Colangiocarcinoma y hepatocolangiocarcinoma combinado en pacientes con cirrosis / Cholangiocarcinoma and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma in cirrhotic patients

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a primary hepatic tumor, frequently found in patients with liver cirrhosis and biliary tract diseases. Its varieties include isolated CCA or "combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma" (cHCC-CCA). The latter is uncommon, with poorly defined diagnostic criteria and natural history. Aim: To characterize patients with cirrhosis with a pathological diagnosis of CCA and cHCC-CCA. Material and Methods: Forty-nine liver biopsies with a pathological diagnosis of CCA were reviewed. The clinical records of patients were reviewed to fetch demographic variables, etiology of cirrhosis and clinical presentation. Results: Eight of the 49 patients had cirrhosis (16% of CCA biopsies reviewed). Their median age was 64 (27-71) years and five were females. Four patients had CCA, three patients cHCC-CCA and one had a bifocal tumor. Patients in the CCA group were more commonly symptomatic. Alpha-fetoprotein and CA 19-9 levels were elevated in one of eight and four of six patients, respectively. Within 12 months from diagnosis, five of eight patients died. Conclusions: In most of these cases, the diagnosis of cHCC-CCA and CCA was made in the liver explant study without previous imaging diagnosis. This reinforces the usefulness of the histological study, in specific cases, prior to liver transplantation and emphasizes the importance of systematic explant exploration in these cases.

Reduced Immune Response to Inactivated Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Vaccine in a Cohort of Immunocompromised Patients in Chile.

BACKGROUND: Inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines have been widely implemented in low- and middle-income countries. However, immunogenicity in immunocompromised patients has not been established. Herein, we aimed to evaluate immune response to CoronaVac vaccine in these patients. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 193 participants with 5 different immunocompromising conditions and 67 controls, receiving 2 doses of CoronaVac 8-12 weeks before enrollment. The study was conducted between May and August 2021, at Red de Salud UC-CHRISTUS, Santiago, Chile. Neutralizing antibody (NAb) positivity, total anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G antibody (TAb) concentrations, and T-cell responses were determined. RESULTS: NAb positivity and median neutralizing activity were 83.1% and 51.2% for the control group versus 20.6% and 5.7% (both P < .001) in the solid organ transplant group, 41.5% and 19.2% (both P < .0001) in the autoimmune rheumatic diseases group, 43.3% (P < .001) and 21.4% (P<.01 or P = .001) in the cancer with solid tumors group, 45.5% and 28.7% (both P < .001) in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection group, 64.3% and 56.6% (both differences not significant) in the hematopoietic stem cell transplant group, respectively. TAb seropositivity was also lower for the solid organ transplant (20.6%; P < .0001), rheumatic diseases (61%; P < .001), and HIV groups (70.9%; P = .003), compared with the control group (92.3%). On the other hand, the number of interferon γ spot-forming T cells specific for SARS-CoV-2 tended to be lower in all immunocompromising conditions but did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse immunocompromising conditions markedly reduce the humoral response to CoronaVac vaccine. These findings suggest that a boosting vaccination strategy should be considered in these vulnerable patients. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT04888793.

[Cholangiocarcinoma and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma in cirrhotic patients]. / Colangiocarcinoma y hepatocolangiocarcinoma combinado en pacientes con cirrosis.

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a primary hepatic tumor, frequently found in patients with liver cirrhosis and biliary tract diseases. Its varieties include isolated CCA or "combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma" (cHCC-CCA). The latter is uncommon, with poorly defined diagnostic criteria and natural history. AIM: To characterize patients with cirrhosis with a pathological diagnosis of CCA and cHCC-CCA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-nine liver biopsies with a pathological diagnosis of CCA were reviewed. The clinical records of patients were reviewed to fetch demographic variables, etiology of cirrhosis and clinical presentation. RESULTS: Eight of the 49 patients had cirrhosis (16% of CCA biopsies reviewed). Their median age was 64 (27-71) years and five were females. Four patients had CCA, three patients cHCC-CCA and one had a bifocal tumor. Patients in the CCA group were more commonly symptomatic. Alpha-fetoprotein and CA 19-9 levels were elevated in one of eight and four of six patients, respectively. Within 12 months from diagnosis, five of eight patients died. CONCLUSIONS: In most of these cases, the diagnosis of cHCC-CCA and CCA was made in the liver explant study without previous imaging diagnosis. This reinforces the usefulness of the histological study, in specific cases, prior to liver transplantation and emphasizes the importance of systematic explant exploration in these cases.

