Outcome of second interventions for occluded metallic stents in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Although self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) has a longer patency than plastic stent (PS) for malignant biliary obstruction, stent occlusion can occur and drainage has to be reestablished in a patient with expected long survival. However, the choices are still controversial among restenting with SEMS, PS, and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). This study was designed to determine the efficacy and outcome of PS, SEMS, and PTBD for patients with occluded SEMS. METHODS: A total of 154 ERCPs with SEMS insertion were performed at the Endoscopy Unit of Chulalongkorn University. The causes of obstructive jaundice were cholangiocarcinoma (n = 110), pancreatic cancer (n = 41), and metastatic carcinoma (n = 3). Thirty-two patients (20.9%) with occluded SEMS (uncovered SEMS = 22 and covered SEMS = 10) were identified. PS, SEMS, and PTBD were used to reestablish drainage in 11, 14, and 7 patients, respectively. The second stent was inserted as stent-in-stent. Patients with less advanced disease were preferably opted to have a second SEMS. RESULTS: The median stent patency of second SEMS (100 days) was significantly longer than PS (60 days) and PTBD (75 days; p < 0.05). The median survival time for patients with second SEMS (230 days) was significantly longer than patients with PS (130 days) and PTBD (150 days; p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis in hilar obstructions showed no statistical difference in second stent patency and survival between PS and SEMS. Pain that required oral narcotic developed in 71% (5/7) of PTBD patients. CONCLUSIONS: In general, a second SEMS insertion in occluded SEMS provides a significant longer patency time than PS and PTBD. However, the benefit of SEMS as a second intervention in hilar obstructed patients is still doubtful.

Role of portal vein embolization in hepatobiliary malignancy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Inadequate remnant liver volume is the major cause of postoperative liver failure. Preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) is the well accepted procedure to increase future liver remnant (FLR) volume and decrease the incidence of this complication. This study described the author's experience of preoperative PVE at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital since 2002. METHODOLOGY: The clinical data of 29 patients who underwent PVE were reviewed. The FLR volumes before and after the procedure were calculated by CT volumetry. PVE was performed when estimated FLR volume was < 25% in normal liver or < 40% in damaged liver and also when major liver resection combined with major intraabdominal surgery was planned. The complications after PVE and hepatectomy were recorded. RESULTS: There were no deaths or complications after PVE. The mean growth of FLR was 11%. Power of liver regeneration was suboptimal in old age patients. Sixteen patients underwent liver resection (resectability rate 55.17%). There were 2 cases of postoperative hyperbilirubinemia (12.5%). The hospital mortality rate was 1/16 (6.25%). CONCLUSIONS: PVE is a useful and safe optional procedure to increase FLR. It not only reduces the postoperative liver failure but also increases the chance of curative resection.

Preoperative portal vein embolization in hepatobiliary tract malignancy: an experience at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Major hepatic resections are increasingly performed for both primary and secondary liver cancers nowadays. However, morbidity from these operations is still high. One of the dreadful complications, sometimes lead to fatality, is postoperative liver failure. There are many factors which are associated with this complication such as chronic liver disease, low residual liver volume after resection. Portal vein embolization (PVE) is the procedure which increases the liver volume of the non-embolized lobe. Now, PVE has gained acceptance in many centers to overcome or reduce this complication. This report described the authors' experiences of PVE since 2001 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The records of 10 patients who had PVE were reviewed CT volumetry of the liver was done before and after procedure. The authors calculated future liver remnant from CT volumetry and compared this volume to standard liver volume. The postoperative complications and hospital courses of these patients were also recorded. RESULTS: Mean growth of future liver remnant (FLR) ratio after PVE was 13.7 +/- 6.2% (median 13, range 4-25). There was no major complication after PVE. Six patients underwent liver resection and there was no major complication or mortality. No one had persistent hyperbilirubinemia 2 weeks after operation. CONCLUSION: The PVE is the useful and safe optional procedure to increase future liver remnant volume. It not only reduces the postoperative liver failure but increases the chance for curative resection.

Percutaneous transhepatic treatment of symptomatic mesenteric venous thrombosis.

Three patients were seen with acute mesenteric venous thrombosis. With a transhepatic access, percutaneous pharmacologic thrombolysis was performed in one patient with extensive thrombosis of the portal and mesenteric veins, resulting in complete thrombolysis of the portal vein and partial thrombolysis of the superior mesenteric vein. In two patients with focal thrombosis, the use of mechanical devices achieved complete thrombolysis. Percutaneous thrombolysis of portal and mesenteric veins with a transhepatic approach, followed by coil embolization, is a promising endovascular technique for treatment of symptomatic acute mesenteric venous thrombosis.

Caffeine clearance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter oily chemoembolization treatment.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common neoplasm worldwide, particularly in Asia, with a grave prognosis. Transcatheter Oily Chemoembolization (TOCE) is now universally accepted as the method of choice for the treatment of inoperable HCC. The purpose ofthis study was to evaluate caffeine clearance, a quantitative liver function assessment, in HCC patients before and after treatment with TOCE. METHOD: Both conventional liver function test (LFT) and caffeine clearance were evaluated in twelve patients. Each patient took a 3.5 mg/kg single oral dose of caffeine solution before TOCE, 1 day and 5 weeks after treatment. Blood samples were subsequently collected at 0.5, 1.5, 3, 5, 10 and 24 hours after each dose of caffeine administration and assayed for serum caffeine level by the HPLC technique. Clearance (Cl) was calculated using the equation of Cl = Kel x Vd (Kel = elimination rate constant, Vd = volume of distribution) and half-life was determined using pharmacokinetic analysis. RESULTS: The mean caffeine clearance 1 day after TOCE (0.51 +/- 0.096) and 5 weeks after TOCE treatment (0.43 +/- 0.07) was significantly reduced compared with the mean caffeine clearance before treatment (0.79 . 0.2 ml/min x kg) with the p = 0.06 and p = 0.03, respectively. No significant changes (p > 0.05) in most conventional LFT were observed 5 weeks after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, the authors found that caffeine clearance was reduced after TOCE in patients with HCC inspite of no changes in conventional LFT. Thus, the determination of caffeine clearance can serve as a useful parameter for the assessment of hepatic functional reserve in HCC patients post TOCE treatment.