Surgical Strategies for the Treatment of Bismuth Type I and II Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Bile Duct Resection with or Without Hepatectomy?

Background: The role of hepatic resection in the treatment of type I and II hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) remains controversial. In the present study, we aimed to identify whether hepatic resection was necessary for type I and II HCCA.

Methods: A total of 23 patients classified as type I and II HCCA undergoing surgical resection were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: bile duct resection (BDR) group (n = 15) and hepatic resection (HR) group (n = 8). Systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to compare the R0 resection and long-term survival between BDR and HR for Bismuth type I and II HCCA. A total of 7 studies with 260 cases were included in this meta-analysis.

Results: In our cohort, the R0 resection rate was 73.3% in BDR group and 87.5% in HR group. The HR group had a higher number of postoperative complications than the BDR group (P = 0.002). There was no difference in long-term survival (P = 0.544) and recurrence (P = 0.846) between BDR and HR in Bismuth type I and II HCCA. The meta-analysis showed that HR was associated with better R0 resection rate (RR 4.45, 95% CI 2.34-8.48) and overall survival (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.34-3.44) compared with BDR group. There was no publication bias and undue influence of any single study.

Conclusions: The meta-analysis showed that HR was associated with better R0 resection rate and overall survival compared with BDR for type I and II HCCA patients. More aggressive surgical strategies should be increasingly considered for the treatment of type I and II HCCA patients.