Minimally Invasive Resection of the Uncinate Process of the Pancreas: Anatomical Considerations and Surgical Technique.

BACKGROUND: Low-grade lesions may benefit from pancreatic-sparing techniques. Resection of the uncinate process is rarely performed and reported due to its complexity that requires careful patient selection and accurate knowledge of the pancreatic anatomy. This study describes relevant anatomical elements to safely perform this complex operation in the minimally invasive setting. METHODS: In this study, consecutive patients undergoing resection of the uncinate process of the pancreas were studied. Patients undergoing open approach were used for comparison. Preoperative and intraoperative variables were recorded, and the diagnosis and tumor size were determined from the pathology reports. Immediate postoperative results and hospital stay were analyzed. Follow-up was used to assess long-term complications and endocrine and exocrine functions. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients underwent resection of the uncinate process. The median age was 57 years. There were 21 males and eight females. Twenty patients underwent minimally invasive resection (14 laparoscopic and six by robotic approach) and nine were operated by open approach. A clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula was observed in one patient (3.4%). Biochemical leakage was present in 44.8% of our patients. Mean follow-up was 62 months (3-147). Two patients needed reoperation during follow-up. No patient presented exocrine or endocrine insufficiency during late follow-up. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive resection of the uncinate process of the pancreas is a complex but a feasible procedure that preserves the pancreatic endocrine and exocrine functions. This pancreas-sparing procedure is an interesting alternative to pancreaticoduodenectomy in selected patients.

Pancreas-preserving duodenectomy after living donor liver transplantation for invasive cytomegalovirus disease.

CMV infection plays an important role in the postoperative course following solid organ transplantation. We present the case of an 11-year-old male patient who underwent LDLT due to severe hepatopulmonary syndrome and biliary cirrhosis. Four weeks after LDLT, he developed persistent GI bleeding and was subjected to repeated endoscopic treatment and radiological arterial embolization to stop the bleeding from duodenal ulcers. Diagnostic workup was negative for CMV disease. Because the bleeding persisted, surgical treatment was indicated, and a pancreas-preserving duodenectomy was performed. Immunohistochemical staining of the surgical specimen demonstrated diffuse endothelial infiltration by CMV. Despite ganciclovir treatment, the patient developed new erosions in the jejunal mucosa and melena; ganciclovir was discontinued, and foscarnet was started, resulting in clinical improvement and the cessation of bleeding. This case highlights the technical aspects of performing a complex upper GI resection in a patient recently subjected to LDLT, taking care to avoid injury to the previous liver graft anastomosis and restore GI continuity. Moreover, CMV tissue-invasive disease compartmentalized in the GI tract may be difficult to diagnose, as indicated by the negative results of antigenemia and PCR assays and endoscopic superficial mucosal biopsies.

Effect of Previous High Glutamine Infusion on Inflammatory Mediators and Mortality in an Acute Pancreatitis Model.

Parenteral glutamine supplementation in acute inflammatory conditions is controversial. We evaluated the inflammatory and survival responses after parenteral glutamine infusion in sodium taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) model. Lewis rats received 1 g/kg parenteral glutamine (n = 42), saline (n = 44), or no treatment (n = 45) for 48 h before AP induction. Blood, lung, and liver samples were collected 2, 12, and 24 h after AP to measure serum cytokines levels and tissue heat shock protein (HSP) expression. From each group, 20 animals were not sacrificed after AP for a 7-day mortality study. Serum cytokine levels did not differ among groups at any time point, but the intragroup analysis over time showed higher interferon-γ only in the nontreatment and saline groups at 2 h (versus 12 and 24 h; both p ≤ 0.05). The glutamine group exhibited greater lung and liver HSP90 expression than did the nontreatment group at 2 and 12 h, respectively; greater liver HSP90 and HSP70 expression than did the saline group at 12 h; and smaller lung HSP70 and liver HSP90 expression than did the nontreatment group at 24 h (all p ≤ 0.019). The 7-day mortality rate did not differ among groups. In experimental AP, pretreatment with parenteral glutamine was safe and improved early inflammatory mediator profiles without affecting mortality.

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.

