Relationship between the risk of bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the types of preoperative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatiocography (MRCP)

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Bile duct injury is one of the potential severe complications that can occur during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which can be cause by anatomic variations in the confluence of the bile duct. Recently magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatiocography (MRCP) has become a helpful tool to detect bile duct variation on a preoperative basis and to prevent bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, as well other hepatic surgeries. This study aimed to clarify the types of bile duct on MRCP and to search for a method of avoiding injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Between January 2009 and December 2010, 277 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with preoperative MRCP in our institution. On a retrospective basis, the bile ducts were categorized into 5 types according to the Couinaud classification system. RESULTS: The proportion of types was revealed type A (70.4%), type B (8.7%), type C (19.5%), type D (0.7%), type E (0%), and type F (0.7%), respectively. Bile duct injury occurred in 4 cases (1.4%) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In particular, the possibility of aberrant extrahepatic confluence (Type C and F) represented the highest risk of duct injury (OR=11.89 [CI: 1.21-116.53]). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative evaluation of the bile duct anatomy is important to avoid injury of duct during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Specific types of bile duct variation should be considered as a high risk group for bile duct injury.

Brazing characteristics of ZrO2 and Ti-6Al-4V brazed joints with increasing temperature / 대한치과보철학회지

PURPOSE: In this study, brazing characteristics of ZrO2 and Ti-6Al-4V brazed joints with increasing temperature were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample size of the ZrO2 was 3 mm x 3 mm x 3 mm (thickness), and Ti-6Al-4V was 10 mm (diameter) x 5 mm (thickness). The filler metal consisted of Ag-Cu-Sn-Ti was prepared in powder form. The brazing sample was heated in a vacuum furnace under 5 x 10(-6) torr atmosphere, while the brazing temperature was changed from 700 to 800degrees C for 30 min. RESULTS: The experimental results shows that brazed joint of ZrO2 and Ti-6Al-4V occurred at 700 - 800degrees C. Brazed joint consisted of Ag-rich matrix and Cu-rich phase. A Cu-Ti intermetallic compounds and a Ti-Sn-Cu-Ag alloy were produced along the Ti-6Al-4V bonded interface. Thickness of the reacted layer along the Ti-6Al-4V bonded interface was increased with brazing temperature. Defect ratios of ZrO2 and Ti-6Al-4V bonded interfaces decreased with brazing temperature. CONCLUSION: Thickness and defect ratio of brazed joints were decreased with increasing temperature. Zirconia was not wetting with filler metal, because the reaction between ZrO2 and Ti did not occur enough.

Cavo-caval intervention stent insertion after deceased-donor liver transplantation using side-to-side piggyback technique: report of a case

Liver transplantation with preservation of the recipient vena cava (piggyback technique) has been performed as an alternative to the conventional method. Outflow disturbance or obstruction of the vena cava in the early period after liver transplantation is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We used side-to-side cavo-caval anastomosis (modified piggyback technique) in a deceased-donor liver transplantation (DDLT) for venous outflow reconstruction. On postoperative day 9, the patient developed abdominal discomfort, and abnormal liver function showing serum total bilirubin of 6.2 mg/dl and serum AST/ALT of 297/597 IU/L. Doppler ultrasound showed mono-phasic wave forms of the hepatic vein. Computed tomography showed focal narrowing of 9.5 mmx12 mm in diameter at the cavo-caval anastomosis site. Liver biopsy was showed that there was no evidence of acute allograft rejection. Direct venogram showed stenosis of the cavo-caval anastomosis with a pressure gradient of 12 mmHg. An interventional stent was inserted in the stenotic site of the inferior vena cava, and the pressure gradient decreased to 2 mmHg. He was discharged from hospital on postoperative day 23 without any other complications. Herein we report a case of deceased-donor liver transplantation using the modified piggyback technique, who received an inferior vena cava stent due to stricture of the reconstructed orifice of the vena cava.

Clinical Usefulness of the Methods of Gallbladder Bed Dissection for Treating Acute Cholecystitis / 대한내시경복강경외과학회지

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for treating acute cholecystitis (AC) is a technically demanding procedure even for experienced surgeons. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the methods of gallbladder bed dissection for patients with acute cholecystitis. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 74 patients who were admitted for AC and they underwent early LC with ultrasonic shears dissection (UD) (n=40) or monopolar electrocautery dissection (MD) (n=34) at Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital from August 2006 to December 2008. We compared many variables between the two methods. RESULTS: The mean operative time in the LC group with UD was 48.3 minutes versus 42.8 minutes for the MD group (p=0.163). The conversion rate was 5.0%, and the postoperative morbidity rate was 12.5% in the UD group, versus an 8.8% conversion rate and an 8.8% morbidity rate in the MD group (p=0.426 and 0.254). CONCLUSION: The use of UD in the dissection of the gallbladder bed has no specific advantage over MD for treating patients with acute cholecystitis, but further investigations are required to confirm this.

