[Treatment of refractory hepatic encephalopathy associated with insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt through new endovascular techniques: a case report]. / Tratamiento de la encefalopatía hepática resistente asociada a la creación de una derivación percutánea portosistémica intrahepática mediante nuevas técnicas endovasculares: a propósito de un caso clínico.

Insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an increasingly used treatment in the management of the complications of portal hypertension. However, one of the complications of this technique is refractory or recurrent hepatic encephalopathy, which poses a difficult clinical problem. We report the case of a patient who underwent TIPS insertion to control bleeding due to esophageal varices. The patient subsequently developed refractory hepatic encephalopathy, requiring reduction of the caliber of the shunt.

Acute and chronic hemodynamic changes after propranolol in patients with cirrhosis under primary and secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Prophylactic treatment of variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients with beta-blockers is effective in only some patients. Our aim was to determine whether the response of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) to the intravenous administration of propranolol predicts the response after chronic oral propranolol treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included prospectively cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices under primary prophylaxis (PP) and secondary prophylaxis (SP). The HVPG was measured at baseline and after a propranolol bolus (0.15 mg/kg intravenous). A patient was considered a good-responder if HVPG decreased to 12 mmHg or 20% from baseline. Patients then received oral propranolol (heart rate titrated). Poor-responders under SP were also included in a variceal band ligation program. After at least 3 months, a second hemodynamic study was conducted. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were included (36 SP and 20 PP). Response rate was similar (32.1 and 41.9%, P=0.7) and the Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.61 (P=0.001). In 81.4% patients, the first study predicted the response status of the second. Six patients rebled on follow-up between the studies, all of them were poor responders to intravenous propranolol. CONCLUSION: A single hemodynamic study using intravenous propranolol seems to predict chronic response to propranolol.

Successful endovascular treatment of a large idiopathic azygos arch aneurysm.

Idiopathic azygos vein aneurysms are rare and typically present as incidentally discovered mediastinal masses. Treatment is advisable when the aneurysm enlarges or is complicated by compression symptoms, rupture, or thromboembolic disease. The authors describe successful endovascular treatment of a symptomatic azygos vein aneurysm by means of embolization with coils at the azygos vein close to the dilated arch but respecting the bulb itself. The patient reported symptoms of cough, wheezing, and persistent hiccups, and the procedure resulted in thrombosis of the azygos vein and aneurysm retraction on imaging, accompanied by resolution of symptoms.

Usefulness of surveillance programmes for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Surveillance programmes (SPs) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis intend to diagnose the tumour in its early stages when an effective therapy can be applied. The aims of this study have been to compare the survival of patients with HCC being diagnosed or not in SPs, and to establish a more accurate profile of the best target population. METHODS: From January 1996 to June 2005, 290 patients with HCC were included. The relationship between being diagnosed or not in an SP and survival has been analysed in a univariate analysis. Pretreatment variables found to be significant predictors of survival in univariate analysis were included in a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The mean survival for patients diagnosed in SPs (27 months, 16.6-37.4) was significantly longer than in patients being diagnosed out of these programmes (6 months, 2.6-9.4) (P=0.001). Child-Pugh class A [beta 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-1.78; P=0.0002] and being diagnosed in SPs (beta 0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.6; P=0.0003) became the only independent predictive factors of longer survival. CONCLUSIONS: SPs for HCC allow the detection of small tumours and the application of intention-to-cure therapies, which improves survival. However, these programmes do not improve prognosis in patients with advanced cirrhosis.

[Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in patients with subclavian stenosis and internal mammary grafts]. / Angioplastia transluminal percutánea en pacientes con estenosis de la arteria subclavia e injertos de arteria mamaria.

Subclavian artery stenosis is an uncommon cause of myocardial ischaemia in patients with internal mammary artery grafts. Coronary subclavian steal and impaired flow through the graft are the two mechanisms implied. We report 2 patients with mammary artery grafts in whom reappraisal of anginal symptoms was related to the presence of proximal subclavian stenoses located just before the origin of the mammary artery grafts. Both patients were successfully treated by percutaneous angioplasty and stent implantation.