To explore the postoperative complications of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and their impact factors after radical resection.

Clinical data of 132 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent radical resection in the First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2003 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. There were 69 males and 63 females, with an average age of (59±10) years. Complication related impact factors were analyzed by Chi-square test.

The perioperative mortality of radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma was 3.8% (5/132), and the overall incidence of postoperative complications was 49.2% (65/132). The incidence of liver dysfunction, abdominal infection and biliary-intestinal leakage was 34.1% (45/132), 23.5% (31/132) and 18.9% (25/132). The overall postoperative complications were associated with age, preoperative bilirubin level, surgical operation, preoperative combined cholangitis and intraoperative hemorrhage (χ²=6.724, 4.094, 20.460, 5.826, 4.161; P<0.05). The incidence of liver dysfunction was associated with preoperative jaundice reduction, preoperative combined cholangitis and intraoperative massive hemorrhage (χ²=5.968, 4.916, 5.900; P<0.05). The incidence of abdominal infection was associated with biliary-intestinal leakage, liver dysfunction and preoperative combined cholangitis (χ²=40.397, 20.419, 42.505; P<0.05). The incidence of biliary-intestinal leakage was associated with surgical operation, preoperative combined cholangitis and intraoperative massive hemorrhage (χ²=5.081, 8.300, 5.527; P<0.05).

The incidence of complications after radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is high, which is related to age, preoperative bilirubin level, surgical operation and intraoperative hemorrhage. It is effective to reduce the incidence of postoperative complications through preoperative jaundice reduction, biliary tract infection control, reasonable selection of surgical operation and effective control of intraoperative hemorrhage.