Laparoscopic Right Hemicolectomy and Cholecystectomy for a Cholecystocolic Fistula

A cholecystocolic fistula (CF) is an uncommon complication of the gallbladder and colonic disease. We report a case of a CF that was successfully managed by using a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy and cholecystectomy. A 49-yr-old woman was admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine because of intermittent and progressive right upper quadrant pain. She was obese (body mass index: 34 kg/m2) and had a previous history of three abdominal surgeries. She was diagnosed with a CF by using abdominal computed tomography. The fistula between the gallbladder and the hepatic flexure of the colon was also characterized by using technetium-99m diisopropyl iminodiacetic acid ((99m)Tc-DISIDA) cholescintigraphy, a double-contrast Barium enema, and colonoscopy. Multiple polyps with severe inflammation were observed around the orifice of the fistula. Because of the risk of malignancy and appendicolith on CT, a laparoscopic en block excision of the gallbladder and the right colon following adhesiolysis was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 9. This case shows that the laparoscopic combined resection is safe and effective in the experienced hands of the laparoscopic surgeon even though a CF has traditionally been considered as a contraindication to laparoscopic surgery. While the incidence of successful management of biliary-enteric fistulas through laparoscopic repair is increasing, this is the first report of a laparoscopic combined resection of a CF in an obese patient with severe intraabdominal adhesion.

The Feasibility of Recovered Warm Ischemic Injury on Non-heart-beating Donor Liver by Hepatocyte Growth Factor in Animal Model / 대한이식학회지

PURPOSE: Liver transplantation is the therapy of choice for patients with acute and acute-on-chronic severe liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma. But a suitable liver is not always available for transplantation due to limited donor numbers. To increase the number of available liver for transplantation, a non-heart-beating donor (NHBD) liver transplant program is started. In NHBD liver transplantation, warm ischemic injury of liver occurs. The duration of warm ischemia is thought to be the most important risk factor for postoperative complications such as primary nonfunction or severe hepatic dysfunction. Recent evidence indicates that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays an important role as a cytoprotector against hepatic injury by anti-apoptotic effect and mitogen in liver regeneration. Therefore studies also were performed to examine whether HGF influenced the viability and regeneration of hepatocytes from rats, subjected to prolonged warm ischemic injury. METHODS: Male Sprague- Dawley rats were subjected to non-heart-beating death by cervical spine fracture. Rats left in room temperature directly after, 30-minutes, 1-hours before surgery and perfusion was performed for isolating hepatocyte. Among three groups, hepatocyte viability was compared by trypan blue stain. And isolated hepatocytes from 30-minutes warm ischemic group were cultured for 24-hours, which were treated with no HGF and addition of various doses (5 ng/mL, 10 ng/mL, 20 ng/ mL, 40 ng/mL, 100 ng/mL) of HGF. Anti-apoptosis and regeneration of hepatocyte were compared by LDH assay, MTS assay, western blot, and immunocyto-chemistry after a 24-hours culture. RESULTS: The results of hepatocyte viability along the prolonged warm ischemic groups in isolated hepatocytes decreased sequentially 74.8+/-12.6%, 45.0+/-5.4%, 37.8+/-10.4% along directly after, 30-minutes, 1-hours in trypan blue stain (P<0.01). And 24-hour-cultured hepatocytes from 30-minutes warm ischemic group were treated with HGF. The results of LDH assay, MTS assay did not have relation with HGF addition. But the results of western blot and immunocytochemistry shown that HGF doses dependent anti-apoptosis and regeneration of hepatocyte increased. That indicates HGF presumably inhibites apoptotic pathway by phosphorylation. And HGF also makes hepatocyte hypertrophy and albumin synthesis. CONCLUSION: HGF was a potent cytoprotector against hepatic injury by anti- apoptotic effect and mitogen of liver regeneration in NHBD liver animal model. HGF facilitates recovery of the liver from prolong warm ischemic injury. If the more clinical studies and large animal studies are performed, NHBD using liver transplantation will be available with more chances by HGF.

