[Hepatic artery reconstruction grafting with the right gastroepiploic artery for surgical treatment of upper bile duct cancer].

The right gastroepiploic artery (GEA) was used as hepatic artery graft in 2 patients with advanced upper bile duct cancer. The pedicle, including the right GEA and surrounding tissues, was mobilized along greater curvature of the stomach. The GEA pedicle was raised up beyond the gastric pylorus and was anastomosed to the distal right hepatic artery by interrupted suture technique using 7-0 monofilament-nylon stitches. The patients recovered well without evidences of anastomotic dehiscence of hepatico-jejunostomy and prolonged liver dysfunction beyond three postoperative days. Angiograms at one week after operation showed good patency of the GEA graft. The method of hepatic artery grafting with the right GEA is very simple and useful for surgical treatment of upper bile duct cancer.