Severe acute pancreatitis: a possible role of intramyocardial cytokine production.

CONTEXT: Several mechanisms are involved in the development of the local and systemic response in acute pancreatitis. Cardiovascular system may be affected throughout the clinical course of acute pancreatitis. The aim was to evaluate local myocardial cytokine production, as well as, functional and histological myocardial alterations in severe acute pancreatitis. METHODS: The animals were divided into three groups: Group 1: control; Group 2: sham; Group 3: severe acute pancreatitis. Echocardiographic assessment of cardiac function, serum levels of amylase and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10), and mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and TGF-ß were measured. Myocardial tissue alterations were analysed by histological examination. RESULTS: The serum TNF-α and IL-10 levels were significant higher in AP 2h group. The mRNA IL-6 levels from group AP 2h were statistically higher. The mRNA TNF-α level from sham group and AP 2h were statistically lower. Significant changes in the left ventricular diameter were found in AP 2h and AP 12h groups. There were statistical changes for vacuolar degeneration, picnosis and loss of nucleus, and lymphocytes. CONCLUSION: We found cardiac and histological changes compatible with the inflammatory process triggered by SAP with the promotion of local myocardial cytokine production.

How I do it. Pancreatojejunostomy: surgical tips to mitigate the severity of postoperative pancreatic fistulas after open or minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy.

Pancreatoduodenectomy is the most appropriate technique for the treatment of periampullary tumors. In the past, this procedure was associated with high mortality and morbidity, but with improvements in patient selection, anesthesia, and surgical technique, mortality has decreased to less than 5%. However, morbidity remains increased due to various complications such as delayed gastric emptying, bleeding, abdominal collections, and abscesses, most of which are related to the pancreatojejunostomy leak. Clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula is the most dangerous and is related to other complications including mortality. The incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula ranges from 5-30%. Various techniques have been developed to reduce the severity of pancreatic fistulas, from the use of an isolated jejunal loop for pancreatojejunostomy to binding and invagination anastomoses. Even total pancreatectomy has been considered to avoid pancreatic fistula, but the late effects of this procedure are unacceptable, especially in relatively young patients. Recent studies on the main techniques of pancreatojejunostomy concluded that duct-to-mucosa anastomosis is advisable, but no technique eliminates the risk of pancreatic fistula. The purpose of this study is to highlight technical details and tips that may reduce the severity of pancreatic fistula after pancreatojejunostomy during open or minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy.

FASTING INCREASES THE SEVERITY OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS IN A MOUSE MODEL: IMPLICATIONS FOR PREOPERATIVE INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE COMPLICATIONS OF PANCREATIC SURGERY.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis following surgical or endoscopic procedures on the pancreas can compromise the outcome and lead to severe complications and even death. The aim of this study was to determine whether prolonged fasting affects the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: Male mice were divided into 4 groups: Group CF (n=5) control animals that fasted for 24 hours; Group CNF (n=5) control animals that did not fast; Group APF (n=7) that fasted for 24 hours and underwent induction of acute pancreatitis (AP) and Group APNF (n=7) that did not fast and underwent AP. Eight hours after AP blood was collected for evaluation of cytokines: IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and MCP-1. Liver tissue was collected for determination of Malondialdehyde, pancreatic tissue for determination of enzyme content and lung tissue for determination of myeloperoxidase. RESULTS: Significant increase in pancreatic amylase content was observed in group CF and increased serum levels of IL -6, Il-10 and MCP-1 were in group APF. Liver malondialdehyde was also increased in APF animals. APF group showed much more necrosis of the pancreatic acinar cells. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we observed an increase in the severity of acute pancreatitis with prolonged fasting in a severe acute pancreatitis model. These results suggest that in clinical practice, the preoperative fasting time should be shortened before pancreatic procedures.

