Bioengineered Ionic Liquid for Catheter-Directed Tissue Ablation, Drug Delivery, and Embolization.

Delivery of therapeutics to solid tumors with high bioavailability remains a challenge and is likely the main contributor to the ineffectiveness of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Here, a catheter-directed ionic liquid embolic (ILE) is bioengineered to achieve durable vascular embolization, uniform tissue ablation, and drug delivery in non-survival and survival porcine models of embolization, outperforming the clinically used embolic agents. To simulate the clinical scenario, rabbit VX2 orthotopic liver tumors are treated showing successful trans-arterial delivery of Nivolumab and effective tumor ablation. Furthermore, similar results are also observed in human ex vivo tumor tissue as well as significant susceptibility of highly resistant patient-derived bacteria is seen to ILE, suggesting that ILE can prevent abscess formation in embolized tissue. ILE represents a new class of liquid embolic agents that can treat tumors, improve the delivery of therapeutics, prevent infectious complications, and potentially increase chemo- and immunotherapy response in solid tumors.

Cardiac Tumors: Review.

Cardiac tumors are rare and encompass a variety of presentations. Clinica symptoms are usually nonspecific, but they can present as obstructive, embolic, or constitutional symptoms. Treatment options and prognosis vary highly depending on the subtype, tumor size, and location. Surgical resection is usually the first-line therapy, except for cardiac lymphomas, and provides favorable long-term prognosis in most benign tumors. Cardiac sarcomas, however, are usually diagnosed in advanced stages, and the treatment relies on a multimodal approach with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Metastatic cardiac tumors are usually related to advanced disease and carry an overall poor prognosis.

Hepatojejunostomia periférica: uma alternativa técnica no tratamento paliativo das neoplasias malignas do hilo hepático / Peripheral hepatojejunostoy: a technic option for paliative treatment of hilar cancer

OBJETIVO: Relatar a experiência do nosso Serviço com a descompressão cirúrgica da árvore biliar através de uma hepatojejunostomia periférica. MÉTODO: Entre julho de 2000 a julho de 2005, 11 pacientes foram à laparotomia para ressecção de tumores do hilo hepático e, durante o trans-operatório, apresentavam lesões irressecáveis. Os dados analisados foram: idade, sexo, morbidade, mortalidade, dosagem de bilirrubinas séricas pré-operatórias e no 7ºdia de pós-operatório, prurido pré e pós-operatório e sobrevida. RESULTADOS: A idade média dos pacientes foi de 67 anos, seis eram mulheres e cinco eram homens. Icterícia estava presente em 100 por cento dos casos e prurido em 80 por cento. Seis pacientes tiveram o diagnóstico de neoplasia de vesícula biliar e cinco de colangiocarcinoma. Ocorreram três óbitos intra-hospitalares. A dosagem média no pré-operatório de bilirrubina total foi 19,33mg/dl e bilirrubina direta 16,81mg/dl e no pós-operatório 4,88mg/dl e 3,64mg/dl, respectivamente. Oito pacientes que receberam alta hospitalar tiveram sobrevida média de oito meses, evoluindo sem icterícia e prurido. CONCLUSÃO: A hepatojejunostomia periférica pode ser considerada uma boa opção como tratamento paliativo . Ela demonstrou ser segura, com sangramento mínimo, rápida execução e mortalidade aceitável, melhorando significativamente a icterícia, o prurido e fornecendo uma sobrevida satisfatória.

BACKGROUND: This study shows the experience of our service with peripheral hepatojejunostomy. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2005, eleven patients were submitted to peripheral hepatojejunostomy. Laparotomy in all patients had been performed as an attempt for curative resection. We analyzed age, gender, morbimortality, pre and post-operatory dosage of bilirubin, pre and post-operatory pruritus and survival. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 67 years, six were female and five were male. Jaundice was present in 100 percent of cases, and pruritus in 80 percent. Gallbladder neoplasm was diagnosed in six patients and cholangiocarcinoma in five. There were three intrahospital deaths. In preoperatory, mean values of total bilirubin was 19.33mg/dl and of direct bilirubin was 16.81mg/dl, and in the post-operatory, 4.88mg/dl and 3.64mg/dl, respectively. The eight discharged patients did not referred pruritus anymore, and their mean survival was eight months. All patients evoluted without jaundice and pruritus. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral Hepatojejunostomy can be considered as capable to improve quality of life of the icteric patients. Surgery was demonstrated to be safe, with minimal blooding, rapid execution, and acceptable mortality rates. It was possible to improve significatively jaundice, pruritus, and to give a satisfactory survival.