BACKGROUND: Mirizzi syndrome is a rare complication of long standing cholelithiasis and was reported in 0,3 - 3% of patients undergoing cholecystectomy. If not recognized preoperatively, it can result in significant morbidity and mortality. AIM: To describe a series of five consecutive patients with Mirizzi syndrome submitted to surgical treatment and to comment on then aspects clinics. METHODS: A retrospective review of five consecutives cases of Mirizzi syndrome that arose between January 2002 and June 2008 was performed. The following items were evaluated: clinical presentation, laboratory results, preoperative evaluation, operative findings, presence of choledocholithiasis, type of Mirizzi syndrome according to the classification by Csendes, choice of operative procedures, and complications. RESULTS: Four patients were women (80%) and a mean age was 53,4 years (38 to 62 years. The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain (100%) and nausea and vomiting (100%) The patients with jaundice presented altered hepatic function tests (40%) and only one without jaundice presented altered hepatic function. The diagnosis of Mirizzi syndrome was intra-operative in all patients (100%). Cholecystecholedochal fistula associated with choledocholithiasis was observed in three (60%) cases. Mirizzi syndrome was classified as Csendes type I in two (40%) patients, type II in one (20%), type III in one (20%) and type IV in another (20%). Cholecystectomy was performed in all patients (100%), however, the partial cholecystectomy was observed in three (60%). Two (40%) patients were submitted to side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy and another (20%) to choledochojejunoanastomosis. Two (40%) patients had an uneventful recovery and were discharged in good conditions. One (20%) patient presented a postoperative sepsis due to a sub-hepatic abscess and was reoperated. This patient to die. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative diagnosis of Mirizzi syndrome is a challenge. A high index of clinical suspicion is required to make an intra-operative diagnosis, which leads to good surgical planning to treat the condition. Open surgery is the gold standard.
Bile duct injury; Biliary bypass; Mirizzi; Cholecystectomy; Biliary surgery