Long noncoding intronic RNAs are differentially expressed in primary and metastatic pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is known by its aggressiveness and lack of effective therapeutic options. Thus, improvement in current knowledge of molecular changes associated with pancreatic cancer is urgently needed to explore novel venues of diagnostics and treatment of this dismal disease. While there is mounting evidence that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) transcribed from intronic and intergenic regions of the human genome may play different roles in the regulation of gene expression in normal and cancer cells, their expression pattern and biological relevance in pancreatic cancer is currently unknown. In the present work we investigated the relative abundance of a collection of lncRNAs in patients' pancreatic tissue samples aiming at identifying gene expression profiles correlated to pancreatic cancer and metastasis. METHODS: Custom 3,355-element spotted cDNA microarray interrogating protein-coding genes and putative lncRNA were used to obtain expression profiles from 38 clinical samples of tumor and non-tumor pancreatic tissues. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to characterize structure and conservation of lncRNAs expressed in pancreatic tissues, as well as to identify expression signatures correlated to tissue histology. Strand-specific reverse transcription followed by PCR and qRT-PCR were employed to determine strandedness of lncRNAs and to validate microarray results, respectively. RESULTS: We show that subsets of intronic/intergenic lncRNAs are expressed across tumor and non-tumor pancreatic tissue samples. Enrichment of promoter-associated chromatin marks and over-representation of conserved DNA elements and stable secondary structure predictions suggest that these transcripts are generated from independent transcriptional units and that at least a fraction is under evolutionary selection, and thus potentially functional.Statistically significant expression signatures comprising protein-coding mRNAs and lncRNAs that correlate to PDAC or to pancreatic cancer metastasis were identified. Interestingly, loci harboring intronic lncRNAs differentially expressed in PDAC metastases were enriched in genes associated to the MAPK pathway. Orientation-specific RT-PCR documented that intronic transcripts are expressed in sense, antisense or both orientations relative to protein-coding mRNAs. Differential expression of a subset of intronic lncRNAs (PPP3CB, MAP3K14 and DAPK1 loci) in metastatic samples was confirmed by Real-Time PCR. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal sets of intronic lncRNAs expressed in pancreatic tissues whose abundance is correlated to PDAC or metastasis, thus pointing to the potential relevance of this class of transcripts in biological processes related to malignant transformation and metastasis in pancreatic cancer.

Sodium Taurocholate Induced Severe Acute Pancreatitis in C57BL/6 Mice.

Biliary acute pancreatitis induction by sodium taurocholate infusion has been widely used by the scientific community due to the representation of the human clinical condition and reproduction of inflammatory events corresponding to the onset of clinical biliary pancreatitis. The severity of pancreatic damage can be assessed by measuring the concentration, speed, and volume of the infused bile acid. This study provides an updated checklist of the materials and methods used in the protocol reproduction and shows the main results from this acute pancreatitis (AP) model. Most of the previous publications have limited themselves to reproducing this model in rats. We have applied this method in mice, which provides additional advantages (i.e., the availability of an arsenal of reagents and antibodies for these animals along with the possibility of working with genetically modified strains of mice) that may be relevant to the study. For acute pancreatitis induction in mice, we present a systematic protocol, with a defined dose of 2.5% sodium taurocholate at an infusion speed 10 µL/min for 3 min in C57BL/6 mice that reaches its maximal level of severity within 12 h of induction and highlight results with outcomes that validate the method. With practice and technique, the total estimated time, from the induction of anesthesia to the completion of the infusion, is 25 min per animal.

Further evidence of the prognostic role of pretreatment levels of CA 19-9 in advanced pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: We and others have previously suggested that pretreatment levels of CA 19-9 correlate with overall survival (OS) among patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine. We sought to confirm the prognostic role of the pretreatment level of CA 19-9 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated with chemotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 50 patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer treated in the first-line with single-agent gemcitabine or combinations. Patients could also have received second-line treatment. Kaplan-Meier estimates of OS were compared with the log-rank test, and multivariate analysis was done using the Cox model. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were female with a mean age of 64.3 years, and 82% were metastatic upon diagnosis. The median OS for the entire sample was 11 months, and the median CA 19-9 level was 542 U/mL. Significant predictors of OS in univariate analyses were the first-line use of combined chemotherapy (p=0.006) and use of erlotinib in any line (p=0.002), with borderline significance for pretreatment levels of CA 19-9 (p=0.052). In multivariate analysis, only use of erlotinib (p=0.003) and pretreatment CA 19-9 level (p=0.026) were significantly associated with OS. CONCLUSION: Our study lends further support to use of the pre-chemotherapy level of CA 19-9 as a prognostic indicator in clinical practice and as a stratification factor in clinical trials. The association between erlotinib use and OS may have been biased by patient selection, notwithstanding the positive results from a previous randomized trial.

