Gastroduodenal artery disconnection during liver transplantation decreases non-anastomotic stricture incidence.

BACKGROUND: The hepatic artery is the only blood source nourishing the biliary duct and associated with biliary complication after liver transplantation (LT). Gastroduodenal artery (GDA) disconnection increased proper hepatic artery flow. Whether this procedure attenuates biliary non-anastomotic stricture (NAS) is not clear. METHODS: A total of 241 patients with LT were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the GDA disconnection (GDA-) and GDA preservation (GDA+) groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was administrated to reduce bias. Logistic regression was conducted to analyze risk factors for biliary NAS before and after PSM. Postoperative complications were compared. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests were performed to compare overall survival. RESULTS: In all, 99 patients (41.1%) underwent GDA disconnection, and 49 (20.3%) developed NAS. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that GDA preservation (OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.11-4.53; P = 0.025) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score > 15 (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.12-4.11; P = 0.022) were risk factors for biliary NAS. PSM provided 66 pairs using 1:2 matching method, including 66 GDA disconnection and 99 GDA preservation patients. Multivariate logistic regression after PSM also showed that GDA preservation (OR = 3.15, 95% CI: 1.26-7.89; P = 0.014) and MELD score > 15 (OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.08-5.36; P = 0.031) were risk factors for NAS. When comparing complications between the two groups, GDA preservation was associated with a higher incidence of biliary NAS before and after PSM (P = 0.031 and 0.017, respectively). In contrast, other complications including early allograft dysfunction (P = 0.620), small-for-size graft syndrome (P = 0.441), abdominal hemorrhage (P = 1.000), major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3, P = 0.318), and overall survival (P = 0.088) were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: GDA disconnection during LT ameliorates biliary NAS incidence and may be recommended for application in clinical practice.

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome induced by tacrolimus following liver transplantation: Three case reports.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS) is a rare complication in solid organ transplant recipients, especially in liver transplantation recipients. However, the consequences of HSOS occurrence are pernicious, which could result in severe liver or renal failure, and even death. In addition to previously reported azathioprine and acute rejection, tacrolimus is also considered as one predisposing factor to induce HSOS after liver transplantation, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. CASE SUMMARY: In this study, we reported three cases of tacrolimus-related HSOS after liver transplantation. The diagnosis of HSOS was firstly based on the typical symptoms including ascites, painful hepatomegaly and jaundice. Furthermore, the features of patchy enhancement on portal vein and delayed phase of abdominal enhanced computed tomography were suspected of HSOS and ultimately confirmed by liver biopsy and histological examination in two patients. A significant decrease in ascites and remission of clinical symptoms of abdominal distention and pain were observed after withdrawal of tacrolimus. CONCLUSION: Tacrolimus-induced HSOS is a scarce but severe complication after liver transplantation. It lacks specific symptoms and diagnostic criteria. Timely diagnosis of HSOS is based on clinical symptoms, radiological and histological examinations. Discontinuation of tacrolimus is the only effective treatment. Transplantation physicians should be aware of this rare complication potentially induced by tacrolimus.

Ex vivo liver resection followed by autotransplantation in radical resection of gastric cancer liver metastases: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Radical resection of gastric cancer liver metastases (GCLM) can increase the 5-year survival rate of GCLM patients. However, patients may lose the theoretical feasibility of surgery due to the critical location of liver metastasis in some cases. CASE SUMMARY: A 29-year-old woman had a chief complaint of chronic abdominal pain for 1 year. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations suggested a mass of unknown pathological nature located between the first and second hila and the margin of the lower segment of the right lobe of the liver. The anterior wall of the gastric antrum was unevenly thickened. The diagnosis of (gastric antrum) intramucosal well-differentiated adenocarcinoma was histopathologically confirmed by puncture biopsy with gastroscopy guidance. She underwent radical resection (excision of both gastric tumors and ex vivo liver resection followed by autotransplantation simultaneously) followed by XELOX adjuvant chemotherapy. Without serious postoperative complications, the patient was successfully discharged on the 20th day after the operation. Pathological examination of the excised specimen indicated that gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection for primary gastric tumors and R0 resection for liver metastases were achieved. The resected mass was confirmed to be poorly differentiated gastric carcinoma (hepatoid adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation) with liver metastases in segments VIII. No recurrence or metastasis within the liver was found during a 7.5-year follow-up review that began 1 mo after surgery. CONCLUSION: Application of ex vivo liver resection followed by autotransplantation in radical resection for GCLM can help selected patients with intrahepatic metastases located in complex sites obtain a favorable clinical outcome.

Elevated preoperative CA125 levels predicts poor prognosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma receiving radical surgery.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) is used to judge the diagnosis and prognosis of various tumors. However, the relationship between preoperative serum CA125 and prognosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) has not been proven. This study aims to evaluate preoperative serum CA125 in predicting the prognosis of HCCA after resection. METHODS: A total of 233 patients after radical resection of HCCA were included. The associations between the levels of preoperative serum CA125 and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients were analyzed. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify independent risk factors associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Among 233 patients, 198 (84.97%) with normal CA125 levels (≤35 U/mL) had better OS and RFS than 35 (15.02%) patients with higher CA125 levels (>35 U/mL). Preoperative serum CA125 was significantly correlated with tumor size, Bismuth-Corlette classification, microvascular invasion and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (p < 0.001, p = 0.040, p = 0.019 and p = 0.042, respectively). The results of multivariable Cox regression showed that preoperative serum CA125 >35 U/mL (p = 0.002, HR = 1.910 for OS; p = 0.006, HR = 1.755 for RFS), tumor classification (p < 0.001, HR = 2.110 for OS; p = 0.006, HR = 1.730 for RFS), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001, HR = 1.795 for OS; p < 0.001, HR = 1.842 for RFS) and major vascular invasion (p = 0.002, HR = 1.639 for OS; p = 0.005, HR = 1.547 for RFS) were independent risk factors for both OS and RFS. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative serum CA125 is a good tumor marker for predicting prognosis after radical surgery for HCCA.