Laparoscopic Left Hepatectomy for a Non-Todani Choledochal Cyst

Edmund W. Lee, MD; Cara A. Liebert, MD; Patrick J. Worth, MD; Brendan C. Visser, MD, FACS

Product Details
Product ID: ACS-5605
Year Produced: 2018
Length: 8 min.


The Tadoni Classification of choledochal cysts (CC) was first proposed in 1977. Since then, the literature surrounding CCs consistently uses this scheme as an anchor. This video aims to review a case that is pathologically a CC, but does not fit into this classification. This is an otherwise healthy 44 year old woman presenting with abdominal pain without jaundice. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography revealed a markedly dilated left intrahepatic biliary system. Imaging showed dilated bile ducts and an ovoid cystic structure with multiple stones in the left lobe. She was taken to the operating room for an elective laparoscopic left hepatectomy. Preoperative laboratory values were within normal ranges. The technique in a laparoscopic left hepatectomy for a congenital biliary anomaly differs from a typical hepatectomy in a few ways. First, utilizing an intraoperative ultrasound, we confirmed the location of the cystic structure. During the resection, the left pedicle is the final portion of the left liver to be divided. This gives us the opportunity to perform a cholangiogram to ensure that our resection included all of the diseased ducts and to confirm that no additional stones have fallen into the common bile duct. This patient was discharged on postoperative day two, only requiring ibuprofen for pain. Pathology of the specimen resulted as a cystically dilated intrahepatic bile duct with unremarkable hepatocytes; consistent with a choledochal cyst. The Todani Classification system does not adequately capture the anatomy presented in this case. Therefore, this 40 year old classification scheme may need an update.