Complex Intrahepatic Lithiasis: A Case Report of Combined Treatment With Surgical Exploration of the Bilioenteric Anastomosis and Laser Lithotripsy by Cholangioscopy.

Intrahepatic lithiasis, or hepatolithiasis, is an endemic disease in southeast Asia, although, with immigration from Eastern countries, the incidence of this pathology is rising worldwide. The Latin American experience demonstrates morbidity and mortality compatible with other Western countries, but minimally invasive procedures are lacking. We demonstrate a case of a combined surgical and endoscopic approach for stone clearance. We present a case of a 47-year-old female patient with biliary enteric anastomosis to treat recurrent pyogenic cholangitis resulting from intrahepatic lithiasis. The patient was admitted to the emergency room, presented with a new episode of cholangitis, and submitted to transcutaneous hepatobiliary drainage. The multidisciplinary approach, including the endoscopic and surgical teams, successfully performed the stone clearance with laser lithotripsy and stone removal by open access. The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient did not present any sign of recurrence after one year. A combined surgical and endoscopic approach achieved short-term clinical and technical success in this novel case. Moreover, individualizing cases requiring open surgical access is feasible, which allows a combined endoscopic approach with safety.

First Robotic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for the Treatment of Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in a Patient With Systemic Sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an immune-mediated disease that results in fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) associated with severe esophageal dysmotility is common in SSc patients, and surgical treatment with usual anti-reflux procedures such as fundoplications is associated with dismal symptomatic relief and postoperative dysphagia. We report the first robotic short-limb Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with a short Roux limb for the treatment of GERD in a patient with SSc with intense esophageal dysmotility. The operative time was two hours. The procedure and postoperative course were uneventful. The patient presented complete relief of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and no postoperative dysphagia in a two-year follow-up. Therefore, short-limb RYGB is a safe and very effective alternative for the treatment of severe GERD in patients with SSc. The robotic surgical platform may have some advantages compared to conventional laparoscopy.

Pentoxifylline enhances the protective effects of hypertonic saline solution on liver ischemia reperfusion injury through inhibition of oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: Liver ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury triggers a systemic inflammatory response and is the main cause of organ dysfunction and adverse postoperative outcomes after liver surgery. Pentoxifylline (PTX) and hypertonic saline solution (HTS) have been identified to have beneficial effects against IR injury. This study aimed to investigate if the addition of PTX to HTS is superior to HTS alone for the prevention of liver IR injury. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were allocated into three groups. Control rats underwent 60 minutes of partial liver ischemia, HTS rats were treated with 0.4 mL/kg of intravenous 7.5% NaCl 15 minutes before reperfusion, and HPTX group were treated with 7.5% NaCl plus 25 mg/kg of PTX 15 minutes before reperfusion. Samples were collected after reperfusion for determination of ALT, AST, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-10, mitochondrial respiration, lipid peroxidation, pulmonary permeability and myeloperoxidase. RESULTS: HPTX significantly decreased TNF-alpha 30 minutes after reperfusion. HPTX and HTS significantly decreased ALT, AST, IL-6, mitochondrial dysfunction and pulmonary myeloperoxidase 4 hours after reperfusion. Compared with HTS only, HPTX significantly decreased hepatic oxidative stress 4 hours after reperfusion and pulmonary permeability 4 and 12 hours after reperfusion. CONCLUSION: This study showed that PTX added the beneficial effects of HTS on liver IR injury through decreases of hepatic oxidative stress and pulmonary permeability.

