with inactive asymptomatic cysts, poorly located cysts, and very small cysts. The tenets of treatment with surgery remain to completely inactivate the scolices, eliminate the parasite and viable cyst contents, prevent recurrence or spillage of cyst contents, manage the cyst cavity, and prevent untoward morbidity and mortality.
A variety of surgical techniques exists, including open and laparoscopic cyst evacuation, pericystectomy, liver resection, and transplantation. Proper preoperative evaluation of the location of bile ducts and vascular structures with ultrasound, CT, or MRI should be obtained. If a biliary communication is suspected, preprocedural ERCP should be performed. The use of intraoperative ultrasound also is helpful in identifying and avoiding key structures. These operative therapies all should be used in conjunction with a benzim­idazole (administered for at least 1 day before surgery and for up to 1 month after surgery, if viable scolices are present) to decrease the risks of residual or recurrent disease.
The surgical treatment can be categorized as conservative or rad- ical based on the extent of the operation. The conservative approach involves partial or subtotal resection of the cyst, resecting the endo­cyst, and leaving the pericyst behind. The residual cavity is generally dealt with by securing an omental pedicle flap into the cavity. The radical approach is aimed at removing the entire cyst, including the pericyst, which can be performed as a pericystectomy, a segmental or lobar liver resection, or liver transplantation in rare scenarios. Although the radical approach has a decreased risk of recurrence, an increased risk of morbidity is present with this approach because of the more aggressive nature of the surgical intervention.
Scolecoidal Agents
Inactivation of protoscolices and prevention of their spillage during surgery with scolecoidal agents is strongly recommended. In the past, considerable controversy existed over the use and type of scolecoidal agents. Formalin, cetrimide, and chlorhexidine all have been used, but the safety and efficacy of these agents have not been established. The WHO recommends 20% hypertonic saline solution that should be in contact with the germinal layer of the cyst for at least 15 min­utes before intervention. Hypertonic saline solution and other agents should be avoided in patients with cystobiliary fistulas because of the risk of chemically induced sclerosing cholangitis if the agent enters the biliary tract. Care should be taken to prevent the develop ment of hypernatremia, another potential side effect of hypertonic saline solution that is seen with overuse. Peritoneal contents can be protected with protoscolicide-soaked surgical sponges. In addition, preevacuation injection of hypertonic saline solution into the cyst should be avoided because intracyst pressure is already high and may increase the likelihood of protoscolex spillage. A meticulous surgi­cal technique is warranted rather than overreliance on scolecoidal agents. If spillage does occur, the peritoneum should be washed with hypertonic saline, and patients should be treated with albendazole (3–6 months) and a brief course of praziquantel (7 days).
Open Cyst Evacuation
As one of the safest surgical approaches, open evacuation of hydatid cysts is considered a conservative surgical therapy and is most suit­able for peripherally located cysts on or near the surface of the liver. When anterior, an abdominal approach is best, whereas cysts in segments VI and VII are more amenable to a lateral flank approach.
Figure 4A depicts evacuation of the cyst contents via aspiration;
subsequent injection of a scolecoidal agent is optional at the time. Note that the field is lined with hypertonic saline solution–soaked
-
360 MANAGEMENT OF ECHINOCOCCAL CYST DISEASE OF THE LIVER
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AB
FIG. 4 (A) Open cyst evacuation shows cyst aspiration (top left), suction removal of daughter cysts (top right), resection of the active cyst lining (bottom
left), and omental packing with suture tacking (bottom right). (B) Operative picture shows the daughter cysts. (From Cameron JL, Sandone C. Atlas of Surger y:
Gallbladder and Biliary Tract, the Liver Portosystemic Shunts, the Pancreas. Philadelphia: BC Decker; 1990.)
gauze in the event of spillage. The cyst cavity is then opened, and the contents are aspirated with a large suction device with high negative pressure (Fig. 4B). Removal of daughter cysts, resection of the active cyst lining, and meticulous clearance of any remaining debris can be performed once the cyst is completely opened. The cyst may then be irrigated with a scolecoidal agent, as described previously, and packed with omentum.
