Clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with choledocum cysts treated at the Children's Hospital Dr. José Renan Esquivel from 2005 to 2018.

Abstract

Introduction: Choledochal cysts are a rare condition, characterized by dilatation of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts. The clinical presentation is variable and includes the presence of an abdominal mass, jaundice, fever, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Materials and methods: The objective of this study is to determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with choledochal cyst treated at the Hospital del Niño Dr. José Renán Esquivel during the years 2005 to 2018.
A retrospective descriptive study was conducted, with interest in demographic characteristics such as age, sex, place of origin, ethnic group and clinical characteristics such as symptoms, diagnostic method, type of cyst reported, histopathology, complications.
Results: The N were 36 patients (n = 25 female and n = 11 male). The age group of 0-4 years represented 67% of the study subjects. The main clinical manifestations were abdominal pain, vomiting and jaundice. The main diagnostic method used was the abdominal ultrasound. Main postsurgical complications cholangitis, pancreatitis and digestive bleeding. The majority of the classified cysts are Todani IC and IV.
Conclusions: The choledochal cyst is a pathology present in Panama with 2.8 cases per year.