Conditioning With Sevoflurane in Liver Transplantation: Results of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: During times of organ scarcity and extended use of liver grafts, protective strategies in transplantation are gaining importance. We demonstrated in the past that volatile anesthetics such as sevoflurane attenuate ischemia-reperfusion injury during liver resection. In this randomized study, we examined if volatile anesthetics have an effect on acute graft injury and clinical outcomes after liver transplantation. METHODS: Cadaveric liver transplant recipients were enrolled from January 2009 to September 2012 at 3 University Centers (Zurich/Sao Paulo/Ghent). Recipients were randomly assigned to propofol (control group) or sevoflurane anesthesia. Postoperative peak of aspartate transaminase was defined as primary endpoint, secondary endpoints were early allograft dysfunction, in-hospital complications, intensive care unit, and hospital stay. RESULTS: Ninety-eight recipients were randomized to propofol (n = 48) or sevoflurane (n = 50). Median peak aspartate transaminase after transplantation was 925 (interquartile range, 512-3274) in the propofol and 1097 (interquartile range, 540-2633) in the sevoflurane group. In the propofol arm, 11 patients (23%) experienced early allograft dysfunction, 7 (14%) in the sevoflurane one (odds ratio, 0.64 (0.20 to 2.02, P = 0.45). There were 4 mortalities (8.3%) in the propofol and 2 (4.0%) in the sevoflurane group. Overall and major complication rates were not different. An effect on clinical outcomes was observed favoring the sevoflurane group (less severe complications), but without significance. CONCLUSIONS: This first multicenter trial comparing propofol with sevoflurane anesthesia in liver transplantation shows no difference in biochemical markers of acute organ injury and clinical outcomes between the 2 regimens. Sevoflurane has no significant added beneficial effect on ischemia-reperfusion injury compared to propofol.

Immunoglobulin G profile in hyperacute rejection after multivisceral xenotransplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Xenotransplantation is a potential solution for the high mortality of patients on the waiting list for multivisceral transplantation; nevertheless, hyperacute rejection (HAR) hampers this practice and motivates innovative research. In this report, we describe a model of multivisceral xenotransplantation in which we observed immunoglobulin G (IgG) involvement in HAR. METHODS: We recovered en bloc multivisceral grafts (distal esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, and kidneys) from rabbits (n = 20) and implanted them in the swine (n = 15) or rabbits (n = 5, control). Three hours after graft reperfusion, we collected samples from all graft organs for histological study and to assess IgG fixation by immunofluorescence. Histopathologic findings were graded according to previously described methods. RESULTS: No histopathological features of rejection were seen in the rabbit allografts. In the swine-to-rabbit grafts, features of HAR were moderate in the liver and severe in esophagus, stomach, intestines, spleen, pancreas, and kidney. Xenograft vessels were the central target of HAR. The main lesions included edema, hemorrhage, thrombosis, myosites, fibrinoid degeneration, and necrosis. IgG deposition was intense on cell membranes, mainly in the vascular endothelium. CONCLUSIONS: Rabbit-to-swine multivisceral xenotransplants undergo moderate HAR in the liver and severe HAR in the other organs. Moderate HAR in the liver suggests a degree of resistance to the humoral immune response in this organ. Strong IgG fixation in cell membranes, including vascular endothelium, confirms HAR characterized by a primary humoral immune response. This model allows appraisal of HAR in multiple organs and investigation of the liver's relative resistance to this immune response.

[Attitude and opinion of medical students about organ donation and transplantation]. / Conhecimento e opinião de estudantes de medicina sobre doação e transplante de órgãos.

UNLABELLED: We analyzed the opinion and understanding of medical students about organ donation and transplantation. METHODS: 347 students voluntarily completed a questionnaire with 17 queries concerning organ donation and transplantation. They were analyzed to identify general tendencies and divided into five groups, according to their year of study (first through sixth year), to assess differences among the years. Students of the fifth and sixth years were placed in the same group. Results were analyzed by the Chi-square test. RESULTS: The intention to become a post mortem or living donor was of 89% and 90% respectively; however, only 62% were aware of living donation risks. 70% of the 347 students admitted regular or little knowledge of the subject, 90.2% considered organ transplantation an important issue for a medical graduation program, 76.9% considered informed/expressed consent the best organ donation criterion and 64.3% of them chose severity of patient disease as the best allocation condition. As students progressed in their studies their understanding about transplantation improved. Students of the fourth, fifth and sixth year manifested a negative attitude about organ donation to alcohol addicts, non donors, drug users, law offenders and foreigners. CONCLUSION: This data show the great interest and positive attitude of medical students toward organ donation and transplantation, despite the fact that most of them admitted having insufficient knowledge on the subject. A negative attitude by students of the fourth, fifth and sixth year on organ donation to alcohol addicts, non donors, drug users, law offenders and foreigners was also observed.

