1985 Volume 21 Issue 7 Pages 1133-1144
Long-term follow-up studies are necessary to evaluate the results of corrective surgery for biliary atresia and understand the residual problems in long-term survivors. This is the first report presenting the results of follow-up studies in the adolescents and adults who have survived for more than ten years after successful surgery for biliary atresia. Twenty-six cases, 12 males and 14 females, ranging in age from 10 to 29 years were examined. Twenty-one cases had hepatic portojejunostomy and 5 had hepatico-jejunostomy. All cases except one who died suddenly of the rupture of esophageal varices at the age of 16 years are leading normal lives. The height and weight of all the cases except two were comparable to those of normal Japanese. Hepatomegaly still remained in 5 of 22 cases (23%) and splenomegaly in 8 of 22 cases (34%). Of these 8 cases, 3 have undergone splenectomy during their postoperative courses. Although esophagoscopy demonstrated the esophageal varices in 9 of the 19 cases examined (47%), episodes of variceal bleeding were noted in only 4 cases. Liver function tests disclosed a moderate degree of abnormality in half of the cases. The majority of abnormal findings mentioned above was related with complications such as severe cholangitis during their early postoperative courses.
