Living Donor Liver Transplantation as a Backup Procedure: Treatment Strategy for Hepatocellular Adenomas Requiring Complex Resections.

METHODS: We present a series of three patients with large hepatocellular adenoma lesions showing a central location, for which the living donor liver transplantation strategy was used as a backup procedure. RESULTS: Hepatocellular adenoma was confirmed by biopsy in all patients. Surgical resection was indicated because of the patients' symptoms and lesion size and growth. All patients had a lesion that was central or in close contact with major vessels. The final decision to proceed with the resection was made intraoperatively. A live donor was prepared for all three patients. Two patients underwent portal vein embolization associated with extended hepatectomy, and a total hepatectomy plus liver transplantation with a living donor was performed in one patient. All patients had good postoperative outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of hepatocellular adenomas for which complex resections are necessary and resectability can only be confirmed intraoperatively, surgical safety can be improved through the use of a living donor backup. Center expertise with living donor liver transplantation is paramount for the success of this approach.

Living donor liver transplantation for neonatal fulminant hepatitis due to herpes simplex virus infection.

Although rare, ALF caused by disseminated HSV infection is associated with high mortality in the neonatal population. This condition is often diagnosed relatively late due to the absence of specific signs. We present a case involving a neonate with ALF submitted to living donor liver transplantation without a prior diagnosis. The patient had no skin or mucosal lesions, and IgM serology was negative for HSV-1 and HSV-2. Immunohistochemical staining of the liver explant was positive for herpes virus infection, and the patient subsequently received antiviral drug treatment, with a good outcome. Due to organ shortages and the rarity of the aforementioned condition, LT has seldom been reported for the treatment of ALF caused by herpes virus infection; however, LT may be the only option for neonates with fulminant hepatitis. The use of living donors in an urgent scenario is well established in Eastern countries and safely applicable for pediatric patients with ALF.

Regional blood flow distribution and oxygen metabolism during mesenteric ischemia and congestion.

BACKGROUND: Acute mesenteric ischemia is a potentially fatal vascular emergency with mortality rates ranging between 60% and 80%. Several studies have extensively examined the hemodynamic and metabolic effects of superior mesenteric artery occlusion. On the other hand, the cardiocirculatory derangement and the tissue damage induced by intestinal outflow obstruction have not been investigated systematically. For these reasons we decided to assess the initial impact of venous mesenteric occlusion on intestinal blood flow distribution, and correlate these findings with other systemic and regional perfusion markers. METHODS: Fourteen mongrel dogs were subjected to 45 min of superior mesenteric artery (SMAO) or vein occlusion (SMVO), and observed for 120 min after reperfusion. Systemic hemodynamics were evaluated using Swan-Ganz and arterial catheters. Regional blood flow (ultrasonic flow probes), intestinal O(2)-derived variables, and mesenteric-arterial and tonometric-arterial pCO(2) gradients (D(mv-a)pCO(2) and D(t-a)pCO(2)) were also calculated. RESULTS: SMVO was associated with hypotension and low cardiac output. A significant increase in the regional pCO(2) gradients was also observed in both groups during the ischemic period. After reperfusion, a progressive reduction in D(mv-a)pCO(2) occurred in the SMVO group; however, no improvement in D(t-a)pCO(2) was observed. The histopathologic injury scores were 2.7 +/- 0.5 and 4.8 +/- 0.2 for SMAO and SMVO, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SMV occlusion promoted early and significant hemodynamic and metabolic derangement at systemic and regional levels. Additionally, systemic pCO(2) gradient is not a reliable parameter to evaluate the local intestinal oxygenation. Finally, the D(t-a)pCO(2) correlates with histologic changes during intestinal congestion or ischemia. However, minor histologic changes cannot be detected using this methodology.

Expanding postmortem donor pool using steatotic liver grafts: a new look.

BACKGROUND: Clinical demand for liver transplant steadily grows while organs offer has reached a plateau years ago. To expand the donor liver pool, various options have been considered including acceptance of suboptimal donors and steatotic grafts, with a risk of poorer outcomes. The latter risk and its relation to the grade of liver graft steatosis have been studied in this prospective clinical study. METHODS: One hundred eighteen consecutive liver transplantation (115 patients) performed between May 2002 and March 2008 were prospectively analyzed. According to the grade of steatosis on a 2 hr postreperfusion biopsy, four groups were considered: absence (<5%) (n=34), mild (<30%) (n=40), moderate (30%-60%) (n=23), or severe steatosis (> or = 60%) (n=21). Donors and recipients demographic data, and patients and grafts survival rates were compared among the four groups. RESULTS: Eighty-four (71%) grafts presented some degree of steatosis (macrosteatosis: 19.5%, microsteatosis: 47%, mix type: 33.5%). Patient and graft survival were significant lower in the "severe steatosis" group, as a whole. Grafts with less than 30% predominant macro-, or microsteatosis also had poorer outcomes with lower patient and graft survival rates. CONCLUSION: Steatotic liver grafts were used on a large scale (71%) in this clinical series. The analysis confirms that using grafts with moderate (>30%) and severe steatosis (>60%) have a negative impact on outcomes. The authors conclude that using these grafts allow a significant increase in organ offer that counterbalances the negative outcome for patients who are not offered a transplant, and this supports the need for further clinical research.

Oxygen consumption, pCO2 gradients and regional blood flow distribution in an alternative model of intestinal autotransplantation.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative complications after intestinal transplantation can be attributed to hypothermic storage and reperfusion injury. Our objective was to evaluate, in an alternative model of intestinal autotransplantation, the initial effects of isolated intestinal hypothermic perfusion (at 4 degrees C, IHP) on mucosal and serosal blood flow distribution and correlate these findings with other systemic and regional markers of mesenteric ischemia. In addition, we sought to obtain evidence that intestinal pCO2 measurement can be a useful method for monitoring graft perfusion and early histological changes after small bowel transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight dogs (23.3+/-1.1 kg) were submitted to a in situ IHP for 30 min, followed by a 180-min reperfusion period. Cardiac output, mesenteric vein, and intestinal serosal blood flows (SMVBF and SBF, ultrasonic flowprobe); intestinal mucosal-arterial pCO2 gradient (Dt-apCO2, tonometry); and O2-derived variables were evaluated. RESULTS: IHP induced a reduction in SMVBF (579+/-53 to 321+/-10 mL/min) and SBF, (44.7+/-3.2 to 29.1+/-5.3 mL/min), and an increase in Dt-apCO2 (2+/-2.8 to 20.5+/-4.5 mm Hg). No alterations on systemic metabolic or O2-derived variables were observed. The increase of the Dt-apCO2 correlated with the grade of mucosal injury. CONCLUSION: IHP induces a proportional reduction on blood flow in all layers of the intestine, and none of the systemic markers of splanchnic ischemia predict the intestinal blood flow disturbances during the early phase of intestinal transplantation. In addition, intestinal pCO2 measurement seems to be a useful way for monitoring graft perfusion and histological changes after hypothermic ischemia and reperfusion.