MULTIVISCERAL RESECTIONS FOR GASTRIC CANCER.

BACKGROUND: Multivisceral resection for locally advanced gastric cancer is necessary to achieve R0-margins. This surgical option is accompanied by short- and long-term outcomes that still remain questionable. AIM: Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of "en bloc"-resections as an "aggressive" surgical approach with regard to postoperative morbidity, mortality and survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Postoperative morbidity, mortality and survival rates of 60 patients with locally advanced gastric carcinoma, who underwent total or subtotal gastrectomy with multivisceral resection between 2004-2014, were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: The most common adjacent organs resected were spleen (n = 46) - 76.7%, pancreas (n = 24) - 40%, colon (n = 11) - 18.3%, liver (n = 9) - 15% and duodenum (n = 4) - 6.7%. Resection of more than one organ was performed in 70% of cases, R0-resection was achieved in 75%, histopathologic examination confirmed involvement of adjacent organs (pT4) in 42 patients (70%). Surgical mortality and morbidity rates were 6.7% and 28.3% respectively. The overall 5-year survival rate was 24.1% (R0 vs R1 resections - 32.6 vs 0%, p < 0.05). There is a 10-year survival rate of 5.2% registered. CONCLUSION: R0-multivisceral resection is the key therapeutic option for advanced gastric cancer. It appears to be feasible in selected patients on providing adequate selection and surgical expertise and can be achieved with relatively low mortality and morbidity, offering good overall and 5-year survival rates.

Liver transplantations in Bulgaria--initial experience.

The filed of liver transplantation (LT) continues to evolve and is highly effective therapy for many patients with acute and chronic liver failure resulting from a variety of causes. Improvement of perioperative care, surgical technique and immunosuppression in recent years has led to its transformation into a safe and routine procedure with steadily improving results. The aim of this paper is to present the initial experience of the transplant team at Military Medical Academy - Sofia, Bulgaria. For the period of April 2007 - August 2014 the team performed 38 liver transplants in 37 patients (one retransplantation). Patients were followed up prospectively and retrospectively. In 36 (95%) patients a graft from a cadaveric donor was used and in two cases--a right liver grafts from live donor. The mean MELD score of the transplanted patients was 17 (9-40). The preferred surgical technique was "piggyback" with preservation of inferior vena cava in 33 (86%) of the cases and classical technique in 3 (8%) patients. The overall complication rate was 48%. Early mortality rate was 13% (5 patients). The overall 1- and 5-year survival is 81% and 77% respectivelly. The setting of a new LT program is a complex process which requires the effort and effective colaboration of a wide range of speciacialists (hepatologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, psychologists, therapists, coordinators, etc.) and institutions. The good results are function of a proper selection of the donors and the recipients. Living donation is an alternative in the shortage of cadaveric donors.