The different clinical and liver pathological characteristics between the newborns and infants with choledochal cysts.

BACKGROUND

This study was undertaken to investigate the different clinical presentations of newborns and older infants with choledochal cysts, and their liver pathological changes.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who were diagnosed with choledochal cysts younger than 1 year old at our hospital from March 1991 through November 2006 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: the newborn group, who presented before 1 month old including those antenatally diagnosed patients; and the infant group, who presented at 1 month to 12 months old. All of the patients' clinical data, including the operative, pathological reports and outcomes were studied and analyzed using the Chi-square and student-t tests.

RESULTS

There were 35 patients included in the study. According to the Todani's classification, 74.2% of choledochal cysts were type I. Using Chi-square and student-t tests, the infant group had significantly higher pre-operative morbidity, abnormal levels of serum transaminase, gamma trans-peptide (gamma-GT), and grade of liver fibrosis (>or=grade 2) (p<0.05). The post operative complications were not statistically significant between newborn and infant groups.

CONCLUSION

Both groups had favorable outcomes after surgical intervention. We suggest that surgical.