Conhecimento e opinião de estudantes de medicina sobre doação e transplante de órgãos / Attitude and opinion of medical students about organ donation and transplantation

OBJETIVOS: Analisar o conhecimento e a opinião de estudantes de medicina sobre doação e transplante de órgãos. MÉTODOS: Trezentos e quarenta e sete estudantes responderam, voluntariamente, questionário com 17 perguntas sobre doação e transplante de órgãos. Eles foram avaliados globalmente, para verificar tendências gerais, e agrupados de acordo com o seu ano no curso médico (primeiro ao sexto), para avaliar diferenças entre os períodos. Alunos do quinto e sexto ano foram reunidos em um só grupo. Os resultados foram analisados pelo teste Qui quadrado. RESULTADOS: A intenção de ser doador post mortem foi de 89 por cento e intervivo de 90 por cento, contudo, apenas 62 por cento sabiam dos riscos da doação intervivo. Entre os 347 estudantes, 70 por cento admitiram conhecimento regular, ruim ou péssimo do assunto, 90,2 por cento consideraram importante o tema transplante para a graduação médica, 76,9 por cento consideraram o consentimento informado/expresso como o melhor critério de doação e 64,3 por cento optaram pela gravidade da doença do paciente como melhor forma de alocação. O entendimento sobre transplante aumentou conforme o avanço no curso de graduação. Estudantes do quarto, quinto e sexto ano adotaram atitude negativa, em comparação aos dos anos iniciais, quanto à doação de órgãos para pacientes alcoólatras, não doadores, usuários de drogas ilícitas, estrangeiros e criminosos. CONCLUSÃO: Este trabalho demonstrou grande interesse e atitude positiva dos estudantes de medicina sobre doação e transplante de órgãos, embora a maioria tenha declarado conhecimento deficiente sobre o tema. Observamos também atitude negativa dos estudantes do quarto, quinto e sexto ano médico em relação à doação para alcoólatras, não doadores, usuários de drogas ilícitas, estrangeiros e criminosos.

We analyzed the opinion and understanding of medical students about organ donation and transplantation. METHODS: 347 students voluntarily completed a questionnaire with 17 queries concerning organ donation and transplantation. They were analyzed to identify general tendencies and divided into five groups, according to their year of study (first through sixth year), to assess differences among the years. Students of the fifth and sixth years were placed in the same group. RESULTS:were analyzed by the Chi-square test. RESULTS: The intention to become a post mortem or living donor was of 89 percent and 90 percent respectively; however, only 62 percent were aware of living donation risks. 70 percent of the 347 students admitted regular or little knowledge of the subject, 90.2 percent considered organ transplantation an important issue for a medical graduation program, 76.9 percent considered informed/expressed consent the best organ donation criterion and 64.3 percent of them chose severity of patient disease as the best allocation condition. As students progressed in their studies their understanding about transplantation improved. Students of the fourth, fifth and sixth year manifested a negative attitude about organ donation to alcohol addicts, non donors, drug users, law offenders and foreigners. CONCLUSION: This data show the great interest and positive attitude of medical students toward organ donation and transplantation, despite the fact that most of them admitted having insufficient knowledge on the subject. A negative attitude by students of the fourth, fifth and sixth year on organ donation to alcohol addicts, non donors, drug users, law offenders and foreigners was also observed.

Intrahepatic Glissonian access for segmental liver resection in cirrhotic patients.

The main goal of segmental technique is to preserve the maximum amount of liver parenchyma. Liver-preserving techniques are especially important for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis. We report the technique for segmental liver resection in cirrhotic patients and detail technical difficulties and immediate surgical outcome. For right segmental liver resections the intrahepatic access is performed through small incisions around the hilar plate. Left segmental resection technique also consists of small incisions following specific anatomic landmarks. Nineteen cirrhotic patients underwent segmental liver resections. A blood transfusion was required in 2 patients. No patient experienced major bleeding from the liver incisions made for intrahepatic access. The median hospital stay was 5 days. No surgical mortality occurred. The intrahepatic access technique allows individual resections of liver segments and is feasible even in cirrhotic patients. Knowledge of segmental liver resection techniques is an essential armamentarium in the modern era of liver surgery.

Hypertonic saline solution increases cerebral perfusion pressure during clinical orthotopic liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure: preliminary results.

