[Hemodynamic changes in orthotopic transplantation of the liver]. / Modificazioni emodinamiche durante trapianto ortotopico di fegato.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hemodynamic changes during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of the hemodynamic data during OLT. SETTING: National Cancer Hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-two patients with hepatic neoplasia and various degrees of cyrrhosis classified according to Child-Pugh. INTERVENTIONS: Orthotopic liver transplantation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: For each of the six phases of the operation a complete hemodynamic profile was reported as general mean and as mean of each Child class. The catecholamins given were also reported. At baseline the Child C showed a cardiac index (CI) and heart rate higher than others. At the end of first phase the blood pressure (BP) of the Child C lowered more than the others'. The anhepatic phase was stable. At reperfusion CI increased, the systemic resistances and BP decreased in all the classes. The Child C needed more catecholamins at this time. In the last profile all tended to return to baseline values. CONCLUSIONS: The baseline hemodynamic was the more hyperdynamic the more sever was the cyrrhosis. The Child C, despite a meticolous fluid therapy, were prone to hypotension in response to even minimal decreases of filling pressures. At reperfusion an hemodynamic disturbance featured by systemic vasodilation occurred. It was more severe in the hyperdynamic patients and it was time limited. The causes of this disturbances have not yet been fully elucidated.

Total rectal resection and colo-anal anastomosis for low rectal tumours: comparative results in a group of young and old patients.

Rectal cancer incidence is increasing among the elderly who are more often considered for palliation rather than for surgical cure. Moreover, sphincter-sparing surgery is often avoided when treating the elderly. We report our experience on a consecutive series of 38 subjects, suffering from a lower third rectal tumour with a median distance of 5.6 cm from the anal verge (7 Dukes' A, 6 Dukes' B, 17 Dukes' C, 3 Dukes' D, 3 anastomotic recurrences and 2 large villous adenomas). All subjects were prospectively collected in a 2-year period and treated with total resection and colo-anal hand-sewn anastomosis on a J colic reservoir. 20 patients younger than 65 years and 18 over 65 years were matched for surgical complications, late morbidity, oncological and functional results but no statistical difference was found. Our hope is that a conservative approach in treating the low rectal tumours will progressively be accepted for elderly patients.