What is this disease?

• A choledochal cyst in a swelling / widening or dilatation of the bile ducts. The condition usually affects the part of the bile ducts outside the liver (the common bile duct and the hepatic ducts) but sometimes it also affects those inside the liver (the intrahepatic ducts).

How it is diagnosed?

• The diagnosis is generally made using a combination of the following: History, physical exam of the child, tests including blood tests and an ultrasound scan. MRCP is needed to understand the anatomy.

How it is treated? 

• The treatment of choledochal cysts is surgery.  .

When it should be operated?

• In newborn babies with a cyst discovered by ultrasound scan but who have no symptoms,  early surgery, generally at about six months of age is recommended. For older kids, surgery at diagnosis is done, except in children with severe cholangitis, in which it is postponed for 3-4 weeks for inflammation to settle.

Are there other alternative methods of treatment?

• Surgery is only accepted modality of treatment available in these children.

What all I need to know before my child surgery?

• Read “All you need to know before your child’s surgery” information booklet in website

How is the surgery done?

• The operation can be performed as either key hole surgery (using a small opening through the skin) or as an open procedure (a larger opening in the skin). Both techniques achieve good results. In the common variety, the cyst is completely removed. This means removing most of the bile ducts (tubes carrying bile) outside the liver together with the gallbladder. The hepatic ducts (tubes from the liver) coming out of the liver are then attached to a loop of the child’s bowel so that the bile can drain into the bowel

Remarks

• For more details of surgery, contact your surgeon.

Related Photographs and videos

• Few photographs of steps done by me are given here for learning purposes.