Xanthogranulomatous Cholecystitis: Clinical review of 14 cases

PURPOSE: Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis_(XGC) is an unusual and destructive inflammatory process of the gallbladder and it's characterized by severe proliferative fibrosis. XGC usually presents with features of chronic cholecystitis or acute cholecystitis, yet clinically, radiologically and macroscopically, XGC may be difficult to differentiate from gallbladder cancer. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the radiologic features of XGC and their correlation with the clinical, pathologic and surgical findings. METHODS: We performed retrospective analysis on 14 cases of XGCs that were operated on between March 1999 and December 2005. The clinical features, preoperative radiologic findings, operative findings and postoperative courses were reviewed. RESULTS: Fourteen cases of XGC were found among 1451 cases of cholecystectomy (0.96%). Mirizzi's syndrome was observed in 35.7% of the patients. Cholelithiasis and a thickened gallbladder wall were frequent findings. The most characteristic CT finding was hypodense intramural nodule like microabscess, and this was seen in 42.8% of the patients. The most characteristic sonographic finding was the presence of hypoechoic nodule in the gallbladder wall, and this was seen in 55.5% of the patients. 9 patients underwent open cholecystectomy including one case of T-tube choledocholithotomy. Four of five patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy required conversion to open surgery. A malignant lesion was suspected preoperatively in two cases, and both underwent frozen biopsy during surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Although the preoperative diagnosis of XGC is difficult, the presence of hypodense intramural nodule on CT or hypoechoic nodule in the gallbladder wall on sonography is highly suggestive of XGC. As XGC may resemble malignancy, differentiation is essential, via intraoperative frozen biopsy to deliver the optimal surgical treatment.

Duodenal Perforation in a Child with Henoch- Schoenlein Purpura

Henoch-Schoenlein purpura is predominantly a childhood disease with good prognosis. It is characterized by nonthrombocytopenic purpura, arthritis, arthralgia, gastrointestinal symptoms and glomerulonephritis. Abdominal pain is the most common gastrointestinal symptom, however, some patient with Henoch-Schoenlein purpura have gastrointestinal major surgical complication such as intussusception, bowel infarction, necrosis, stricture and perforation. We report a case of duodenal perforation in a 6-year-old boy with Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, being treated with corticosteroids.

Biliary Reconstruction and Complications in Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation / 대한이식학회지

PURPOSE: Biliary complication (BC) is known as the most common and intractable complication after adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), but there is lack of large-volume studies with long-term follow-up. To assess the patterns of BC and their treatment results in adult recipients of LDLT. METHODS: 182 adult patients who received 156 right and 26 left liver grafts from January 2001 to December 2002 were selected after exclusion of dual-graft LDLT and short-term survivors. Methods of biliary reconstruction, types of BC, and treatment results of BC were analyzed. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 38 months. Biliary reconstruction was done as single duct-to-duct anastomosis (DD, n=109), double DD (n=22), single hepaticojejunostomy (HJ, n=31), double HJ (n=16), and combination of DD and HJ (n=4). Overall patient or graft survival rate was 96.2% at 1 year and 93.3% at 3 years. BC-free survival rate was 83.4% at 1 year and 76.5% at 3 years. BC occurred much more often in right liver grafts. There were no statistical differences of BC between DD and HJ groups, and between single and double anastomoses groups. Most of anastomotic leak occurred during the first 1 month, but anastomotic stenosis occurred till 3 years. Small right graft duct around 3 mm in diameter became a significant risk factor of BC. Anastomotic leak occurred in 8 recipients, and 7 recovered after radiological, endoscopic, and surgical treatments. Anastomotic stenosis occurred in 34, and most of them were resolved by radiological intervention. CONCLUSION: The incidence of early BC could be reduced to below 10% by technical refinements, but additional late BC occurred till 3 years. Most of BC were successfully controlled by endoscopic and radiological treatments. DD seems to be avoided in small graft duct around 3 mm in diameter. Close surveillance for BC seems to be mandatory for the first 3 years.

