Effectiveness and safety of lubiprostone after switching from stimulant laxatives in elderly patients with chronic constipation.

Background and Aim: Stimulant laxatives may cause electrolyte abnormalities, dehydration, and abdominal pain; their long-term use can lead to tolerance and subsequent refractory constipation. We investigated the effectiveness, safety, and quality of life after switching from stimulant laxatives to lubiprostone in elderly patients with chronic constipation (CC). Methods: This multicenter, interventional, open-label, single-arm, before-and-after comparison study enrolled 99 Japanese patients aged 65-90 years with CC who took stimulant laxatives for ≥2 weeks prior to switching to lubiprostone monotherapy. Results: The mean ± SD spontaneous defecations at Week 1 of 7.8 ± 6.2 times/week was not significantly different from that at baseline (8.3 ± 4.7). Spontaneous defecations were significantly reduced at Weeks 2 (-1.5 ± 4.0, P < 0.001) and 4 (-1.5 ± 3.7, P < 0.001). The Bristol Stool Form Scale score did not change from baseline (4.7 ± 0.9) at Weeks 1 (4.5 ± 1.3) or 4 (4.3 ± 1.3), but it did at Week 2 (4.3 ± 1.5, P < 0.05). The Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life questionnaire score increased (0.36 ± 0.07, P < 0.001) after 28 days. Nausea was the only symptom that worsened from baseline and was the most frequently reported adverse drug reaction (15.2%). Conclusion: Switching to lubiprostone monotherapy for CC was not associated with significant concerns in short-term spontaneous defecation frequency and safety, but it might affect the efficacy and patient quality of life over 2 weeks. Careful treatment strategies facilitating gradual switching to lubiprostone monotherapy may be needed in patients using stimulant laxatives.

Clinical score to predict the risk of bile leakage after liver resection.

BACKGROUND: In liver resection, bile leakage remains the most common cause of operative morbidity. In order to predict the risk of this complication on the basis of various factors, we developed a clinical score system to predict the potential risk of bile leakage after liver resection. METHODS: We analyzed the postoperative course in 518 patients who underwent liver resection for malignancy to identify independent predictors of bile leakage, which was defined as "a drain fluid bilirubin concentration at least three times the serum bilirubin concentration on or after postoperative day 3," as proposed by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery. To confirm the robustness of the risk score system for bile leakage, we analyzed the independent series of 289 patients undergoing liver resection for malignancy. RESULTS: Among 81 (15.6 %) patients with bile leakage, 76 had grade A bile leakage, and five had grade C leakage and underwent reoperation. The median postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer in patients with bile leakage (median, 14 days; range, 8 to 34) than in those without bile leakage (11 days; 5 to 62; P = 0.001). There was no hepatic insufficiency or in-hospital death. The risk score model was based on the four independent predictors of postoperative bile leakage: non-anatomical resection (odds ratio, 3.16; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.72 to 6.07; P < 0.001), indocyanine green clearance rate (2.43; 1.32 to 7.76; P = 0.004), albumin level (2.29; 1.23 to 4.22; P = 0.01), and weight of resected specimen (1.97; 1.11 to 3.51; P = 0.02). When this risk score system was used to assign patients to low-, middle-, and high-risk groups, the frequency of bile leakage in the high-risk group was 2.64 (95 % CI, 1.12 to 6.41; P = 0.04) than that in the low-risk group. Among the independent series for validation, 4 (5.7 %), 16 (10.0 %), and 10 (16.6 %) patients in low-, middle, and high-risk groups were given a diagnosis of bile leakage after operation, respectively (P = 0.144). CONCLUSIONS: Our risk score model can be used to predict the risk of bile leakage after liver resection.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor with nephrotic syndrome as a paraneoplastic syndrome: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Paraneoplastic syndromes are disorders associated with clinical signs and symptoms caused by substances produced by malignant disease and are not directly related to the physical effects of a primary or metastatic tumor. We describe a patient with gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach accompanied by nephrotic syndrome as paraneoplastic syndrome in whom symptomatic treatment was ineffective. Nephrotic syndrome caused by gastrointestinal stromal tumors is quite rare, and to the best of our knowledge this is the first time that such a case has been documented. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 69-year-old Asian woman with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach accompanied by paraneoplastic syndrome. The patient had severe hypoalbuminemia and proteinuria, which were apparently attributed to a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. After preoperative treatment for hypoalbuminemia, the tumor was resected and nephrotic syndrome improved. Two years after her operation, she is still alive with neither tumor recurrence nor nephrotic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Patients with refractory nephrotic syndrome caused by a malignant tumor should be treated aggressively, even if they are in poor general condition. Otherwise, the opportunity for potentially curative surgery may be missed.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Sarcomatoid Change without Anticancer Therapies.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with sarcomatoid change is a rare neoplasm of the liver, and recurrent therapies for HCC such as transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and percutaneous ablation therapy are presumed to promote sarcomatoid change. A 73-year-old man was admitted to our hospital diagnosed as having liver cancer originating from hepatitis C-related cirrhosis without any previous treatment for HCC. Ultrasonography showed that the tumor was hypoechoic, 3 cm in diameter, with unclear margins. Computed tomography demonstrated a low-density lesion with ring enhancement on delayed phase. Under a diagnosis of poorly differentiated HCC the patient underwent liver resection. Histologically, the tumor consisted of proliferation of spindle-shaped sarcomatoid carcinoma cells with unclear trabecular and pseudoglandular structures including a nodule of typical moderately differentiated HCC, which was observed to shift mutually in one region. Here, we report a case of sarcomatoid HCC with a review of the literature.

