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Objective To explore the value of pediatric end-stage liver disease (PELD)score system in predicting prognosis after pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods Clinical data of 101 infants undergoing living-donor liver transplantation from October 2006 to December 2012 in Department of Liver Surgery in Affiliated Renji Hospital of School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiaotong University,were analyzed retrospectively. All infants were diagnosed as biliary atresia. PELD scores before LDLT were graded. According to PELD scores,all the patients were divided into two groups:low score group (PELD score <16,n=62) and high score group (PELD≥16,n =39 ).The basic data during perioperative period and incidence of postoperative complications were compared between two groups. Results There were significant differences in age and body weight between two groups (both in P<0.05 ). But there was no significant difference between the two groups in gender,graft to recipient weight ratio (GRWR),cold isehemia time and intraoperative blood loss (all in P>0.05 ). The incidence of lung infection and biliary complications in high score group were significantly higher than those in low score group. Conclusions Preoperative PELD score can be used in predicting prognosis after pediatric LDLT and provide a reference for the treatment,caring and nursing during perioperative period of pediatric LDLT. For infants with high PELD score before operation,the care of perioperative complications should be enhanced.
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Objective To characterize the clinical course of biliary complications after right lobe living donor liver transplantation (RL-LDLT) and to identify the independent risk factors for biliary strictures.Methods 105 consecutive RL-LDLT recipients operated from April 2007 to April 2010 were followed up. The clinical and operative data were reviewed. The biliary complications and independent risk factors of biliary stricture were studied.Results The median follow-up duration was 49.5 months ranging from 562 to 1675 days.A total of 40 patients (38.1 ％) experienced 11 bile leak episodes (10.4％ ) and 37 (35.2％) biliary stricture episodes after transplantation.Bile leaks occurred at a median time of 9 days ranging from 4 to 54 days after transplantation.For biliary strictures,the occurring time was delayed and scattered wide with a median of 7.6 months ranging from 12 to 790 days after transplantation. Moreover, the biliary stricture incidence in the first year after transplantation was significantly higher than later.The independent risk factors for biliary strictures were CMV infection,bile leaks and bile duct size (≤3 mm).Conclusion The independent risk factors for biliary strictures after RL-LDLT were CMV infection,bile leaks and bile duct size (≤3mm).In order to avoid biliary complications,careful preoperative evaluations are necessary. The dissection of bile ducts should be meticulous to protect its blood supply.CMV infection should be prevented after transplantation.Close surveillance of biliary complications should be given to RL-LDLT recipients during the first year after transplantation.
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Objective To investigate the short-term acute rejection incidence of the recipients under the steroid-free immunosuppressive therapy after liver transplantation. Methods This retrospective study included 186 patients who were divided into two groups by random number table.The patients in no steroid group (the study group, n =94) received tacrolimus (Tac) with mycophemolate mofetil (MMF) or cyclosporine with MMF,and those in the steroid group (the control group,n =92) received the aforementioned immunosuppressive therapy combined with steroids.The acute rejection incidence was analyzed during six months post-transplantation.Results There was no significant difference in the gender,age,indication for transplantation,Child-Pugh score,MELD score,operating time,bleeding and transfusion volume during the operation,warm ischemia time and cold ischemia time between the two groups (P＞0.05).Liver biopsy was done on 9 cases of each group.The acute rejection incidence had no significant difference between the study group and the control group (5/94 vs 4/92,5.3％ vs 4.4％,P＞0.05).Conclusion The steroid-free immunosuppressive therapy after liver transplantation did not increase the short term acute rejection incidence.
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ObjectiveTo surnmarize the experience of tacrolimus or cyclosporine A-based immunosuppression after pediatric living-donor liver transplamation.Methods The clinical data of 30 children undergoing living-donor liver trarsplantation from October 2006 to January 2010 were analyzed retrospectively.In 30 patients,7 were given Tac-based immunosuppression (group A),10 given CsA-based immunosuppression (group B),and 13 switched from CsA to Tac for complications or adverse effects of drugs.Dosages and blood concentrations of immunosuppressants were recorded.Changes of liver and kidney functions were monitored.Incidence of rejection,infection and adverse effects of drugs were observed.ResultsIn the premise of the stable concentration and liver and kidney functions,the weight of children was increased by about 50％ and the per- kilogram dosage of CNIs was decreased significantly 1year postoperatively.There was no case of rejection in group A and 4 cases of rejection in group B(40％,4/10),and the original symptoms were gradually alleviated after the increased dosage in immunosuppressants.During the first 3 months,there was 1case of abdominal infection in group A (1/7) and 3 cases of lung infection in group B (3/10),and the original symptoms were gradually alleviated after anti-infective therapy.There was 1CMV lgM-positive case in group A (1/7) and 2 CMV IgM-positive cases in group B (2/10),and the original symptoms were gradually alleviated after using ganciclovir.The original symptoms of the 13 children switched from CsA to Tac were gradually alleviated.ConclusionThe two CNIs can be safely used in children undergoing pediatric livlng-donor liver transplantation.Both of them show the same effect in promoting the restoration of liver and kidney functions,but tacrolimus has more satisfactory effect in inhibiting the rejection and it has leas adverse effects.