However, if the cyst fluid is bile stained or communication with the bile ducts was shown on preoperative ERCP, intracavity scolecoidal agents should be avoided. Simple closure of any biliary connection should be performed with absorbable sutures, and the cyst cavity should be filled with omentum. If the cystobiliary fistula cannot be easily closed, external drainage with a closed-suction drain may be warranted. A cystobiliary fistula also should be suspected in large cysts (>7.5 cm) for which the incidence is as high as 80%, prompting a search for biliary communication. The application of diluted hydrogen peroxide into the cyst cavity can help identify any small biliary communication.
Minimally Invasive Cyst Evacuation
A minimally invasive approach to echinococcal liver disease uses the same principles as open surgery. Several reports have shown that carefully selected patients with peripherally located hepatic hydatid cysts may be safely managed with laparoscopic cyst evacuation. Ante­rior cysts without thick calcified walls and those in segments VI and VII (with a right lateral approach) are particularly amenable to this approach. One laparoscopic technique uses an 11-mm trocar placed just above the cyst, through which 10% povidone-iodine–soaked sponges are placed to act as a scolecoidal agent. The cyst is then punctured with a 14-gauge needle and aspirated, causing the endo­cyst to shrink away from the wall and rest at the bottom of the cyst. The 11-mm trocar is then upsized to 18-mm so the germinal mem­brane can be aspirated. The laparoscope is then inserted directly into
the cyst to identify any remaining daughter cysts or biliary fistulae, and the cyst cavity is irrigated with 20% hypertonic saline solution. Excision of the cyst wall followed by omentoplasty or closed-suction drainage is then performed to complete the procedure.
Advantages to the laparoscopic approach include reduced hos­pital stay, decreased hospital cost, and earlier return to productive activity. With laparoscopy, short operative times (less than 90 minutes) and low complication rates also have been reported. In properly selected patients with uncomplicated cysts, conversion to an open procedure should occur in less than 5% of cases. Although no large case series, retrospective studies, or prospective studies exist regarding a robotic approach to hydatid cysts, one study from Italy consisting of 15 patients undergoing major hepatectomy, partial hepatectomy, and cyst-pericystectomies demonstrated that a robotic approach to hydatid cysts is safe and effective with shorter postoper­ative stay, quick return to daily activity, and absence of surgical site recurrence.
Despite improved visualization, these minimally invasive approaches have not gained widespread acceptance because of the relative inability to avoid or control peritoneal spillage in the setting of high intraabdominal pressures from the pneumoperitoneum (a limited area for manipulation) and difficulty aspirating thick cyst contents. Techniques to minimize spillage of cyst contents include insertion of iodine-soaked sponges as described, fixing the cyst to the abdominal wall, lavage with scolicidal agents, and creation of a scolicidal pool around the liver by operating in the reverse Trendelenburg position. Whatever approach is used, oral albendazole both before and after sur­gery is still indicated. In addition to simple drainage, laparoscopic par­tial cystectomy and even total pericystectomy also have been described.
Pericystectomy
Pericystectomy involves complete resection of the cyst wall either closed, without entering the cyst cavity itself, or open, by sterilizing
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AB
FIG. 5 (A) Pericystectomy depicting removal of the calcified pericyst (top), suture closure of a communicating bile duct (middle), and (optional) closure
of the cavity over a drain (bottom). (B) Operative picture shows cyst removal. (From Cameron JL, Sandone C. Atlas of Surgery: Gallbladder and Biliary Tract, the
Liver Portasystemic Shunts, the Pancreas. Philadelphia: BC Decker; 1990.)
the contents with protoscolicidal agents, evacuating the cyst tissue, and then removing the pericyst tissue (Fig. 5A). This procedure can be performed with electrocautery or a dissector, either along a plane outside the pericyst or along the cyst wall itself. When dissecting around the cyst, some authors advocate use of a cleavage plane between the inner layer of the host’s reaction toward the parasite and the outer layer, or adventitia, which limits damage to the liver paren­chyma and allows safer removal (Fig. 5B). Similar to cyst evacuation, pericystectomy is best performed on cysts along the periphery of the liver.