Consenso chileno de diagnóstico y manejo de neoplasias quísticas pancreáticas. Club de páncreas Chile-SCHGE / Chilean consensus on diagnosis and management of pancreatic cystic neoplasms

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCN) are frequently detected on abdominal images performed for non-pancreatic indications. Their prevalence in asymptomatic population ranges from 2.7 to 24.8%, and increases with age. There are several types of pancreatic cysts. Some may contain cancer or have malignant potential, such as mucinous cystic neoplasms, including mucinous cystadenoma (MCN) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN). In contrast, others are benign, such as serous cystadenoma (SCA). However, even those cysts with malignant potential rarely progress to cancer. Currently, the only treatment for pancreatic cysts is surgery, which is associated with high morbidity and occasional mortality. The Board of the Chilean Pancreas Club of the Chilean Gastroenterology Society developed the first Chilean multidisciplinary consensus for diagnosis, management, and surveillance of PCN. Thirty experts were invited and answered 21 statements with five possible alternatives: 1) fully agree; 2) partially agree; 3) undecided; 4) disagree and 5) strongly disagree. A consensus was adopted when at least 80% of the sum of the answers "fully agree" and "partially agree" was reached. The consensus was approved by the Board of Directors of the Chilean Pancreas Club for publication.

Health-related quality of life, uncertainty and coping strategies in solid organ transplant recipients during shielding for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strict isolation of vulnerable individuals has been a strategy implemented by authorities to protect people from COVID-19. Our objective was to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL), uncertainty and coping behaviours in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey of adult SOT recipients undergoing follow-up at our institution was performed. Perceived health status, uncertainty and coping strategies were assessed using the EQ-5D-5L, Short-form Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (SF-MUIS) and Brief Cope, respectively. Interactions with COVID-19 risk perception, access to health care, demographic and clinical variables were assessed. The survey was completed by 826 of 3839 (21.5%) invited participants. Overall, low levels of uncertainty in illness were reported, and acceptance was the major coping strategy (92%). Coping by acceptance, feeling protected, self-perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 were associated with lower levels of uncertainty. Health status index scores were significantly lower for those with mental health illness, compromised access to health care, a perceived high risk of severe COVID-19 infection and higher levels of uncertainty. A history of mental health illness, risk perceptions, restricted healthcare access, uncertainty and coping strategies was associated with poorer HRQoL in SOT recipients during strict isolation. These findings may allow identification of strategies to improve HRQoL in SOT recipients during the pandemic.

Ex Situ Arterial Reconstruction During Normothermic Perfusion of the Liver.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant hepatic arterial anatomy may be seen in up to 30% of liver grafts, and reconstruction prolongs the cold ischemic time or the arterialization times. If normothermic machine preservation (NMP) is used to preserve liver grafts, the presence of aberrant arterial anatomy poses a challenge. Dual arterial cannulation is a temporary solution to enable effective perfusion, until optimal circumstances are met for arterial reconstruction, without compromising ischemia time. To date the technical and logistical feasibility of arterial reconstruction ex situ and during NMP has not been reported. METHODS: Series of 5 cases from the Consortium for Organ Preservation in Europe randomized controlled trial in which grafts with arterial anatomic variations were reconstructed while organs were perfused on NMP. RESULTS: One donor after cardiac death and 4 donor after brain death livers with arterial anatomical variations reconstructed while on NMP were included. All patients survived transplantation, spending 1-7 d in intensive care unit and discharged home after 5-15 d. None of the cases developed early allograft dysfunction or any early technical complications. At follow-up, there were no late hepatic artery thrombosis, stenosis, or any other vascular-related complication. Four of 5 patients underwent magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography at 6 mo with no evidence of ischemic cholangiopathy. CONCLUSIONS: The case series described above suggests that ex vivo arterial reconstruction surgery on liver grafts while on board the NMP device is feasible, safe, and effective.

