Abstract: Objective To analyze the relationship between bile ductal plate malformation (DPM) and autologous liver survival in children with biliary atresia (BA). Methods A total of 40 BA children underwent Kasai operation in Tianjin Children’s Hospital and liver transplantation (LT) in Tianjin First Central Hospital from January 2008 to December 2017 were collected. Hepatic tissue samples at the time of Kasai operation and liver transplantation were stained with HE and CK19 immunohistochemistry. According to the existence of DPM in different periods during Kasai operation, patients were divided into without DPM group (n=27) and with DPM group (n=13), and without DPM group (n=17) and with DPM group (n= 23) during liver transplantation. The differences of autologous liver survival time were compared between different stage groups of children. Results The autologous liver survival time was 230.0 (190.5, 276.5) d and 336.0 (218.0, 757.0) d respectively in BA children with and without DPM during Kasai operation. The autologous liver survival time was 230.0 (185.0, 285.0) d and 527.0 (288.0, 817.0) d respectively in BA children with and without DPM during liver transplantation. The autologous liver survival time was significantly shorter in patients with DPM than that in patients without DPM either during Kasai operation or LT (P＜0.05). Conclusion Children with biliary atresia associated with bile ductal plate malformation can shorten their autologous liver survival time.

Key words: biliary atresia, liver transplantation, ductal plate malformation, Kasai operation, survival with native liver