Consensus guidelines for management of hyperammonaemia in paediatric patients receiving continuous kidney replacement therapy.

Hyperammonaemia in children can lead to grave consequences in the form of cerebral oedema, severe neurological impairment and even death. In infants and children, common causes of hyperammonaemia include urea cycle disorders or organic acidaemias. Few studies have assessed the role of extracorporeal therapies in the management of hyperammonaemia in neonates and children. Moreover, consensus guidelines are lacking for the use of non-kidney replacement therapy (NKRT) and kidney replacement therapies (KRTs, including peritoneal dialysis, continuous KRT, haemodialysis and hybrid therapy) to manage hyperammonaemia in neonates and children. Prompt treatment with KRT and/or NKRT, the choice of which depends on the ammonia concentrations and presenting symptoms of the patient, is crucial. This expert Consensus Statement presents recommendations for the management of hyperammonaemia requiring KRT in paediatric populations. Additional studies are required to strengthen these recommendations.

Generation and characterization of human insulin-releasing cell lines.

BACKGROUND: The in vitro culture of insulinomas provides an attractive tool to study cell proliferation and insulin synthesis and secretion. However, only a few human beta cell lines have been described, with long-term passage resulting in loss of insulin secretion. Therefore, we set out to establish and characterize human insulin-releasing cell lines. RESULTS: We generated ex-vivo primary cultures from two independent human insulinomas and from a human nesidioblastosis, all of which were cultured up to passage number 20. All cell lines secreted human insulin and C-peptide. These cell lines expressed neuroendocrine and islets markers, confirming the expression profile found in the biopsies. Although all beta cell lineages survived an anchorage independent culture, none of them were able to invade an extracellular matrix substrate. CONCLUSION: We have established three human insulin-releasing cell lines which maintain antigenic characteristics and insulin secretion profiles of the original tumors. These cell lines represent valuable tools for the study of molecular events underlying beta cell function and dysfunction.

Drainage after distal pancreatectomy: Still an unsolved problem.

BACKGROUND: The use of intraperitoneal drainage after distal pancreatectomy is still controversial. Its use increases fistula risk, but its absence increases the severity of the fistula. Therefore, since 2014, we have systematically used two drains. METHODS: This study examined consecutive patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Two drains were routinely used. One closed-suction-type drain is placed in the left subphrenic space with the aim to avoid the accumulation of any fluid coming from the pancreatic stump. The second is a tubulo-laminar drain placed near the pancreatic stump. These patients were compared with a cohort of patients (n = 94) before the adoption of this strategy (control group). RESULTS: 127 patients underwent distal pancreatectomy. 48 patients presented no POPF, 60 patients presented biochemical leak and in 19 patients (14.9%), drain amylase level was high and the drain was removed at 4 weeks, classified as grade-B according to the Revised 2016 ISGPS or B1 according to grade-B subclass. No grade-C was observed. The comparison with the 94 patients in the control group with single drainage, the occurrence of POPF was not different. However, in the control group, POPF severity was statistically higher (grade-B 14.9% vs 33%; grade-C 0% vs 3,2%; P = 0.00026). CONCLUSIONS: Since changing the drainage strategy, we have observed a dramatic decrease in pancreatic abscess formation and fluid collections needing percutaneous drainage. The results of this study show that the strategy of double drainage after distal pancreatectomy may reduce the severity of POPF, thus avoiding reoperation or further interventions.