The advantage of this procedure over simple cyst drainage is a decreased risk of cyst content spillage into the peritoneal cavity when performed as a closed pericystectomy, which avoids potential ana­phylaxis and decreases the risk of recurrence. Complete removal of the adventitia and elimination of the need for scolecoidal agents can be achieved with a closed procedure. The disadvantages of pericys­tectomy are an increased risk of bleeding or damage to bile ducts in proximity to the cyst wall because of the need for hepatic parenchy­mal transection. When encountered, vascular and biliary structures can be controlled with clips or sutures as illustrated in Figure 5A, and the cavity can be closed over a drain.
In a study comparing closed cyst resection with pericystectomy versus open cyst resection, closed cyst resection was demonstrated to have 0% recurrence rate at 5 and 10 years versus 18% and 27% recurrence in the open cyst resection group, respectively. However, the closed cyst resection group had a high rate of major morbidity at 19% compared with the open resection group at 5%. Despite the higher risk of morbidity, pericystectomy is preferred to cyst evac­uation because of a lower risk of secondary echinococcosis from protoscolex dissemination. However, the conservative approach of cyst evacuation is well suited for endemic areas, where operations are performed by nonspecialty-trained general surgeons and resources are limited.
Liver Resection/Transplantation
Another “radical” surgical approach to the management of hepatic echinococcal cyst disease is liver resection, which can range from
nonanatomic wedge resection to formal hemihepatectomy. Although formal liver resection for benign disease may seem excessive, hepatic resection is now very safe, especially when performed by surgeons and centers with expertise in liver surgery. Multiple indications for liver resection exist, including complicated cysts with large biliary fistulae and small peripheral cysts where the cut surface of the liver is less with resection than with pericystectomy. Liver resection also should be considered for multiple cysts within proximity to one another or major structures, such as portal or hepatic veins or bile ducts, or when the resection would be relatively safe as seen with cysts confined to the left lateral segments II or III. Patients with recurrent disease who have failed more conservative management also are candidates for liver resection. Formal resection of the liver should be initiated only if complete excision of all cysts is possible. In one study, operative time, length of stay, postoperative morbidity, and cyst recurrence were shown to be increased in patients treated with liver resection compared with pericystectomy. However, resec­tion avoids pedunculated ischemic hepatic tissue, which can be seen with pericystectomy.
Perhaps the most radical of surgical management options, liver transplantation, is rarely indicated in the treatment of hepatic hydatid disease not amenable to alternative therapies. As opposed to E. granulosus, which tends to form solitary cysts, E. multilocularis can produce a more complicated form of the disease with multiple cysts known as alveolar echinococcosis. These cysts can result in fulminant liver failure from sclerosing cholangitis, Budd-Chiari syndrome, or biliary sclerosis. In such unusual cases, orthotropic liver transplanta­tion may be indicated.
