Abstract
Purpose: To investigate whether age at primary surgery and ductal remnants affect long-term outcome in biliary atresia. Method: Cases (n=93) were categorized by age at primary surgery (A,<0 days; B,≥70 days), and the rates of disappearance of jaundice and long-term outcomes were investigated. Cases of late surgery (≥90 days) were also analyzed. Fifty-five cases in which jaundice disappeared were categorized by age at primary surgery (C,<70 days; D,≥70 days), and their long-term outcomes were compared. In 86 cases in which pathological examination was performed, the relationship between the presence of ductal remnants and the diameter of them with the disappearance of jaundice and long-term outcome was analyzed. The relationship between the ductal remnants and long-term outcome was also analyzed in cases in which jaundice disappeared. Results: There was no difference between groups A and B in the rate of disappearance of jaundice (A, 54.2%; B, 65.3%) and long-term outcome. The rate of late surgery group was also 64.3%. There was no difference between groups C and D in the long-term outcome. Ductal remnants were present in 67 of 86 cases. The rate of disappearance of jaundice (68.7%) in them was significantly higher than that in the 19 cases without ductal remnants (26.3%). Neither age at primary surgery nor diameter of ductal remnants affected outcome in cases in which jaundice disappeared. Conclusion: Age at primary surgery did not affect the outcome of biliary atresia. The presence of ductal remnants positively affected the long-term outcome.
