PayYourBillMyChildren'sPatientPortalInternationalVisitorsWaystoHelpCareersDonateDonateForPatientsForHealthCareProfessionalsPrograms&ServicesConditions&TreatmentsResearchInnovationCloseForPatientsForHealthCareProfessionalsPrograms&ServicesConditions&TreatmentsResearchInnovationInternationalVisitorsWaystoHelpCareersDonateDonatePayYourBillMyChildren'sPatientPortalConditionsContacttheCenterforChildhoodLiverDisease617-355-5837RequestanAppointmentRequestASecondOpinionContacttheCenterforChildhoodLiverDisease617-355-5837RequestanAppointmentRequestASecondOpinionNavigationOverviewDiagnosis&TreatmentsPrograms&ServicesCholedochalCysts|Diagnosis&Treatments Howarecholedochalcystsdiagnosed?Somecholedochalcystsaredetectedonanultrasound beforeachildisborn.Sometimesafterababyisborn,thechild'sparentordoctormaynoticeamassintheupperrightabdomen.Acombinationoftestshelpdoctorsverifythatachildhascholedochalcysts:Computerizedtomographyscan(CTorCATscan)—ACTscanshowsdetailedimagesofanypartofthebiliarysystem.Cholangiography— aradiographicvisualizationofachild’sbileductHowarecholedochalcyststreated?Childrenwithcholedochalcystsneedsurgerytoremovethem.Thisinvolvesremovingalobeoftheliverifthecystsareintrahepatic,orpartoftheductoutsideoftheliverifthecystsarelocatedthere.Thissurgeryalsoincludesbiliaryreconstructionusingapieceofintestine.MinimallyinvasivesurgerySurgeonareoftenabletoremovecholedochalcystswithaminimallyinvasivesurgerycalledalaparoscopy.Withthistechnique,smallinstrumentsguidedbyasmalltelescopearepassedthroughthebody.Inmanycaseschildren,cangohomeinonetotwodaysandreturntotheirnormalactivitiesmorequicklythanchildrenwhohaveopensurgery.Otherbenefitsofminimallyinvasivesurgeryinclude:verysmallscars,whicharedifficulttoseeafterseveralmonthslesspainaftersurgeryusuallyashorterhospitalstayWithoutsurgery,childrenwithcholedochalcystshaveanongoingriskofotherproblems:biliaryobstructioninfectionoftheductsjaundicecirrhosisInadulthood,choledochalcystscanbecomecancerousifleftuntreated. Thecommitmentandco