Postoperative Outcomes After Laparoscopic Liver Resections in Low and High-Volume Centers: A Multicentric Case-Matched Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is the gold standard for liver resections. Despite its feasibility and safety in high-volume centers (HVC), its performance is controversial in low-volume centers (LVCs). We aimed to evaluate the results of LLR performed in LVC. METHODS: Patients who underwent LLR between 2013 and 2019 in three LVCs were compared after case-matching with those in an HVC using the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris LLR Difficulty Score (IMMLDS). RESULTS: Seventy-six patients treated in three LVCs were matched to 152 in HVCs for age, body mass index, and resection type. The incidence of LLR significantly increased in LVCs over time (2013-2016 vs. 2017-2019) (21.2% vs. 39.3%; p = 0.002 and) while abdominal drainage rate decreased (77.4% vs. 51.1%; p = 0.003). In IMMLDS group I (60 vs. 120 patients), higher Pringle maneuver (43.3% vs. 2.5%; p < 0.0001), median blood loss (175 ml vs. 50 ml; p < 0.0001), abdominal drainage (58.3% vs. 6.6%; p < 0.0001), and conversion rate (8.3% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.04) were observed in LVCs. The overall postoperative morbidity was comparable (Clavien I-II: p = 0.54; Clavien > II: p = 0.71). In IMMLDS groups II-III, Pringle maneuver (56.5% vs. 3.1%; p < 0.0001), blood loss (350 ml vs. 175 ml; p = 0.02), and abdominal drainage (75% vs. 28.3%; p = 0.004) were different; however, postoperative morbidity was not. The surgical difficulty notwithstanding, length of stay (group I: p = 0.13; group II-III: p = 0.93) and R0 surgical margin (group I: p = 0.3; group II-III p = 0.39) were not different between LVCs and HVCs. CONCLUSIONS: LLR performed at an LVC can be feasible and safe with acceptable morbidity.

Correlation of adenosine deaminase operating under nitro-oxidative stress with tumor and vascularization in patients with advanced gallbladder carcinoma.

This study investigates serum redox status and adenosine catabolism markers in relation to tumor and angiogenesis, in patients with gallbladder carcinoma (GBC). The level of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and xanthine oxidase (XO) activities, nitrites (NO2-), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in sera of 40 GBC patients and 40 healthy donors. In parallel, 15 tumors at TNM stage IV were scored for CD34 expression and microvessel density (MVD). The results showed that XO and ADA activities, nitrites and MDA levels enhanced by 1.26 (p < 0.01), 2.69, 2.0, and 3.2-fold (p < 0.001), respectively, while those of GSH decreased by 44.6% (p < 0.001). According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the optimal cut-off for XO, ADA, MDA, GSH and nitrites were 5.41U/l, 17.02 U/l, 3.72 µM, 36.91 µM and 21.21 µM, respectively. Spearman correlation revealed that ADA activity correlated to nitrites levels (r = 0.3419, p < 0.05) and XO activity (r = 0.5487, p < 0.001). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis revealed that MDA (OR = 5.78, p < 0.05), ADA (OR = 1.28, p < 0.001) and XO (OR = 2.81, p < 0.05) correlated positively to GBC. CD34 was up expressed in 73.3% of tumors at intermediate to high levels. Multiple regression analysis showed that ADA affected MVD (r = 0.604, p < 0.01). The results suggest that high MDA/GSH ratio is a potential biomarker of GBC. In addition, the oxidative adenosine catabolism indicated that active purine salvage pathway could support tumor progression by sustaining angiogenesis.

Pancreas-preserving management in reinterventions for severe pancreatic fistula after pancreatoduodenectomy: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Life-threatening postoperative pancreatic fistula (LTPOPF) is the most feared complication after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Although completion pancreatectomy (CP) is usually performed when radiological management fails, the associated morbidity and mortality rates remain high. Here, we reviewed pancreas-preserving alternatives to CP. METHODS: The PubMed database was systematically searched for publications between 1983 and 2014, describing pancreas-preserving surgical treatment of the pancreas remnant (PR) after reintervention in a context of post-PD LTPOPF. RESULTS: A total of 12 articles including 140 patients were reviewed. Six different types of pancreas-preserving treatment were described: external wirsungostomy, simple drainage of the PF, closure of pancreatic stump, internal wirsungostomy, partial CP, and salvage pancreatogastrostomy after major leakage of a pancreatojejunostomy. The overall median survival rate was 75 % but rose to 83 % when patients undergoing only surgical drainage of the fistula were excluded. The median complication rate was 75 %, and the median length of hospital stay was 41.5 days. Further reintervention was required for 25 % of the patients. The median incidence of late diabetes was 22.5 %. The incidence of exocrine insufficiency ranged from 0 to 100 % depending on the intervention. CONCLUSION: Pancreas-preserving surgical management of the PR after LTPOPF can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidity. These data suggest that CP should have a more precisely specified role in the management algorithm and should not be performed systematically.