A Clinical Analysis of Abdominal Stab Injuries

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the incidence, type of injury, medical consequences, mortality, and prognostic factors associated with stab wounds in patients who visited Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 40 patients with abdominal stab wounds who visited Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004. RESULTS: 1) The most prevalent age group was patients in their the twenties to fourties (77.5% of all patients), and average age of the patients was 39.3 years. The male-to-female ratio was 2.07:1. 2) The external site of stab wounds was most commonly the periumbilcal area of the abdomen (14 cases, 33.3%). 3) The most commonly injured organs were the liver and the stomach (10 cases each, 16.9%). 4) Operations were performed on all 40 patients, with 9 (22.5%) negative operation findings. 5) Death occurred in 5 cases (12.5%). 6) The trauma indices of the death group were TRISS 51.9%, RTS 3.6 points, and APACHE II 23.0 points. 7) The average transfusion amount of the death group was 13.8 pints CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the transfusion amount and the trauma index of abdominal stab injuries may be statistically significant factors for predicting mortality.

A Clinical Analysis of Abdominal Stab Injuries

PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate the incidence, type of injury, medical consequences, mortality, and prognostic factors associated with stab wounds in patients who visited Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 40 patients with abdominal stab wounds who visited Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004. RESULTS: 1) The most prevalent age group was patients in their the twenties to fourties (77.5% of all patients), and average age of the patients was 39.3 years. The male-to-female ratio was 2.07:1. 2) The external site of stab wounds was most commonly the periumbilcal area of the abdomen (14 cases, 33.3%). 3) The most commonly injured organs were the liver and the stomach (10 cases each, 16.9%). 4) Operations were performed on all 40 patients, with 9 (22.5%) negative operation findings. 5) Death occurred in 5 cases (12.5%). 6) The trauma indices of the death group were TRISS 51.9%, RTS 3.6 points, and APACHE II 23.0 points. 7) The average transfusion amount of the death group was 13.8 pints CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the transfusion amount and the trauma index of abdominal stab injuries may be statistically significant factors for predicting mortality.

Ligation of Left Renal Vein for Splenorenal Collateral Shunt to Prevent Portal Flow Steal in Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation / 대한이식학회지

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and role of ligation of left renal vein (LRV) to avoid portal flow steal to the partial liver graft when living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is performed for the cirrhotic patients with large spontaneous splenorenal shunt (SRS). METHODS: Between 2001 and 2005, 44 portal hypertensive patients with large SRS who underwent ligation of LRV were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: After ligation of LRV, thirty four patients of 44 pateints (77.3%) revealed hypo-attenuation of left kidney on computed tomography but 10 patients (22.7%) showed normal attenuation. Proteinuria and hematuria occurred in 22 patients (50%) and 43 patients (97.7%) respectively after operation, but nearly all of them recovered. Decreased urine outputs (less than 1,000 mL per day) appeared in 4 patients (9.1%), but disappeared after dialysis for 6+/-5.4 days. Serum creatinine increased in 43 patients (97.7%), but decreased to normal range in 40 patients (90.3%). During study period, portal flow steal to the liver graft did not occur after ligation of LRV, and liver regeneration was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: It seems to be a good graft salvage procedure for the portal hypertensive patients who demonstrate large SRS after partial liver engraftment.

Management of Biliary Problem in Dual Living Donor Liver Transplantation / 대한이식학회지

PURPOSE: For the safety of donor and recipient in living donor liver transplantation, Asan Medical Center had attempted dual living donor liver transplantation (DLDLT) for the first time in the world. But bleeding chance and biliary problem occurred twofold in DLDLT, because DLDLT was used dual grafts. We analyzed the clinical features, the diagnosis, and management of biliary problem in DLDLT. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 61 patients had undergone DLDLT between July 2003 and June 2004. The cases with biliary problem was diagnosed by serologic examination (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase/ glutamic pyruvic transaminase/alkaline phosphatase/total bilirubin) and image study (computed tomography and hepatobiliary scan). RESULTS: Among 61 cases had undergone DLDLT, 19 cases had biliary problem included biliary stricture only (14 cases), biliary stricture and bile leakage (5 cases). The major clinical manifestations of biliary problem were fever (12 cases), asymptomatic and/or increased liver enzyme (7 cases). Among 19 cases with biliary problem, 18 cases showed image study positive and serologic examination positive and/or symptomatic findings, and 1 cases showed image study positive and serologic examination negative and asymptomatic findings. The treatments of biliary stricture were endoscopic (naso/retrograde) biliary drainage (4 cases), percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (17 cases). In cases of bile leakage, we treated intraabdominal fluid collection with operative management (1 cases) and conservative managements (4 cases). Mortality rate related with biliary problem was 0%. CONCLUSION: Systemic and active postoperative management in biliary complication can help patients to minimize economic loss and sequelae.