Jejum aumenta a gravidade da pancreatite aguda em camundongos: implicações para intervenções pré-operatórias para reduzir as complicações da cirurgia pancreática / Fasting increases the severity of acute pancreatitis in a mouse model: implications for preoperative interventions to reduce complications of pancreatic surgery

ABSTRACT Background: Acute pancreatitis following surgical or endoscopic procedures on the pancreas can compromise the outcome and lead to severe complications and even death. The aim of this study was to determine whether prolonged fasting affects the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods: Male mice were divided into 4 groups: Group CF (n=5) control animals that fasted for 24 hours; Group CNF (n=5) control animals that did not fast; Group APF (n=7) that fasted for 24 hours and underwent induction of acute pancreatitis (AP) and Group APNF (n=7) that did not fast and underwent AP. Eight hours after AP blood was collected for evaluation of cytokines: IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and MCP-1. Liver tissue was collected for determination of Malondialdehyde, pancreatic tissue for determination of enzyme content and lung tissue for determination of myeloperoxidase. Results: Significant increase in pancreatic amylase content was observed in group CF and increased serum levels of IL -6, Il-10 and MCP-1 were in group APF. Liver malondialdehyde was also increased in APF animals. APF group showed much more necrosis of the pancreatic acinar cells. Conclusion: In the present study, we observed an increase in the severity of acute pancreatitis with prolonged fasting in a severe acute pancreatitis model. These results suggest that in clinical practice, the preoperative fasting time should be shortened before pancreatic procedures.

RESUMO Contexto: A pancreatite aguda após procedimentos cirúrgicos ou endoscópicos no pâncreas pode comprometer o resultado e levar a complicações graves e até mesmo à morte. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar se o jejum prolongado afeta a gravidade da pancreatite aguda (PA). Métodos: Camundongos machos foram divididos em 4 grupos: Grupo CF (n=5) animais de controle que jejuaram por 24 horas; Grupo CNF (n=5) animais de controle que não jejuaram; Grupo APF (n=7) que jejuaram por 24 horas e foram submetidos à indução de PA e Grupo APNF (n=7) que não jejuaram e foram submetidos a PA. Oito horas após a PA, o sangue foi coletado para avaliação de citocinas: IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α e MCP-1. O tecido hepático foi coletado para a determinação do malondialdeído, o tecido pancreático para a determinação do conteúdo enzimático e o tecido pulmonar para a determinação da mieloperoxidase. Resultados: Foi observado um aumento significativo no conteúdo de amilase pancreática no grupo CF e um aumento nos níveis séricos de IL-6, Il-10 e MCP-1 no grupo APF. O malondialdeído hepático também aumentou nos animais APF. O grupo APF apresentou muito mais necrose das células acinares pancreáticas. Conclusão: No presente estudo, observamos um aumento na gravidade da pancreatite aguda com o jejum prolongado em um modelo de pancreatite aguda grave. Esses resultados sugerem que, na prática clínica, o tempo de jejum pré-operatório deve ser reduzido antes dos procedimentos pancreáticos.

Liver transplantation and quality of life: relevance of a specific liver disease questionnaire.

AIM: A positive effect of liver transplantation on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has been well documented in previous studies using generic instruments. Our aim was to re-evaluate different aspects of HRQOL before and after liver transplantation with a relatively new questionnaire the 'liver disease quality of life' (LDQOL). METHODS: The LDQOL and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaires were applied to ambulatory patients, either in the transplant list (n=65) or after 6 months to 5 years of liver transplant (n=61). The aetiology of cirrhosis, comorbidities, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) Child-Pugh scores and recurrence of liver disease after liver transplantation were analysed using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskall-Wallis tests. RESULTS: In patients awaiting liver transplantation, MELD scores > or =15 and Child-Pugh class C showed statistically significant worse HRQOL, using both the SF-36 and the LDQOL questionnaires. HRQOL in pretransplant patients was found to be significantly worse in those with cirrhosis owing to hepatitis C (n=30) when compared with other aetiologies (n=35) in 2/7 domains of the SF-36 and in 7/12 domains of the LDQOL. Significant deterioration of HRQOL after recurrence of hepatitis C post-transplant was detected with the LDQOL questionnaire although not demonstrated with the SF-36. The statistically significant differences were in the LDQOL domains: symptoms of liver disease, concentration, memory and health distress. CONCLUSIONS: The LDQOL, a specific instrument for measuring HRQOL, has shown a greater accuracy in relation to liver symptoms and could demonstrate, with better reliability, impairments before and after liver transplantation.

Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy procedure using ischemic bipartition: Two case reports.

