Percutaneous portal vein recanalization using self-expandable nitinol stents in patients with non-cirrhotic non-tumoral portal vein occlusion.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of portal vein recanalization (PVR) and propose a new classification for better selecting candidates with portal vein occlusion (PVO) in whom PVR could be feasible. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The charts of 15 non-cirrhotic patients in whom stent placement using a trans-hepatic approach was attempted for the treatment of PVO with cavernous transformation were reviewed. There were 12 men and 3 women with a mean age of 47 ± 12 years (range: 22­60 years) [corrected]. Intrahepatic involvement was classified into 3 groups according to the intrahepatic extent of PVO: type 1 included occlusions limited to the origin of the main portal vein and/or the right or left portal branches, type 2 included type 1 plus extension to the origin of segmental branches, type 3 included type 2 plus extension to distal branches. RESULTS: There were 6 patients with PVO type 1, 7 patients with PVO type 2, and 2 patients with PVO type 3. Indications for PVR were gastrointestinal bleeding (n=6), portal biliopathy (n=2), reduce portal pressure before surgery (n=4), or other (n=3). PVR was successful in 13 patients (87%) with no severe side effects. Failure of PVR or early stent thrombosis occurred in 100% of type 3 vs. 8% of type 1 and 2 patients (P=0.03). During a mean follow-up of 42±28 months (range: 6-112 months), patients with a permeable stent had resolution of portal hypertension-related manifestations. In 13 patients in whom PVR was feasible, stent permeability was 77% at 2 years (87% vs. 60% in patients who received anticoagulation or not, respectively; P=0.3). CONCLUSION: PVR is feasible in most patients with non-cirrhotic, non-tumoral portal vein occlusion when there is no extension of the occlusion to distal branches.

[Factors influencing development and progression of alcoholic liver disease]. / Facteurs impliqués dans le développement et la progression de la maladie aLcoolique du foie.

Only a minority ot excessive drinkers develop cirrhosis. The main cofactors implicated in the pathophysiology of alcoholic liver disease are obesity, diabetes or the metabolic syndrome. Several genetic polymorphisms have been associated with a higher risk of alcoholic cirrhosis. Recent data indicate that gut microbiota could play a role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. The aim of this review is to summarize the factors that influence development and progression of alcoholic liver disease.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: self-expanding metal stents in patients with cirrhosis and severe or refractory oesophageal variceal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of patients with cirrhosis and acute variceal bleeding is very poor when the standard-of-care fails to control bleeding. New treatment modalities are needed in these patients. AIM: To synthesise the available evidence on the efficacy of self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) in patients with cirrhosis and severe or refractory oesophageal variceal bleeding. METHODS: Meta-analysis of trials evaluating SEMS in patients with cirrhosis and severe or refractory oesophageal variceal bleeding. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included. The pooled estimate rates were 0.40 (95% confidence interval, CI = 0.31-0.49) for death, 0.41 (95% CI = 0.29-0.53) for liver-related death and 0.36 (95% CI = 0.26-0.47) for death at day 30, with low heterogeneity between studies. The pooled estimate rates were 0.12 (95% CI = 0.07-0.21) for mortality related to variceal bleeding, and 0.18 (95% CI = 0.11-0.29) for failure to control bleeding with SEMS, with no or low heterogeneity between studies. The pooled estimate rate were 0.16 (95% CI = 0.04-0.48) for rebleeding after stent removal and 0.28 (95% CI = 0.17-0.43) for stent migration, with high heterogeneity. A significant proportion of patients had access to liver transplantation or to TIPSS [pooled estimate rate 0.10 (95% CI = 0.04-0.21) and 0.26 (95% CI = 0.18-0.36), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than 40% of patients treated with SEMS were dead at 1 month. SEMS can be used as a bridge to TIPSS or to liver transplantation in a significant proportion of patients. Additional studies are required to identify potential risk factors leading to a poor prognosis in patients with acute variceal bleeding in whom the use of SEMS could be considered.

[Mammary metastasis of extramammary cancers: current knowledge and diagnostic difficulties]. / Métastases mammaires de cancers d'origine extra-mammaire: état des lieux et difficultés diagnostiques.

OBJECTIVES: Intramammary metastasis (IM) of non-breast cancers are infrequent. The purpose of this review of literature was to update the knowledge and explain diagnostic errors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A review of literature with PubMed was used to select 54 articles published in English between 2003 and 2012. RESULTS: Melanoma (138 cases, 29.8%) were more frequently responsible of 463 cases of MIM, followed by lung, gynecological, gastrointestinal and hematologic cancers. IM occur mainly in women (92.2%), around 50 years, and are metachronous (84.2%). Clinically, they are usually round, painless, without skin retraction and associated with adenopathies (33%). In imaging, they are frequently single. Diagnosis, sometimes evoked by morphological study of the tumor, is confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Systemic metastasis are common, involving a shorter survival. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of primitive cancers is not alone responsible for the frequency of IM, as we can observe it with melanoma. The "seed and soil" hypothesis of Paget may explain it: some tumor cells grow preferentially in selected organs. Vascularity of the breast also seems to be an important factor. Clinically, IM can be confused with benign tumors. However, a history of cancer and multiple lesions should raise the suspicion of malignancy. In imaging, signs are non-specific. The morphological characteristics do not confirm the diagnosis with certainty. Immuno-histochemistry is fundamental, as the comparison with the histology of primary tumor. Support is mainly palliative.

[Detection of Mycobacterium ulcerans DNA in water bugs collected outside the aquatic environment in Benin]. / Détection des signatures moléculaires de Mycobacterium ulcerans chez des punaises aquatiques capturées au Bénin en dehors de leur environnement aquatique.

Hosting of Mycobacterium ulcerans by water bugs is now well established and their vectoring role has been demonstrated experimentally. These findings were recently corroborated by detection of viable bacilli in the saliva of wild water bugs. However, the extent of water bug involvement in M. ulcerans ecology remains unclear and difficult to evaluate due to lack of understanding about water bug biology. The purpose of this study is to describe the first detection of M. ulcerans DNA in the tissue of water bugs captured outside the aquatic environment. This finding supports the hypothesis that water bug migratory behavior contributes not only to the spread of M. ulcerans but also to transmission outside the aquatic environment.

Concomitant use of simvastatin and amiodarone resulting in severe rhabdomyolysis: a case report and review of the literature.

Myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, is a well-known, albeit rare complication of statin therapy. Predisposing factors include comorbidities and the concomitant use of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 3A4 inhibitors. We report a case of severe simvastatin-induced rhabdomyolysis triggered by the addition of amiodarone to previously well-tolerated chronic statin therapy. Physicians should be aware of the risk of this potentially severe drug interaction. The dose of simvastatin should be reduced (to 20 mg daily) when concomitant treatment with amiodarone is required, or preference should be given to pravastatin, rosuvastatin or fluvastatin, which are not metabolised by the CYP 3A4.