Recomendaciones sobre el manejo del cáncer de páncreas tipo adenocarcinoma en Latinoamérica: Reunión del Consenso del Simposio Latinoamericano de Gastroenterología Oncológica (SLAGO) y de la Asociación Ibero Latinoamericana de Terapia Radiante (ALATRO), Viña del Mar, Chile 2015 / Recommendations for the management of pancreatic cancer type adenocarcinoma: A consensus statement reached during the 2015 Latin American Symposium on Gastroenterological Oncology

Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy of great impact in developed countries and is having an increasing impact in Latin America. Incidence and mortality rates are similar for this cancer. This is an important reason to offer to the patients the best treatments available. During the Latin American Symposium of Gastroenterology Oncology (SLAGO) held in Viña del Mar, Chile, in April 2015, a multidisciplinary group of specialists in the field met to discuss about this disease. The main conclusions of this meeting, where practitioners from most of Latin American countries participated, are listed in this consensus that seek to serve as a guide for better decision making for patients with pancreatic cancer in Latin America.

[Recommendations for the management of pancreatic cancer type adenocarcinoma: A consensus statement reached during the 2015 Latin American Symposium on Gastroenterological Oncology]. / Recomendaciones sobre el manejo del cáncer de páncreas tipo adenocarcinoma en Latinoamérica: Reunión del Consenso del Simposio Latinoamericano de Gastroenterología Oncológica (SLAGO) y de la Asociación Ibero Latinoamericana de Terapia Radiante (ALATRO), Viña del Mar, Chile 2015.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy of great impact in developed countries and is having an increasing impact in Latin America. Incidence and mortality rates are similar for this cancer. This is an important reason to offer to the patients the best treatments available. During the Latin American Symposium of Gastroenterology Oncology (SLAGO) held in Viña del Mar, Chile, in April 2015, a multidisciplinary group of specialists in the field met to discuss about this disease. The main conclusions of this meeting, where practitioners from most of Latin American countries participated, are listed in this consensus that seek to serve as a guide for better decision making for patients with pancreatic cancer in Latin America.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with mild obesity: preliminary results of surgical treatment.

In the last years, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity have become a serious public health problem, behaving as epidemic diseases. There is great interest in exploring different options for the treatment of T2DM in nonmorbidly obese patients. The purpose of this study is to report parameters of glycemic control in patients with T2DM and mild obesity who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP). This prospective clinical trial includes patients with T2DM with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 35 kg/m(2) who underwent laparoscopic RYGBP from July 2008 through October 2010. Thirty-one patients were included in the study, 15 men and 16 women, with an average age of 48.7 ± 8.6 years. The average time since onset of T2DM was 5.8 years. The average postoperative follow-up was 30.4 months. The average preoperative blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin were 152 ± 70 mg/dl and 7.7 ± 2.1 %, respectively. All of them were using oral hypoglycemic agents, and four patients were insulin dependent. Only one patient had a postoperative complication (hemoperitoneum). At 36 months follow-up, the average BMI decreased to 24.7 kg/m(2), all patients (31) showed improvement in their glycemic control, and 29 of them (93.6 %) met the criteria for remission of T2DM in the last control. Laparoscopic RYGBP is a safe and effective procedure that improves glycemic control in patients with T2DM and mild obesity at midterm follow-up.

[Gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Review of 15 patients]. / Tumores gastrointestinales estromales (GIST): experiencia del Servicio de Cirugía del Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile entre 1999 y 2005.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymatous tumors of the digestive tract. The pathological diagnosis is based on microscopy and immunohistochemistiy. AIM: To review the experience of our surgical unit in patients with GIST MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of medical records of 15 patients (aged 66+/-13 years, 11 women), with a pathological diagnosis of GIST, treated between 1999 and 2005. RESULTS: The main presenting symptoms were melena in 40%, hematemesis in 20%, abdominal pain in 60% and anemia in 13%. In only one patient, the tumor appeared as an incidentaloma. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy A CAT scan was done in 87%, a barium swallow in 60% and a digestive endosonography in 20%. Thirteen tumors were located in the stomach and two in the small bowel. Mean tumor diameter was 5.3+/-1.7 cm. Surgical management was a tumor resection in 40%, a partial gastrectomy in 27%, a total gastrectomy in 20% and an intestinal excision in the rest. Mean hospital stay was 6.9+/-4.2 days. No postoperative complications were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: The main clinical presentation of GIST in this retrospective series was an upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Surgical treatment was devoid of complications.