SUMMARY
Uncomplicated Disease
Patients with uncomplicated echinococcal cyst disease of the liver typically are asymptomatic with incidental cyst discovery on imaging or at abdominal surgery for other reasons. However, they may present with right upper quadrant pain without fever, chills,
362 MANAGEMENT OF ECHINOCOCCAL CYST DISEASE OF THE LIVER
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jaundice, or cough. A complete history and physical examination should be performed, laboratory tests including LFTs and serology should be sent, and the WHO-IWGE type should be determined with ultrasound imaging or other available studies. For patients with CE1, CE2, or CE3 (Gharbi types I, III, or II, respectively) cysts, particularly if they are anterior, peripheral, unilocular, less than 5 cm, and not heavily calcified, PAIR or minimally invasive cyst evacuation should be considered depending on local expertise (Table 3). Alternatively, uncomplicated cases with CE4 or CE5 (Gharbi types IV or V) cysts that are posterior, central, greater than three in number, large (>5 cm), or calcified should undergo open evacuation or resection when surgery is indicated. The WHO guidelines further suggest that in uncomplicated CE4 or CE5 cysts proven to be inactive, a watch and wait approach may be under­taken with long-term ultrasound imaging follow-up, especially if local surgical expertise is not available. The decision to perform cyst evacuation, pericystectomy, or liver resection should be indi­vidualized based on patient and cyst characteristics and surgeon experience.
Complicated Disease
Patients with complicated hepatic hydatid cysts can be secondarily infected or have biliary obstruction, cystobiliary fistula, or rupture into the biliary tree, peritoneal cavity, or pleural cavity. Secondary bacterial infection generally results from biliary communication and should be treated with appropriate systemic antibiotics and adequate cyst drainage. In carefully selected patients, percutaneous drainage may be needed before definitive surgical treatment. In the 5% to 15% of patients with hydatid cysts on imaging who present with jaundice or cholangitis, ERCP is indicated to both evaluate potential fistulae between the cyst and biliary tree and to drain the biliary system with a stent. A sphincterotomy alone may not provide adequate treatment.
Once drainage is sufficient and cholangitis has resolved, open cyst evacuation should be performed and the biliary fistulae closed as described previously. Cyst diameter greater than 7.5 cm is a risk factor for a biliary-cyst communication, even in asymptomatic patients, with an 80% likelihood of a fistula being present at surgery.
TABLE 3 Treatment Option Summary
PAIR or Minimally Invasive Evacuation
UNCOMPLICATED CASES
CE1, CE2, CE3 cysts (Gharbi
I, III, II)
Anterior location Posterior or central location Small size (<5 cm) Large size (>5 cm) Few number (1–3 cysts) Multiple (>3 cysts) Minimal or no calcification Heavy calcification
COMPLICATED CASES
Infected cysts meeting previous
criteria
Albendazole or mebendazole should be used in conjunction with all treatments. CE, Cystic echinococosis; PAIR, puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration.
Open Evacuation or Liver Resection
CE4 or CE5 cysts (Gharbi IV
or V)
Infected cysts meeting previous
criteria
Biliary or pulmonary
communication
Peritoneal rupture
FIG. 6 CT scan shows rupture of a hepatic cyst through the diaphragm
into the pleural space.
Therefore, one should be prepared to deal with a biliary fistula in the operating room in patients with large cysts. A concomitant cholecys­tectomy and intraoperative cholangiogram to ensure complete cyst debris clearance from the bile ducts also may be required. In rare instances, a biliary-intestinal anastomosis or liver resection may be needed to fully treat cystobiliary fistulas.
Complicated disease also occurs occasionally when hydatid hepatic cysts rupture into the peritoneum or through the diaphragm into the pleura and lung (Fig. 6), which can result in widespread disseminated disease. Free rupture of a cyst into the peritoneal cavity presents with peritonitis, shock, and/or anaphylaxis. Treatment of the allergic reaction and surgical evacuation are necessary. In these situations, an open surgical approach is recommended to thoroughly control the spread of disease throughout the abdomen. Supportive and intensive therapy also is usually required for the care of these patients. On the other side of the diaphragm, the workup for patients with pulmonary complications includes imaging, serology, and bron­choscopy when bronchocystic fistulae are suspected. Benzimidazoles alone can be used for small, uncomplicated lung cysts. However, surgical management for these patients often includes evacuation of cysts from both the liver and the pleural spaces. Open cyst evac­uation with closure of the diaphragm and drainage are indicated but should be as conservative as possible. For extended pulmonary involvement, severe suppuration, or other complications, pulmonary resection also may be required. In the chest, as in the abdomen, care must be taken to prevent spillage of cyst contents to avoid recurrent infection or anaphylaxis.