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Objective To observe the outcomes of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for children with biliary atresia (BA) and to summarize the clinical experiences. Methods Forty-four BA patients (26 boys and 18 girls) underwent LDLT between October 2006 and December 2010. Mean (SD) and median (range) age at operation was (12.1 ± 9.0) months and 9 (6-60) months,respectively. The 44 donors were lineal relatives to the consorted recipients. Their mean (SD) and median (range) age at operation was (32. 7 ± 8. 0) months and 31 (20～54) years, respectively. All donor graft types were the left lateral segments with compatible ABO blood groups. Clinical data,including pre-operative evaluations, surgical technique, postoperative management and outcomes in all donors and recipients were retrospectively analyzed. Results All donors were followed up for (17. 5 ± 13. 3) months. No donor mortality was encountered, with a minimal morbidity and no long-term sequelae. Nine out of 44 recipients died. Three patients died of portal vein thrombosis (PVT), one of hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT), two of biliary complications, one of surgical site infections, one of abdominal bleeding and one of pulmonary infection. The overall 1-year and 2-year cumulative survival rate in recipients was 81. 2% and 76. 1 %, respectively. No re-transplantation was done. Postoperative complications included PVT, HAT, biliary leakage and refluxing cholangitis, pulmonary infections,surgical site infections and acute rejection. Conclusion LDLT has been the effective treatment for pediatric recipients with BA and provides favorable prognosis. To improve prognosis of recipients, the key points are pre-operative evaluations, surgical technique, and postoperative management
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Objective To evaluate the relationship between fatty liver disease and liver metastases from colorectal cancer.Methods Eight hundred and ninety patients with colorectal cancer,who were submitted to hospital from 1993 to 2002 and had complete clinical data,were retrospectively analyzed.Of 890 patients,127 were diagnosed as fatty liver(FL)by ultrasonography,and the other 763 who were without fatty liver were served as controls(NFL).The clinical data including pathology,liver matastasis or mortality after surgery were analyzed.The survival rate and liver matastasis after surgery were followed up and statistically analyzed.Results The liver metastases was lower in FL group than that in NFL group(7 cases vs 102 cases,P=0.012).The tumor size was smaller in FL group than that in NFL group[(4.15±1.80)crn vs(4.77±2.25)cm,P=0.0016].The Dukes B(247/732,33.74%)and C(232/732,31.83%)patients were more common in NFL group,whereas Dukes A(41/121,33.61 %)and B(40/121,32.77%)were more common in FL group with significant difference(P＜0.05).No significant difference was found in 7-year survival rate between two groups who had been followed up(P=0.3024).Conclusion The lower incidence of liver metastases is found in FL group,which indicate that fatty liver disease may inhibit liver metastases from colorectal cancer by underlying mechanisms.
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Objective To evaluate the applied value of functional immunity measured by the ImmunKnow assay in the diagnosis of post-transplant infection in Chinese 1iver recipients.Methods Thirty-eight normal adults and 68 adult liver transplant recipients were under investigation.Whole blood samples from either normal volunteers(each sample for one person)or the liver recipients(one or more samples for one person)were collected freshly and cultured within 6h.The CD4+T cells were selected and their ATP value was assayed the next day.The liver recipients were grouped in stable status(n=52)or infection(n=64)according tO their clinieal manifestation.Results The average ATP value in the recipients with infection after liver transplantation was 165.7±100 μg/L,significantly lower(P＜0.05)than that in stable recipients(309±126 μg/L)or normal volunteers (292±83 μg/L).The low ATP levels in post-transplant recipients had fair good correlation to infection clinically(RR=0.5021,P＜0.01).Infectious risk was high when ATP value was less than 165μg/L(OR=11,95%CI 3.9-32.2,P＜0.01).Specificity and sensitivity of low ATP value in post-transplant infection were 86.53%and 73.81% respectively,Conclusion ImmuKnow assay provides a new tool in monitoring immune status in post-transplant recipients,and call helpfully predict and diagnose clinical infection.