Use of the Right Lobe Graft With Double Hepatic Arteries in Living-Donor Liver Transplant.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine management of double hepatic artery reconstruction in patients under going living-donor liver transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2002 and June 2014, one thousand thirty-six living-donor liver transplants were performed at the Liver Transplant Institute of Malatya Inonu University. Living liver grafts with a single hepatic artery were used in 983 living-donor liver transplants, while grafts with double hepatic artery branches were used in 53 living-donor liver transplants. All of the liver grafts with double hepatic artery branches were right lobe grafts. Hepatic artery anastomosis technique and the other medical data of recipients who used grafts with double hepatic arteries were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A double hepatic artery anastomosis was created in 43 recipients, while a single anastomosis was created in the remaining 10 because of ligation of the nondominant hepatic artery branch. In 40 recipients, double hepatic artery branches in the graft were anastomosed with the recipient's right and left hepatic artery. In the remaining 3 recipients, double hepatic artery branches in the graft were anastomosed with the recipient's right hepatic artery and large segment 4 hepatic arteries. Postoperative complications related with hepatic artery anas-tomoses developed in 3 recipients: hepatic artery thrombosis (n = 1), hepatic artery aneurysm (n = 1), and hepatic artery stenosis (n = 1). A recipient with hepatic artery aneurysm immediately underwent a retransplant. A recipient with a hepatic artery thrombosis relapsed and required retransplant, which was treated with thrombectomy on postoperative day 10. A recipient with hepatic artery stenosis was followed conservatively. In our series, the incidence of complications related with double hepatic artery anastomosis was found to be 6.9%. CONCLUSIONS: According to our experiences, a double hepatic artery anastomosis does not increase the risk of hepatic artery thrombosis and can be performed safely by surgeons who are experienced with hepatic vascular reconstructions in a living-donor liver transplant recipient.

Hepatic Venous Outflow Obstruction After Living-Donor Liver Transplant: Single Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we share our approach for care of patients with hepatic venous outlet obstruction after living-donor liver transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively examined the demographic, clinical, and radiologic data of 35 patients who developed hepatic venous outlet obstruction after living-donor liver transplant. Patients were subgrouped on the basis of onset (8 patients with early onset [< 30 days posttransplant] and 27 patients with late onset [≥ 30 days posttransplant]) and postoperative survival (24 survivors, 11 nonsurvivors). RESULTS: Patients ranged in age from 1 to 61 years (24 adults and 11 children). All adult patients had undergone right lobe living-donor liver transplant. In the pediatric group, 8 had undergone left lateral segment and 3 had undergone left lobe living-donor liver transplant. Nineteen adult patients and all 11 pediatric patients underwent hepatic venous reconstruction, with all procedures based on common large-opening drainage models using various vascular graft materials. Development of hepatic venous outlet obstruction occurred at mean posttransplant day 233 ± 298.5 in the adult patients and mean posttransplant day 139 ± 97.8 in the pediatric patients. After development of obstruction, the patients underwent 1-6 sessions (1.5 ± 1.1 sessions) of balloon angioplasty. After the first balloon angioplasty procedure, 25% of the adults and 36.3% of the pediatric patients developed recurrence. The early-onset and late-onset subgroups showed statistically significant differences in serum albumin (P = .01), underlying causes (P < .001), time from transplant to obstruction (P = .02), and time from transplant to last visit (P = .02). The survivor and nonsurvivor subgroups showed statistically significant differences in total bilirubin (P = .03) and time from transplant to last visit (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Common large-opening reconstruction minimizes hepatic venous outlet obstruction development after living-donor liver transplant. Balloon angioplasty and/or stenting is almost always the first option in the care of this complication.

Comparison of Two Pancreatic Anastomosis Techniques in terms of Postoperative Complications After Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: In this retrospective study, we compared the postoperative complications by using both the Clavien-Dindo classification and the Revised 2016 International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) classification methods after pancreaticoduodenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of patients were retrospectively reviewed. Pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) and pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) were performed on 41 and 40 patients, respectively. The patients were assigned into two groups for anastomosis types and compared with each other according to postoperative complications. The postoperative follow-up period of the patients was limited to 90 days. RESULTS: No significant difference was detected between the two groups in terms of gender (P = .581) and age (P = .809). According to the Clavien-Dindo classification system, grade 1 complication rates were 29.3% and 35.0% in PJ and PG groups, respectively. Also, grade 2 complication rates were 34.1% and 32.5% in PJ and PG groups, respectively. Besides, grade 3B complication rates were 9.8% and 17.5% in PJ and PG groups, respectively. No grade 3A, grade 4A, and grade 4B complications were detected in both groups. But, grade 5 complications rates were 2.4% and 5.0% in PJ and PG groups, respectively. Based on the ISGPS classification system, the pancreatic fistulas were classified. The biochemical leak rates were calculated as 26.8% and 37.5% in PJ and PG groups, respectively. The rates were 14.6% and 10% in PJ and PG groups, respectively, for grade B complications. Also, grade C complication rates were 9.75% and 12.5% in PJ and PG groups, respectively. No statistically significant differences were detected between the two groups for postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: The evidence from this retrospective study suggests that there is no difference between the two types of pancreatic anastomosis techniques (PJ or PG) in terms of the rate of postoperative complications.