Risk factors for early bilirubinemia after major hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma with portal vein embolization.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Major hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma has considerable risk of hepatic insufficiency even with preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE). Postoperative bilirubinemia is a great concern for hepatic surgeons. METHODOLOGY: Between 1998 and 2004, 120 patients with hilar bile duct cancer (n = 72) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 48) underwent major hepatectomies with extrahepatic biliary resection. Of these, 63 patients underwent preoperative PVE to increase the future remnant liver (FRL) volume. Risk factors for early bilirubinemia after hepatectomy (> or = 2.5 mg on day 1) were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The median FRL volumes before surgery in patients with and without PVE were 46% and 70%, respectively. The serum total bilirubin (TB) value on day 1 after hepatectomy was higher in patients with PVE than in patients without PVE (2.9 mg/dL vs 1.9 mg/dL, p < 0.0001). However, the significant risk factors for higher bilirubinemia on day 1 were preoperative TB value > or = 1.0 mg/ dL (p = 0.01), blood loss > or = 1.8L (p = 0.01), and blood transfusion (p = 0.03). Two patients developed postoperative hepatic failure and one patient died of surgery from septic complication. CONCLUSION: Major hepatectomies for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma were performed with acceptable safety using preoperative PVE. Postoperative early bilirubinemia was not associated with the FRL volume in this setting.

[Case report of transarterial chemoembolization to lymph node metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma].

We performed transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) on the 67-year-old man who had hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma with hepatitis C, recurrence in the liver and lymph nodes.The metastasis in lymph node did not show a clear increase until dying, and TACE showed the possibility of one treatment method to the metastasis in lymph node of the hepatocellular carcinoma.

An analysis of risk factors for pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy: clinical impact of bile juice infection on day 1.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a most striking complication after pancreatic resection. The objective of this study is to reveal the risk factors for POPF defined by the international study group after pancreaticoduodenectomy in a Japanese high-volume center. METHODS: During the recent 4 years, 220 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomies. In patients of obstructive jaundice, preoperative biliary drainage was performed by percutaneous (n = 71) and/or retrograde (n = 38) approach. Pancreaticojejunostomy was performed using either duct-to-mucosa anastomosis (n = 180) or dunking method (n = 40). Risk factors for POPF (grade B or grade C POPF by international definition) were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: POPF was found in 109 (50%) patients; grade A in 45 (21%), grade B in 54 (25%), and grade C in 10 patients (5%). One patient died of intra-abdominal hemorrhage caused by POPF. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that independent risk factors for grade B or grade C POPF were the size of the main pancreatic duct (<3 mm; relative risk (RR), 3.3; p = 0.002), body mass index (> or =20, RR 2.5, p = 0.03), and bile juice infection on day 1 (RR, 2.2; p = 0.04). The performance of biliary drainage or method of pancreaticojejunostomy was not a significant risk factor for POPF. Bile juice infection on day 1 was significantly associated with retrograde biliary drainage (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bile juice infection on day 1 was a significant risk factor for grade B or grade C POPF after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Although the performance or the status of biliary drainage itself was not a risk factor for POPF, percutaneous biliary drainage might be advantageous against retrograde drainage to reduce the risk of biliary infection.

Roux-en-Y reconstruction using staplers during pancreaticoduodenectomy: results of a prospective preliminary study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to reveal the utility of alimentary reconstruction using staplers during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), focusing on the occurrence of delayed gastric emptying. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2007, 72 PDs with alimentary reconstruction were performed by a single surgeon. Since August 2006, the new Roux-en-Y reconstruction methods using staplers were applied in 26 of the patients. We compared their clinical outcomes with those of the 46 patients who underwent PD using the conventional hand-sewn reconstruction methods. RESULTS: The results of upper gastrointestinal study showed improvement within 10 postoperative days (PODs; P = 0.03): the patients resumed eating their regular diet sooner (13 vs 6 days, P < 0.001), and both the incidence of delayed gastric emptying (43% vs 19%, P = 0.04) and the hospital stay (27 vs 21 days, P = 0.008) were reduced significantly in patients with stapled reconstruction. Despite the fact that operative costs were significantly higher for patients with stapled reconstruction (P = 0.009), hospital costs were significantly lower (P = 0.049) for those who underwent the conventional method. CONCLUSIONS: Our retrospective analysis shows that stapled reconstructions might reduce the incidence of delayed gastric emptying; however, further study will be necessary to evaluate the utility of this new method.

Simple segmental resection of the second portion of the duodenum for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

BACKGROUND: Adequate surgical procedure for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) arising in the second portion of the duodenum remains controversial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Segmental resection of the second portion of the duodenum and Roux-en-Y reconstruction was performed in two patients with duodenal GISTs. In case 1, a huge tumor arising from the second portion of the duodenum occupied the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Preoperative treatment using imatinib mesylate decreased the tumor size from 22 to 8 cm. In case 2, the tumor was located in the second portion of the duodenum longitudinally. In both of the cases, the major papilla was preserved. RESULTS: The postoperative course was uneventful, and they were discharged on day 11. Surgical margins were negative. CONCLUSION: The present simple segmental duodenectomy can be applied in the treatment of GISTs or other low-grade malignancies.