UNLABELLED: During orthotopic liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure, some patients may develop sudden deterioration of cerebral perfusion and oxygenation, mainly due to increased intracranial pressure and hypotension, which are likely responsible for postoperative neurological morbidity and mortality. In the present study, we hypothesized that the favorable effects of hypertonic saline solution (NaCl 7.5%, 4 mL/kg) infusion on both systemic and cerebral hemodynamics, demonstrated in laboratory and clinical settings of intracranial hypertension and hemorrhagic shock resuscitation, may attenuate the decrease in cerebral perfusion pressure that often occurs during orthotopic liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure. METHODS: 10 patients with fulminant hepatic failure in grade IV encephalopathy undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation with intracranial pressure monitoring were included in this study. The effect on cerebral and systemic hemodynamics in 3 patients who received hypertonic saline solution during anhepatic phase (HSS group) was examined, comparing their data with historical controls obtained from surgical procedure recordings in 7 patients (Control group). The maximal intracranial pressure and the corresponding mean arterial pressure values were collected in 4 time periods: (T1) the last 10 min of the dissection phase, (T2) the first 10 minutes at the beginning of anhepatic phase, (T3) at the end of the anhepatic phase, and (T4) the first 5 minutes after graft reperfusion. RESULTS: Immediately after hypertonic saline solution infusion, intracranial pressure decreased 50.4%. During the first 5 min of reperfusion, the intracranial pressure remained stable in the HSS group, and all these patients presented an intracranial pressure lower than 20 mm Hg, while in the Control group, the intracranial pressure increased 46.5% (P < 0.001). The HSS group was the most hemodynamically stable; the mean arterial pressure during the first 5 min of reperfusion increased 21.1% in the HSS group and decreased 11.1% in the Control group (P < 0.001). During the first 5 min of reperfusion, cerebral perfusion pressure increased 28.3% in the HSS group while in the Control group the cerebral perfusion pressure decreased 28.5% (P < 0.001). Serum sodium at the end of the anhepatic phase and 3 hours after reperfusion was significantly higher in the HSS group (153.00 +/- 2.66 and 149.00 +/- 1.73 mEq/L) than in the Control group (143.71 +/- 3.30 and 142.43 +/- 1.72 mEq/L), P = 0.003 and P < 0.001 respectively. CONCLUSION: Hypertonic saline solution can be successfully used as an adjunct in the neuroprotective strategy during orthotopic liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure, reducing intracranial pressure while restoring arterial blood pressure, promoting sustained increase in the cerebral perfusion pressure.

Hypertonic saline solution increases cerebral perfusion pressure during clinical orthotopic liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure: preliminary results

Neste estudo testamos a hipótese de que os efeitos benéficos decorrentes da administração da solução salina hipertônica (NaCl 7,5%, 4 mL/kg) sobre a hemodinâmica sistêmica e cerebral na hipertensão intracraniana e no choque hemorrágico, possam atenuar a diminuição da pressão de perfusão cerebral que freqüentemente acompanha o transplante do fígado para hepatite fulminante.MÉTODO: Foram estudados 10 pacientes com hepatite fulminante em encefalopatia grau IV e monitorização de pressão intracraniana submetidos ao transplante do fígado. A hemodinâmica sistêmica e cerebral de 3 pacientes que receberam solução salina hipertônica durante a fase anepática (Grupo SSH) foi analisada comparando com os dados obtidos de 7 pacientes transplantados anteriormente nas mesmas condições (Grupo Controle). Os valores de pressão intracraniana máxima e a correspondente pressão arterial média foram coletados em quatro tempos: (T1) nos últimos 10 min da fase de disseccão, (T2) nos primeiros 10 minutos da fase anepática, (T3) no final da fase anepática e (T4) nos primeiros 5 min da reperfusão.RESULTADO: Imediatamente após a infusão da solução salina hipertônica a pressão intracraniana diminuiu 50,4%. Nos primeiros 5 min da reperfusão a pressão intracraniana no Grupo SSH se manteve estável e todos os pacientes apresentavam pressão intracraniana menor que 20 mmHg enquanto no Grupo Controle a pressão intracraniana aumentou 46,5% (p<0,001). O Grupo SSH apresentou maior estabilidade hemodinâmica, nos primeiros 5 min da reperfusão hepática, a pressão arterial média no Grupo SSH aumentou 21,1% e no Grupo Controle diminuiu 11,1% (p<0,001). Nos primeiros 5 min da reperfusão a pressão de perfusão cerebral no Grupo SSH aumentou 28,3% e no Grupo Controle diminuiu 28,5% (p< 0,001). A natremia no final da fase anepáica e após 3 horas da reperfusão foi significativamente maior no Grupo SSH (153.00 ± 2.66 and 149.00 ± 1.73 mEq/L) que no Grupo Controle (143.71 ± 3.30 and 142.43 ± 1.72 mEq/L), p=0.003 e p< 0.001 respectivamente.CONCLUSÃO: Estes resultados sugerem que a solução salina hipertônica pode ser utilizada com sucesso como medida neuroprotetora no transplante de fígado para hepatite fulminante, promovendo diminuição efetiva da pressão intracraniana e estabilidade cardiocirculatória, proporcionando aumento sustentado da PPC durante a cirurgia.