RESULTS
Morbidity and Mortality
Advances in the management of patients with echinococcal cyst dis­ease of the liver have decreased the morbidity and mortality of the disease in recent years. In a 2003 meta-analysis of patients with all types of disease (uncomplicated and complicated) that compared 769 patients who underwent PAIR with 952 who had surgical interven­tion, minor and major morbidity rates for each modality were 8% and 13%, respectively, for PAIR as opposed to 25% and 33%, respectively, for surgery. The overall mortality rate reported in the same study was
0.1% for PAIR and 0.7% for surgery, demonstrating the relative safety of both approaches. Another study of nearly 3000 patients undergo­ing percutaneous drainage reported complication rates to be 0.05%
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for anaphylaxis leading to death, 0.38% for major complications (such as death, secondary echinococcal disease from contamination, sclerosis), and 1.27% for recurrence. Thus, in patients with uncom­plicated hydatid cysts who undergo elective percutaneous or laparo­scopic drainage procedures, open evacuation, pericystectomy, wedge resection, or left lateral sectionectomy, mortality should be very low, with morbidity rates ranging from 15% to 20%.
A recent retrospective analysis of patients undergoing surgical treatment of hepatic echinococcal infection reported 0% mortality and 47% morbidity for resection procedures, but only a 17% morbid­ity rate for cyst evacuation. Not surprisingly, less invasive techniques were associated with reduced hospital stay and cost. In patients with complicated disease who undergo open evacuation, pericystectomy, or resection, morbidity is in the range of 40% to 50%, and mortality should be less than 5% (reports range from 0.5% to 4%). The pres­ence of sepsis, peritoneal rupture, underlying comorbid disease, and malnutrition all are factors that increase mortality.
Long-Term Outcomes
Overall, the long-term cure rate for appropriately and adequately treated patients with echinococcal hepatic cysts is excellent and ranges from 90% to 95%. Medical treatment with benzimidazoles alone should only be used in patients who are otherwise not can­didates for percutaneous or surgical therapy because recurrence rates are approximately 70% to 80%. Therefore, when possible, medical therapy should be used in combination with a drainage or resection procedure. In uncomplicated cases, open surgical, mini­mally invasive surgical, and percutaneous drainage techniques all have low recurrence rates around 10%. Because of the endemic nature of this disease and potential for reinfestation, long-term follow-up is necessary with serologic tests and imaging studies.
WHO guidelines recommend follow-up visits including ultra­sound imaging and laboratory tests (CBC and LFTs) every 3 to 6 months initially, and then yearly once the situation is stable. Sero­logic tests also can be followed. Although a persistence of raised or a
further increase in antibody levels may indicate residual or recurrent disease, these findings may occur even with full, adequate treatment. Currently, new antigens show promise for posttreatment monitoring. Patients with echinococcal cysts complicated by infection, cholangi­tis, pleural extension, or peritoneal rupture have unique problems. If the complication such as cholangitis can be treated before definitive cyst treatment, the long-term outcomes are comparable to those of uncomplicated echinococcosis. However, patients with rupture into the pleural cavity or the peritoneum may have a recurrence rate as high as 25%.
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Management of Liver Hemangioma
Victor M. Zaydfudim, MD, MPH, and Reid B. Adams, MD
OVERVIEW
Liver hemangiomata are the most common benign liver tumors, with a 2% to 20% overall prevalence in the general population. Similar to other benign and frequently asymptomatic findings, the incidental diagnosis of hemangiomas has increased considerably with more frequent use of cross-sectional imaging. Hemangiomata are more common in women (5:1 predominance), multifocal in up to a third of patients, and can be present in combination with other benign liver tumors. The vast majority of hepatic hemangiomata are asymptomatic, will remain asymptomatic regardless of size, and do not require operative management or surveillance. In most cases, the diagnosis is unequivocally achieved by imaging findings and expert image interpretation. If operative treatment is pur­sued, either enucleation or parenchymal resection are reasonable options based on the location and the extent of the hemangioma.
