The challenging dilemma of Mirizzi syndrome for operating surgeons arises from the difficulty to diagnose it preoperatively, and approximately 50% of cases are diagnosed intraoperatively. In this study, we analysed the effectiveness of diagnostic modalities and treatment options in our series of Mirizzi syndrome.

Patients had a preoperative or intraoperative diagnosis of Mirizzi syndrome, and were classified into three groups: Group 1: Incidental finding of Mirizzi syndrome intraoperatively (n=34). Group 2: Patients presented with jaundice, diagnosed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (n=17). Group 3: Patients diagnosed initially by ultrasound (n=13). Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was conducted in all 49 patients with Cendes type I disease. Partial cholecystectomy, common bile duct exploration, repair of fistula and t-tube placement was conducted on eight patients with Cendes type II and five patients with Cendes type III. Partial cholecystectomy with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy was conducted in two patients with Cendes type IV disease.

Sixty-four patients were diagnosed with Mirizzi syndrome. Morbidity rate was 3.1%. Mortality rate was 0%. Group 3 (patients diagnosed initially by ultrasound) had the best treatment outcome, the least morbidity, and the shortest hospital stay.

Suspected cases of Mirizzi syndrome should not be underestimated. Difficulty in establishing preoperative diagnosis is the major dilemma. As it is mostly encountered intraoperatively, the approach should be careful and logical to identify the correct type of Mirizzi by a thorough diagnostic laparoscopy and thus, provide optimum treatment for the subtype to achieve the best outcome.