Feasibility of bisegmentectomy 7-8 is independent of the presence of a large inferior right hepatic vein.

BACKGROUND: Right superior liver resection or bisegmentectomy 7-8 is defined as the anatomical removal of segments 7 and 8 of the liver. According to recent reports, this type of resection requires the presence of a large accessory right inferior hepatic vein to drain the remaining segment 6. However, anatomic studies have shown that segment 6 has multiple veins presenting several anastomosis with the surrounding hepatic veins. Therefore, the maintenance of the veins from segment 5 that ultimately drain into the middle hepatic vein can be enough to assure venous drainage of both segments. METHODS: Describe an alternative technique for bisegmentectomy 7-8 using intrahepatic glissonian access in patients with absence of a large inferior right hepatic vein. RESULTS: The technique was successfully performed in four consecutive patients without immediate or long-term venous or venous related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Bisegmentectomy 7-8 may increase resectability rate in patients with bilateral lesions and may also enhance the opportunity to perform repeated resections in cases of tumor recurrence. Our study confirms the anatomical assumption that bisegmentectomy 7-8 did not result in segmental outflow block even in the absence of a thick inferior right hepatic vein and therefore should be performed more often than reported so far. The absence of this vein should not be a straightforward indication for right hepatectomy in cases where a liver-sparing procedure such as bisegmentectomy 7-8 can be safely employed.

Portal vein resection: a modified technique for reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy is the only curative treatment for pancreatic head tumors. The possibility to achieve a potentially curative surgical treatment is limited to patients in which a complete tumor resection can be performed with free surgical margins. In a small number of patients with localized pancreatic cancer, negative margins are only accomplished with portal vein resection. Pancreaticoduodenectomy is often avoided in these patients due to the mistaken concept that venous resection may be followed by higher mortality and carries poorer survival. Actually, these patients present the same survival rate as patients similarly staged in whom portal vein resection was not performed. Therefore, venous resection is worthwhile. The authors describe an alternative technique for venous reconstruction after resection of a long segment of portal or superior mesenteric vein. The use of a venous graft as proposed in this study is feasible, easy to perform, and may simplify the venous reconstruction even in extensive mesentericoportal venous resection.

GENITAL TRAUMA DUE TO ANIMAL BITES.

PURPOSE: Animal bites to the external genitalia are rare. We retrospectively evaluated our experience with treating genital trauma caused by animal attacks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the medical records of 10 patients treated in the surgical emergency department at our hospital who presented with genital injury caused by an animal bite from 1983 to 1999. Special attention was given to the severity of injury, surgical treatment, antibiotic prophylaxis and outcome. RESULTS: Of the 2 men and 8 boys 8 were attacked by dogs, 1 by a horse and 1 by a donkey, respectively. In all cases initial local treatment involved débridement and copious wound irrigation with saline and povidone-iodine solution. Five patients who presented with minimal or no skin loss underwent primary skin closure, including 2 in whom urethral lacerations were surgically repaired. There was moderate to extensive tissue loss in 5 patients, including degloving penile injury in 2, traumatic spermatic cord amputation in 1, complete penile and scrotal avulsion in a 5-month-old infant, and partial penectomy in 1. Reconstructive procedures provided satisfactory cosmetic and functional results in 8 cases. Antibiotic prophylaxis was administered in all patients and no infectious complications developed. CONCLUSIONS: Animal bite is a rare but potentially severe cause of genital trauma and children are the most common victims. Morbidity is directly associated with the severity of the initial wound. Because patients tend to seek medical care promptly, infectious complications are unusual. Management involves irrigation, débridement, antibiotic prophylaxis, and tetanus and rabies immunization as appropriate as well as primary wound closure or surgical reconstruction. Good functional and cosmetic results are possible in the majority of cases.