Pathogenesis and Clinical Presentation
Pathogenesis of liver hemangioma is not clearly understood. Similar to hemangiomata of other sites, these vascular malformations are congenital and enlarge by vascular ectasia rather than angiogenesis. Hemangiomata are structurally surrounded by a pseudocapsule, with growth of this benign liver tumor results in volumetric expan­sion and compression of the surrounding tissue by the expanding hemangioma and its pseudocapsule (Fig. 1). This expanding, but not invasive, growth compresses the neighboring vascular and biliary structures, displacing them. As a result, surrounding vascular and biliary structures are typically not directly involved by the hemangi­oma. Hemangiomata are multifocal in 10% to 30% of patients and are present in approximately 10% to 20% of patients with other benign liver tumors (hepatic adenoma and/or focal nodular hyperplasia). The pathophysiology of hemangioma growth is not completely understood. In some, growth is associated with a higher estrogen state, such as puberty, estrogen replacement therapy, or pregnancy; however, causality between a higher estrogen state and hemangioma growth has not been established. Asymptomatic growth of heman­giomata, sometimes to very large sizes, can occur in the elderly. Interestingly, a decrease in the size of a known hemangioma, at times with complete involution, has been observed in many patients with chronic liver disease including both fibrosis and cirrhosis.
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The vast majority of hemangiomata are asymptomatic. These blood-filled benign liver tumors have the consistency of a soft, spongelike sac that compresses with pressure. When present, the most commonly reported symptoms are abdominal pain, discomfort, fullness, early satiety, and nausea/vomiting. A common postulate to explain symptoms in patients with hepatic hemangiomata is linked to the distention and stretch of Glisson’s capsule. The theory is plau­sible because Glisson’s capsule is innervated; however the majority of patients with capsular involvement by hemangiomata are not symp­tomatic. Furthermore, symptoms are frequently absent in patients with hepatic malignancies that invade and distort Glisson’s capsule. The term giant is frequently used; however, this term is misleading and lacks clinical significance. The cutoff for giant classification has increased from 5 cm (20 to 30 years ago) to over 10 cm currently. Despite their large size, most hemangiomata are asymptomatic. Rarely, very large hepatic hemangiomata can cause clinical biliary obstruction, hepatic venous compression (which can lead to Budd­Chiari syndrome), or hemangioma thrombocytopenia syndrome (Kasabach-Merritt syndrome).
As hemangiomas are most frequently asymptomatic, the majority are identified incidentally during diagnostic imaging for either a separate problem (e.g., trauma evaluation, nephrolithiasis) or during
FIG. 1 Hemangioma with surrounding pseudocapsule (arrows).
clinical evaluation of epigastric or right upper quadrant pain. The key feature for management of a hemangioma is establishment of the correct diagnosis. In most cases, the diagnosis is established by ultrasonography or cross-sectional diagnostic imaging; rarely the diagnosis can be challenging and requires more invasive measures. In even more rare scenarios (commonly sclerosed hepatic heman­gioma), preoperative diagnosis is not established, and resection is pursued for a postoperative diagnosis of hepatic hemangioma. The diagnosis of atypical hemangioma should raise suspicion and likely stimulate additional imaging review or investigation.
Overall, four principles should be considered in the manage­ment of patients with hemangioma: (1) the majority of patients with hemangiomata, regardless of size, are asymptomatic and do not require intervention; (2) a broad differential diagnosis (including gas­troesophageal reflux, peptic ulcer disease, gallstone disease) should be considered in patients who present with epigastric/right upper quadrant complaints and imaging demonstrating hepatic heman­gioma; (3) when resection is considered, both minimally invasive and open techniques can be pursued, however minimally invasive approaches should not expand indications for treatment; and (4) operative treatment of hepatic hemangioma does not improve under­lying symptoms in approximately 30% to 50% of selected patients.