RATIONALE: The associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) procedure is a recently introduced treatment strategy for patients with advanced primary or metastatic liver tumors and small future liver remnants. ALPPS procedure using ischemic bipartition of the liver is a modified technique that may reduce complications compared to classical ALPPS. PATIENT CONCERNS: Two patients with multiple colorectal liver metastasis with extensive involvement of the liver were considered unresectable before treatment because of small future liver remnant (FLR). DIAGNOSES: Two patients were diagnosed by imaging examination with volumetry of the liver. INTERVENTIONS: In the first stage, ischemic bipartition of the liver is achieved using radiofrequency ablation. The Glissonian pedicles from Segment 4 are identified and ablated, the FLR is cleared, and the right portal vein is ligated. In the second stage, the typical procedure is performed, and an extended liver resection is performed. OUTCOMES: The procedure was feasible with acceptable hypertrophy of FLRs. Blood transfusions were unnecessary, and severe postoperative complications were avoided. LESSONS: The ALPPS procedure with ischemic bipartition is safe and feasible and can produce results that are the same as those of the classical ALPPS procedure while reducing invasiveness during the first stage.

[Protective effects of an inhibitor of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in the hepatic and pulmonary disturbances secondary to ischemia and reperfusion injury of rat's liver]. / Efeito protetor de antagonista das gliproteínas IIb/IIa nas alterações hepáticas e pulmonares secundárias à isquemia e reperfusão do fígado em ratos.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury is responsible for a considerable morbidity and mortality. AIM: To evaluate the effect of a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor (tirofiban) on hepatic and pulmonary disturbances associated with hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. METHODS: Twenty-three Wistar rats divided in three groups: rats sham-operated (n = 6), rats submitted to ischemia-reperfusion that received saline solution (n = 8), and rats submitted to ischemia-reperfusion treated with 0.7 mg/kg of tirofiban (n = 9). Serum aminotransferases (AST and ALT) were also determined, and the study of hepatic tissue histology was carried out. The evaluation of the pulmonary disturbances was done using the Evans blue test and the tissular determination of myeloperoxidase. Hepatic mitochondrial oxidation and phosphorylation were also measured. RESULTS: There was an increase in the state 3 respiration, ADP/O ratio and respiration control rate in the group treated with tirofiban. This group had also lower levels of aminotransferases and the histological findings were significantly less intense. Pulmonary evaluation demonstrated decrease of the Evans blue test in the tirofiban group and an increase of its tissular determination of myeloperoxidase. CONCLUSION: The inhibition of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor with tirofiban protected the hepatic disturbances and prevented the increase of pulmonary vascular permeability secondary to the ischemia-reperfusion injury of the liver.

[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.

Effects of diazoxide in experimental acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE:: We aimed to assess the effects of diazoxide on the mortality, pancreatic injury, and inflammatory response in an experimental model of acute pancreatitis. METHODS:: Male Wistar rats (200-400 g) were divided randomly into two groups. Fifteen minutes before surgery, animals received physiological (0.9%) saline (3 mL/kg) (control group) or 45 mg/kg diazoxide (treatment group) via the intravenous route. Acute pancreatitis was induced by injection of 2.5% sodium taurocholate via the biliopancreatic duct. Mortality (n=38) was observed for 72 h and analyzed by the Mantel-Cox Log-rank test. To study pancreatic lesions and systemic inflammation, rats (10 from each group) were killed 3 h after acute pancreatitis induction; ascites volume was measured and blood as well as pancreases were collected. Pancreatic injury was assessed according to Schmidt's scale. Cytokine expression in plasma was evaluated by the multiplex method. RESULTS:: Mortality at 72 h was 33% in the control group and 60% in the treatment group (p=0.07). Ascites volumes and plasma levels of cytokines between groups were similar. No difference was observed in edema or infiltration of inflammatory cells in pancreatic tissues from either group. However, necrosis of acinar cells was lower in the treatment group compared to the control group (3.5 vs. 3.75, p=0.015). CONCLUSIONS:: Treatment with diazoxide can reduce necrosis of acinar cells in an experimental model of acute pancreatitis, but does not affect the inflammatory response or mortality after 72 h.