Successful laparoscopic surgery for choledochal cyst complications in a 19-month-old patient.
Hai Phong International Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital has successfully performed laparoscopic surgery on a 19-month-old patient with a choledochal cyst with complications – a rare but particularly dangerous biliary condition in young children, requiring accurate diagnosis and specialized surgical intervention.
The patient L.K.N (19 months old, Thuy Nguyen, Hai Phong) was brought to the hospital by the family in a state of fever, rapidly increasing jaundice, dark yellow urine, and pale stools. These are typical signs of obstructive jaundice; however, they can easily be overlooked or confused with common liver diseases if not examined at a pediatric specialty facility.
Through thorough examination and specialized tests, the doctors noted that the child had elevated liver enzymes, significantly increased direct bilirubin, along with coagulopathy – indicating that the disease had progressed severely and affected the entire body. The results of the MRI of the biliary tract (MRCP) confirmed that the child had a choledochal cyst, a congenital malformation of the biliary tract. If not treated promptly, the condition can lead to recurrent cholangitis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and even long-term cholangiocarcinoma.
Early and accurate diagnosis using modern imaging techniques plays a crucial role in selecting treatment methods and prognosis for the child.
After the medical treatment phase aimed at stabilizing the inflammatory condition and correcting coagulopathy, the patient was indicated for laparoscopic cyst excision and biliary-enteric anastomosis. This is one of the most complex surgeries in Pediatric Surgery, particularly challenging when performed on young children who have already developed complications. The surgery requires the surgeon to have deep experience in pediatric liver and biliary anatomy, a specialized pediatric anesthesia and resuscitation team, modern endoscopic equipment, and close coordination among multiple specialties.
The surgery was performed safely and accurately, the cyst was completely excised, and physiological bile flow was restored through biliary-enteric anastomosis. After the surgery, the patient recovered well, clinical and laboratory indicators improved significantly, health stabilized, and the patient was discharged in the joy and emotion of the family.
From this case, the doctors recommend to parents:
– Prolonged jaundice, pale stools, and dark urine in young children are not physiological manifestations
– Congenital biliary diseases can be completely treated if diagnosed early and intervened at the right time
The success of the surgery continues to affirm the high professional competence and extensive experience in treating complex biliary diseases in children of the medical team at Hai Phong International Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, while providing safe and effective treatment opportunities right in the locality, helping many families feel secure in caring for their children’s health.