Diagnosis
Ultrasonography is diagnostic in many patients with hepatic heman­giomata and is particularly accurate in patients with small hemangio­mata (<3 cm). Most smaller hemangiomata are composed of vascular ectatic architecture without cavernous features, and ultrasound imag­ing demonstrates a homogenous, hyperechoic, well-circumscribed liver lesion without posterior acoustic shadowing (Fig. 2A). These small hepatic hemangiomata can be challenging to classify with sin­gle-phase computed tomography (CT), therefore, in the appropriate clinical setting (e.g., a healthy patient without known chronic liver disease or malignancy), diagnostic ultrasound rather than further escalation of cross-sectional imaging can easily establish the correct diagnosis at minimal cost. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can highlight vascular enhancement typical for hemangiomata (Fig. 2B) and can avoid escalation to cross-sectional imaging. It can also be used in instances in which contrast cross-sectional imaging is either nondiagnostic or cannot be technically performed.
Traditional multiphase (triple-phase) CT imaging is diagnostic for the vast majority of patients with hepatic hemangiomata. The CT
A B
FIG. 2 (A) Ultrasound shows numerous small, hyperechoic, well-circumscribed liver lesions without posterior acoustic shadowing, consistent with multifo-
cal hemangiomata (arrows highlight three lesions). (B) Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) shows differential timing of contrast uptake with intense uptake by some hemangiomata (yellow arrows) and slower more nodular uptake by another (red arrow) during early arterial-phase contrast injection. Contrast uptake is homogeneous during portal venous phase and there is contrast retention during the delayed phase (B courtesy Dr. Rachita Khot).
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AB
FIG. 3 Typical peripheral nodular contrast enhancement patterns for hemangioma as visualized with CT arterial phase (A) and MR post-gadolinium (B).
criteria for diagnosis of hemangiomata are: (1) a well-defined and relatively hypointense liver lesion during the precontrast phase, (2) early discontinuous nodular peripheral enhancement of the lesion during the arterial phase (Fig. 3A), and (3) progressive centripetal contrast enhancement with opacification of the lesion during the venous phase. CT imaging characteristics can vary between patients, with differing hemangiomata sizes and internal characteristics of lesions. Atypical enhancement patterns can be present in both small and large hepatic hemangiomata. Small hemangiomata frequently enhance too rapidly to demonstrate nodular filling, while larger hemangiomata demonstrate variable opacification dependent on the size of the lesion and internal architecture.
When ultrasound and/or CT demonstrate atypical features, MRI with vascular (rather than hepatobiliary) contrast can help secure the diagnosis. The overall accuracy of MRI in establishing the diagnosis of hemangiomata is very high, with a sensitivity of approximately 90% and a specificity approaching 100%. MRI diagnostic criteria include lesions that (1) are hypointense relative to normal liver parenchyma on T1-weighted images, (2) are hyperintense relative to normal liver on T2-weighted images, (3) are hyperintense relative to background liver parenchyma on diffusion-weighted imaging secondary to T2 shine-through, and (4) demonstrate discontinuous peripheral nodular enhancement with delayed centripetal filling on T1-weighted sequences after gadolinium administration (Fig. 3B). In rare circumstances, the diagnosis cannot be established using nonin­vasive diagnostic imaging. In these exceptional cases, percutaneous biopsy or resection can be pursued. There is ample evidence that biopsy of hemangiomata can be performed safely.
in the absence of other potential etiologies, (2) intraparenchymal or intraperitoneal hemorrhage (exceedingly rare; can be associated with hemangioma thrombocytopenia syndrome), (3) biliary or hepatic venous obstruction, or (4) diagnostic uncertainty and inability to exclude malignancy. The first three of these indications are typically associated with massive hemangiomas.