Budd-Chiari syndrome: a prospective analysis of hepatic vein obstruction on ultrasonography, multidetector-row computed tomography and MR imaging.

PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to prospectively describe the imaging presentation of hepatic vein (HV) obstruction in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) on duplex and color Doppler ultrasonography (DCD-US), multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 176 patients with primary BCS (mean age, 33 years; 101 women) were prospectively included. BCS diagnosis was made by direct visualization of HV and/or upper portion of the inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction on DCD-US and/or MDCT and/or MRI. Location (right, middle, and left HV), type (thrombus, stenosis, or both), and age (recent vs. long-standing) of HV obstruction were described on each imaging examination. RESULTS: HV obstruction was a constant (100%) finding and associated with IVC abnormalities in 51/176 (28.98%) patients. Obstruction of the three HVs was present in 158/176 (89.77%) patients. The prevalences of right, middle, and left HV thrombus were 151/169 (89.35%), 146/169 (86.39%), and 111/169 (65.68%), respectively. Long-standing HV thrombus was observed in more than 92% of patients on the three imaging methods. Agreement between DCD-US, MDCT, and MRI was perfect in the identification of long-standing HV thrombus (κ = 0.9); this agreement was slight to moderate in revealing the type of HV abnormality (i.e., fibrotic cord and non-visible HV). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that BCS is a chronic and insidious disease, more often discovered at an advanced stage. These results should warrant further evaluation of screening strategies in patients with risk factors for BCS to identify the disease at an early stage.

[Laparoscopic downstaging surgery for colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases: what value in two-stage hepatectomies?] / La chirurgie laparoscopique de downstaging pour cancer colorectal avec métastases hépatiques synchrones: quel intérêt dans les hépatectomies en deux temps? à propos d'une série de 6 cas.

Bilobar hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer pose a problem in terms of management, with curative surgery often requiring several stages. The purpose of our study was to evaluate laparoscopic approach with portal vein ligation in the first step of two-stage hepatectomy in the treatment of patients with synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancers (SLMCRC). We conducted a single-center retrospective study from August 2016 to January 2020. It included patients with SLMCRC requiring two-stage curative surgery due to insufficient future liver remnant volume (FRL). The primary endpoint was to evaluate postoperative morbidity and mortality following first step laparoscopy at 30 days. The secondary endpoints were to evaluate conversion rate, FRL hypertrophy following laparoscopic portal vein ligation, postoperative morbidity and mortality of 2nd step of two-stage hepatectomy and finally treatment completion rate. We included six patients (4 men and 2 women) with a mean age of 64 (44-72) years. The first step of surgery consisted of a laparoscopic colonic resection associated with right portal vein ligation in 5 patients and left portal vein ligation in one patient. The postoperative morbimortality was zero. The conversion rate was zero. After portal vein ligation, 5 of the 6 patients had significantly enlarged FRL, with a mean gain in FRL volume of 59.48% (31.02%-68.71%). Two of the six patients had severe morbidity after 2nd step hepatectomy (Clavien IIIb). All patients completed the treatment.

Outcomes of Laparoscopic Combined Surgery for Colorectal Cancer with Synchronous Liver Metastases: A Prospective Comparative Study.

AIM: Combined surgery for colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases (CRCSLM) is addressed to selected patients. Technically, by conventional surgery this simultaneous approach raises a problem of adequate access. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility and safety of the laparoscopic approach in combined surgery. METHODS: From August 2016 to January 2020 a monocentric prospective comparative study was conducted. Short and long-term outcomes of simultaneous laparoscopic surgery (SLS) were evaluated. Short-term outcomes of SLS were compared to those of laparoscopic colorectal surgery alone (LCRS). RESULTS: Forty patients were included in each arm. In SLS group, the median age was 62.5 years. Hybrid surgery was performed for 60% of patients, down staging laparoscopic surgery for 22.5% of patients and totally laparoscopic surgery for 10% of patients. The conversion rate was 7.5%. Mean operating time was 323 minutes. Overall morbidity rate was 27.5%. Multivariate analysis showed that anemia (p = 0.046) and number of liver resections (p = 0.018) were independent factors of morbidity. Ninety-five percent of colorectal resections were R0, 90% of liver resections were R0. The mean length of hospital stay was 5.1 ± 2.58 days. The recurrence rate was 22.5%. Median diseasefree survival was 27 months. There was no difference in short-term outcomes between the two arms except for operating time which was longer in SLS arm (p < 0.0005). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy is feasible in combined surgery in selected patients. Minor liver resection may be associated with laparoscopic colorectal surgery without increasing morbidity.