Evolving Role of Liver Transplantation in Elderly Recipients.

The need for liver transplantation (LT) among older patients is increasing, but the role of LT in the elderly (≥70 years) is not well defined. We retrospectively reviewed all primary LTs from 1998 through 2016 at our center. Survival and associated risk factors were analyzed with Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier methods for LT recipients in 3 age groups: <60, 60-69, and ≥70 years. Among 2281 LT recipients, the median age was 56 years (range, 15-80 years), and 162 were aged ≥70 years. The estimated 5- and 10-year patient survival probabilities for elderly LT recipients were lower (70.8% and 43.6%) than for recipients aged 60-69 years (77.2% and 64.6%) and <60 years (80.7% and 67.6%). Patient and graft survival rates associated with LT improved over time from the pre-Model for End-Stage Liver Disease era to Share 15, pre-Share 35, and Share 35 for the cohort overall (P < 0.001), but rates remained relatively stable in septuagenarians throughout the study periods (all P > 0.45). There was no incremental negative effect of age at LT among elderly patients aged 70-75 years (log-rank P = 0.32). Among elderly LT recipients, greater requirement for packed red blood cells and longer warm ischemia times were significantly associated with decreased survival (P < 0.05). Survival of LT recipients, regardless of age, markedly surpassed that of patients who were denied LT, but it was persistently 20%-30% lower than the expected survival of the general US population (P < 0.001). With the aging of the population, select older patients with end-stage liver diseases can benefit from LT, which largely restores their expected life spans.

Liver transplantation and pancreatic resection: a single-center experience and a review of the literature.

Liver transplantation may occasionally be indicated in patients with unique clinical scenarios. Little is known regarding the outcomes of patients who have had a pancreatic resection prior to, in combination with, or after liver transplantation. A retrospective review of all patients undergoing liver transplantation from March 1998 to March 2008 identified 17 patients who also underwent pancreatic resection. An additional literature review was performed. Five underwent pancreatic resection prior to liver transplantation (1.7, 3.6, 3.8, 6.8, and 8.1 years), another 9 underwent pancreatic resection together with liver transplantation, and 3 underwent pancreatic resection after liver transplantation (2.2, 2.6, and 3.8 years). Indications for pancreatic resection included cholangiocarcinoma (n = 6), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 5), pancreatic cancer (n = 2), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (n = 1), periampullary adenocarcinoma (n = 1), duodenal adenomas (n = 1), and benign pancreatic mass (n = 1). Indications for liver transplantation were metastatic neuroendocrine tumor disease (n = 5), primary sclerosing cholangitis (n = 5), hepatitis C virus (n = 2), metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (n = 1), Klatskin tumor (n = 1), alcohol cirrhosis (n = 1), alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (n = 1), and chemotherapy-induced cirrhosis (n = 1). One patient died intraoperatively, 7 patients died of tumor recurrence, 2 patients died from transplant complications, and 7 patients are still alive. Pancreatic resection-related complications included 4 pancreatic fistulas. A literature review confirmed liver transplantation/pancreatic resection-related complications. In conclusion, liver transplantation and pancreatic resection remain uncommon, and a good outcome can be achieved. Recurrence of malignant disease is the main factor limiting survival, and specific morbidity may be related to pancreatic resection and liver transplantation.

Pancreatic and multiorgan resection with inferior vena cava reconstruction for retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Inferior vena cava (IVC) leiomyosarcoma is a rare tumor of smooth muscle origin. It is often large by the time of diagnosis and may involve adjacent organs. A margin-free resection may be curative, but the resection must involve the tumor en bloc with the affected segment of vena cava and locally involved organs. IVC resection often requires vascular reconstruction, which can be done with prosthetic graft. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 39-year-old man with an IVC leiomyosarcoma that involved the adrenal gland, distal pancreas, and blood supply to the spleen and left kidney. Tumor excision involved en bloc resection of all involved organs with reimplantation of the right renal vein and reconstruction of the IVC with a polytetrafluoroethylene graft. The patient recovered without renal insufficiency, graft infection, or other complications. Follow-up abdominal imaging at 1 year showed a patent IVC graft and no locally recurrent tumor. Prosthetic graft provides a sufficient diameter and length for replacement conduit in extensive resection of IVC leiomyosarcoma. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first case of resection of an IVC sarcoma with prosthetic graft reconstruction in combination with pancreatic resection. Aggressive surgical resection including vascular reconstruction is warranted for select IVC tumors to achieve a potentially curative outcome.