Individualized Drainage Strategy Based on Risk Stratification in Children Undergoing Surgery for Choledochal Cyst: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

September 12, 2026 updated by: Xueqiang Yan

Application of Risk-Stratified Individualized Drainage Strategy in Children With Choledochal Cyst Undergoing Robot-Assisted Roux-en-Y Hepaticojejunostomy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Choledochal cyst is a common congenital biliary malformation in children requiring cyst excision with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Traditional practice routinely places abdominal drainage tubes postoperatively. With the improved precision of robot-assisted surgery, the necessity of routine drainage has been questioned. This prospective randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether a selective drainage strategy based on a preoperative predictive model (using cyst diameter, age, BMI, hemoglobin, and globulin) is safe and effective compared with conventional routine drainage in children undergoing robot-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The primary outcome is the incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III complications within 30 days postoperatively.

Study Overview

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

80

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

    • Hubei
      • Wuhan, Hubei, China, 430016
        • Wuhan Children'c Hospital
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria: Age 0-18 years, with clinical and imaging diagnosis of choledochal cyst (Todani type I or IV);Scheduled to undergo Da Vinci robot-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy;Complete preoperative data available: cyst diameter, BMI, hemoglobin (HGB), globulin (GLB);Preoperative predictive model applicable for risk probability calculation;Guardian provides signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Complex congenital biliary malformations or other severe congenital anomalies; Previous abdominal surgery history; Pre-existing severe coagulation disorders or active infection; Severe cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic, or renal insufficiency (ASA grade ≥IV); Cyst malignancy or suspected malignancy; Emergency surgery (e.g., cyst perforation, acute suppurative cholangitis); Guardian refuses participation or unable to comply with follow-up

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Selective Drainage Group
Patients with low-risk prediction (<85%) do not receive abdominal drainage; patients with high-risk prediction (≥85%) receive drainage tube placement.
All enrolled children undergo Da Vinci robot-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The intervention differentiates in postoperative drainage management: the Selective Drainage Group receives abdominal drainage only when preoperative risk probability is ≥85%, while the Conventional Drainage Group receives routine drainage for all patients.
Active Comparator: Conventional Drainage Group
All patients receive routine abdominal drainage tube placement postoperatively.
All enrolled children undergo Da Vinci robot-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The intervention differentiates in postoperative drainage management: the Selective Drainage Group receives abdominal drainage only when preoperative risk probability is ≥85%, while the Conventional Drainage Group receives routine drainage for all patients.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of Severe Complications Within 30 Days Postoperatively
Time Frame: 30 days after surgery
Incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III complications within 30 days after robot-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy, including bile leakage, pancreatic leakage, intra-abdominal hemorrhage, intra-abdominal infection, wound infection, anastomotic stenosis, reoperation, and mortality.
30 days after surgery
Incidence of Severe Complications Within 90 Days Postoperatively
Time Frame: Postoperative 90 days
Incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III complications within 90 days after robot-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.
Postoperative 90 days

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

February 28, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

February 28, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 5, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

September 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 12, 2026

Last Verified

September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026R085-F01
  • 2025FEYJS005 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Wuhan Children's Hospital)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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