Laparoscopic choledochal cyst excision and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.

Congenital choledochal cysts are rare in adults. Due to the risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma, the current standard of care is complete excision of the cyst and reconstruction with hepaticojejunostomy. So far, more than 200 laparoscopic resections have been reported in adults, the majority being from Far Eastern countries over the last five years. Herein, the technique of laparoscopic type I choledochal cyst excision and hepaticojejunostomy is presented in a 37-year-old male with an accompanying video. The advantages of laparoscopic surgery are applicable for choledochal cyst excision as well. We believe that teamwork, expertise on intracorporeal suturing and hepatobiliary surgery are central issues for this operation.

Laparoscopic and natural orifice transluminal restorative proctocolectomy: no abdominal incision for specimen extraction or ileostomy.

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy (LRPC) without additional abdominal incisions. Two sisters with familial adenomatous polyposis were enrolled. The colon and rectum were mobilized entirely through the five abdominal trocars. The terminal ileum and distal rectum were transected with endoscopic staplers. The entire colorectal specimen was extracted transanally. A circular stapler anvil was introduced transanally. The J-pouch was created intracorporeally. The rectal stump was re-closed and a pouch-anal anastomosis was created using a circular stapler. We used a transanal tube for decompression of the pouch instead of a diverting ileostomy. The patients were discharged on the 10(th) and 12(th) days uneventfully. Both were doing well with their pouches after 18.5 and 12.1 months of follow-up. With the help of transanal specimen extraction and transanal tube decompression, additional abdominal incisions can be avoided following LRPC.

Does intraperitoneal medical ozone preconditioning and treatment ameliorate the methotrexate induced nephrotoxicity in rats?

Methotrexate is a chemotherapeutic agent used for many cancer treatments. It leads to toxicity with its oxidative injury. The purpose of our study is investigating the medical ozone preconditioning and treatment has any effect on the methotrexate-induced kidneys by activating antioxidant enzymes in rats. Eighteen rats were divided into three equal groups; control, Mtx without and with medical ozone. Nephrotoxicity was performed with a single dose of 20 mg/kg Mtx intraperitoneally at the fifteenth day of experiment on groups 2 and 3. Medical ozone preconditioning was performed at a dose of 25 mcg/ml (5 ml) intraperitoneally everyday in the group 3 and treated with medical ozone for five more days while group 2 was received only 5 ml of saline everyday for twenty days. All rats were sacrificed at the end of third week and the blood and kidney tissue samples were obtained to measure the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, malondialdehyde, glutathione and myeloperoxidase. Kidney injury score was evaluated histolopatologically. Medical ozone preconditioning and treatment ameliorated the biochemical parameters and kidney injury induced by Mtx. There was significant increase in tissue MDA, MPO activity, TNF-α and IL-1ß (P<0.05) and significant decrease in tissue GSH and histopathology (P<0.05) after Mtx administration. The preconditioning and treatment with medical ozone ameliorated the nephrotoxicity induced by Mtx in rats by activating antioxidant enzymes and prevented renal tissue.

A pancreatic pseudopapillary tumor enucleated curatively.

INTRODUCTION: Pseudopapillary tumors (PPT) of the pancreas are very rare, comprising 0.3-2.7% of all pancreatic tumors, and they occur mostly in young women. Generally, they are benign, but in rare cases they can enlarge, invade adjacent organs, and metastasize distantly. Radiological assessments and biochemical markers are important for diagnosing tumor characteristics. The main treatment is tumor resection. PRESENTATION OF CASE: An 18-year-old female was referred to our department suffering from abdominal discomfort and upper quadrant abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a 6-×5-cm mass between the pancreatic head and right adrenal gland (Fig. 1). The histological assessment was a solid PPT of the pancreas with intact surgical borders. DISCUSSION: PPT are very rare, comprising approximately 5% of cystic pancreatic tumors and ∼1% of exocrine pancreatic neoplasms and present mainly during the second and third decades of life. PPTs are usually indolent tumors. As such, they tend to produce vague nonspecific symptoms or may be detected incidentally on imaging. Complete surgical resection (R0) is the most effective therapy for PPT. CONCLUSION: Although PPT is a very rare, benign tumor, it has the potential to metastasize to adjacent and distant organs. Consequently, they should be detected early, so that they can be treated surgically before malignant conversion.