Operative management of hepatic hemangiomas can be per­formed using one of two technical approaches: enucleation or paren­chymal resection. As is typical for any liver resection, the principles of liver surgery including liver mobilization to facilitate exposure, inflow control, and low central venous pressure anesthesia are paramount. Cell salvage can be used to allow for autotransfusion of shed blood.
Treatment
The most difficult decision, besides confirming the diagnosis, is deciding whether treatment is warranted. In most patients (>90%), irrespective of size, no therapy is indicated or necessary. Treatment is not indicated in women of childbearing age; there is no need for cessation or adjustment in oral contraceptives, modification of preg­nancy planning, or modification of activity level. Similarly, surveil­lance in asymptomatic patients with a hemangioma is not warranted. From a technical perspective, the ability to resect the hemangioma via a minimally invasive technique (laparoscopic or robotic) should not expand the indications for resection.
Rarely, after judicious diagnostic evaluation and patient selection, operative treatment is required. Treatment can be considered for a narrow range of specific indications: (1) severe persistent symptoms
FIG. 4 Enucleation of hepatic hemangioma can be performed following the
pseudocapsular dissection plane. Inflow occlusion can help facilitate visualization and dissection of the tumor from the abutting vascular and biliary structures.
(Printed with permission from Anita Impagliazzo.)
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Typically, hemangiomata are surrounded by a pseudocapsule, with resultant compression rather than invasion of adjoining vascular and biliary structures. This feature makes enucleation of hemangiomata technically feasible. Enucleation is particularly attractive as it allows for use of the natural peritumoral dissection plane for the resec­tion, while preserving functional hepatic parenchyma. Many series describe enucleation as the dominant resection strategy. Glisson’s capsule is incised next to the tumor to access the plane between the hemangioma pseudocapsule and normal parenchyma. The plane is subsequently further developed with either electrocautery or a clamp (Fig. 4). More sophisticated parenchymal transection devices are not typically required during open enucleation of hemangiomata as retraction of the hemangioma and gentle pressure along the pseudo­capsule facilitates separation of the tumor from compressed paren­chyma. Vascular structures crossing the resection plane are ligated and divided. Once the dominant artery that supplies the hemangioma is divided, the tumor further decompresses, and dissection typically becomes less challenging; sometimes it is possible to ligate this feeding
vessel early during the course of dissection. Large vascular and biliary structures (e.g., anterior or posterior branches of the portal vein or bile duct, the middle hepatic vein) are typically displaced, rather than involved, and can be preserved. If required for visualization, judicious inflow control helps visualize the transection plane as well as the crossing and displaced vascular and biliary structures. Enucleation is technically feasible for many sublobar tumors; lobar hemangiomata are more frequently managed with anatomic resection.
Particularly large hemangiomata, those involving the majority of the liver lobe (or larger), are better suited for anatomic resection. Ipsilateral ligation of the hepatic artery facilitates decompression of the hemangioma. In extenuating cases with massive hemangiomata in which access and control of the hepatic hilum is perceived to be potentially treacherous, preoperative lobar arterial embolization of the affected side (typically performed on the day before resection or the morning of resection) can facilitate hepatic mobilization and hilar dissection and control. Ligation of the hepatic artery supply­ing the tumor allows one to compress the hemangioma, similar to
CD
FIG. 5 Ruptured hemangioma in a patient with cirrhosis. Initial CT imaging with hemoperitoneum, enhancement adjacent to liver lesion with internal com-
plexity during arterial phase (A) and progressive centripetal contrast progression during portal venous phase (B). Angiography re-demonstrated a hyper­vascular tumor (C), and bland transarterial embolization with 150- to 250-micron polyvinyl alcohol particles arrested hemorrhage (D). Given the atypical presentation in a patient with cirrhosis, a biopsy was performed to confirm the diagnosis of hemangioma.