Advanced alveolar echinococcosis disease associated with Budd-Chiari syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Alveolar echinococceal disease of the liver is rare. Echinococcus multilocularis is responsible for the development of the related clinical conditions. Advanced disease may result with serious complications such as end stage liver disease and Budd-Chiari syndrome. PRESENTATION OF CASE: In this presentation, a 28 years-old woman who was a case with advanced alveolar echinococcosis complicated with a Budd-Chiari syndrome and was performed successful living donor liver transplantation, has been demonstrated with clinical and radiological images. DISCUSSION: Initially there may be no clinical evidence of the disease in humans for years. Severity and fatality are the significant characteristics of the natural history. Extension to the surrounding tissues and metastasis of the parasitic mass may be observed. Prevention is essential in disease control. Serologic assay may identify the parasite. However, early diagnosis is rare. Staging is based on radiologic imaging. Some patients with advanced disease may require surgery. Hepatic resection and liver transplantation are accepted procedures in selected patients. CONCLUSION: The importance of early diagnosis to prevent advanced complications such as development of Budd-Chiari syndrome and metastasis has been underlined.

Hybrid transvaginal incisional hernia repair.

AIM: Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES(®); American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy [Oak Brook, IL] and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons [Los Angeles, CA]) is a new approach that allows surgical manipulations and specimen extractions through the natural orifices such as the vagina. There have been limited numbers of cases about the adaptation of NOTES for ventral hernia repairs. Here, we aimed to present two more cases and highlight our technical differences compared with the previously reported instances. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two patients (43 and 46 years old; body mass index of 29 and 30 kg/m(2), respectively) were treated with hybrid transvaginal incisional hernia repairs. Two 5-mm abdominal trocars were used to monitor transvaginal access, adhesiolysis, dissection of the hernia, and tuckering of the mesh. A 15-mm transvaginal trocar was used for scope and mesh introduction into the abdomen. Defects were 3-5 cm in diameter. RESULTS: A rigid 5-mm laparoscope was used. The composite synthetic meshes were, respectively, 11 and 13 cm in diameter. These were passed through the vagina without any protection such as a bag or sheath. No conversion or additional port was required. Respective operative times were 120 and 180 minutes, and the patients were discharged uneventfully on the second day. One patient had seroma, which was managed conservatively (aspiration of 20 mL on Day 7). There were no recurrences after 7 and 13 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional laparoscopic equipment can be used for hybrid transvaginal incisional hernia repair. An anti-adhesive synthetic mesh can be inserted through the vaginal trocar without protective devices. The main advantage of this technique is to avoid 10-15-mm abdominal trocars, which increase the risk of trocar-site hernias themselves.

Emergency liver resection with staplers for spontaneous liver haemorrhage in a patient receiving anticoagulant therapy.

Introduction. Emergency liver resection during active bleeding in a patient who takes anticoagulant therapy is a complicated and high-risk surgery. Aim. We described a technique that is combination of staplers, total hepatic vascular occlusion, and hemostatic agent (TachoSil) application for safe and quick hepatectomy. Patient and Method. A 72-year-old woman who uses warfarin regularly due to valvuloplasty admitted emergency unit with abdominal pain and shock. At admission, her hemoglobin, hematocrit, and INR values were 5.2 g/dL, 14.9%, and 6.7, respectively. Radiologic evaluation revealed abdominal free fluid and a liver lesion on segments V, VI, and VII. Emergency laparotomy was required. There was an active bleeding from a liver hematoma that could not be controlled by packing, and an urgent hepatic resection was required. Under total hepatic vascular occlusion, segments V, VI, and VII were resected with endoscopic nonvascular staplers. Cut surface of the liver was coagulated with bipolar cautery and covered with a hemostatic material. Results. Hepatectomy took six minutes, and the duration of surgery was 80 minutes. There was no complication and no transfusion required after surgery, and the patient was discharged on 8th day, uneventfully. Conclusion. Emergency hepatectomy with staplers, under vascular control with hemostatic agents, provided a rapid and safe surgery.