Impact of thoracic shape on the surgical outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted living donor hepatectomy.

Background: Although laparoscopic-assisted donor hepatectomy (LADH) has become the definitive procedure for harvesting living donor livers, its surgical outcomes in association with donor body shape have not been elucidated. Methods: The impact of donor factors, including thoracic shape, on LADH outcomes was retrospectively investigated. Thoracic anthropometric data were examined in all LADHs with a left/right graft between 2013 and 2022. Results: The study included 210 LADHs, consisting of 106 left- and 104 right-lobe donors with similar blood loss and similar operation time. Males have greater thoracic depth and greater thoracic width compared with females, respectively. Thoracic depth was associated with graft weight (p < 0.001), blood loss (p < 0.001), and operation time (p < 0.001). On multivariate analyses, blood loss >500 mL and operation time >8 h were associated with graft weight in the left-lobe donors, and blood loss >500 mL was associated with thoracic depth in the right-lobe donors. Conclusion: The greater thoracic depth is associated with massive blood loss in right-lobe donors. Anthropometric parameters might be helpful for estimating LADH outcomes.

Malignant perineurioma derived from the retroperitoneum with an aggressive clinical course: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Malignant perineurioma is a rare malignant counterpart of perineurioma derived from perineural cells. Resection is the primary option for the treatment of malignant perineuriomas; however, patients often develop recurrence after resection, and effective treatment for advanced or recurrent lesions needs to be established. This report describes a 51-year-old female with a rare malignant perineurioma in the retroperitoneum, which contributing valuable insights to the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient presented with abdominal distension and the imaging work-up revealed a huge hemorrhagic tumor in the retroperitoneum and obstruction of inferior vena cava by the tumor. The patient underwent surgery retrieving the tumor combined with left hemiliver and retrohepatic vena cava, which confirmed the diagnosis of a malignant perineurioma based on histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. Cancer gene panel testing identified mutations in NF2. Radiotherapy was administered for peritoneal dissemination 2 months after surgery, and the patient died from disease progression 6 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This rare case highlights the challenges in managing retroperitoneal malignant perineuriomas. The aggressive characteristics and limited treatment options for advanced malignant perineuriomas underscore the need for understanding the pathogenesis and developing effective systemic therapies. The identification of an NF2 mutation provides significant insights into potential therapeutic target.

Left-sided major hepatectomy with en bloc resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament utilizing a liver-transection first approach: A video vignette.

TECHNIQUE: Hepatoduodenal ligamentectomy (HL) is a challenging surgery for advanced perihilar cholangiocarcinoma extensively invading the hepatoduodenal ligament1-3. A liver-transection first approach in HL is a no-touch technique wherein liver transection is performed first, and the affected liver and hepatoduodenal ligament are removed en bloc. This approach allows for the early assessment of resectability and feasibility of vascular reconstruction4. RESULTS: This video shows a 57-year-old man with advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the left hepatic lobe, which had directly invaded the perihilar region and the hepatoduodenal ligament via lymph node metastasis. The lymph node was extensively invasive into both the proper hepatic artery and portal vein. The case was initially deemed unresectable, but after three months of chemotherapy, conversion surgery was considered feasible. The common hepatic artery and gastroduodenal artery and then the common bile duct and main trunk of portal vein were secured at the pancreatic superior border. Hepatic dissection was performed along the Cantlie line. The right Glissonean pedicle was secured, including the right hepatic duct, right hepatic artery and right portal vein, and the operation was deemed feasible. The portal vein was dissected and reconstructed using the right external iliac vein. The left and caudate lobe with the middle hepatic vein and hepatoduodenal ligament were resected en bloc. Subsequentially, the common hepatic artery and right hepatic artery were reconstructed using the jejunal artery. CONCLUSION: The liver-transection first approach allowed us to determine the resectability of en bloc resection of the hepatoduodenal ligament at an early stage of surgery.

Transfer, elimination and accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes in decentralized household wastewater treatment facility treating total wastewater from residential complex.

The fate and behavior of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in decentralized household wastewater treatment facilities (DHWWTFs) are unclear. In this study, targeting on a representative DHWWTF that receive all wastewater from a residential complex having 150 households, the transfer, elimination and accumulation of tetG, tetM, sul1, sul2 and intl1 were quantitively studied through real-time PCR-based quantification, mass balance evaluation and the existing state analysis based on size fractionation. Significant abundance changes of the genes were observed in involved biological reactions and the sedimentation process due to microbial growth and decomposition as well as the accumulation of the genes to sludge. tetG and sul1 increased in their fluxes against respective input in the influent. Although substantial portions of the increased genes were found in excess sludge compared to the flux of genes in the influent, those remaining in the discharge were still high, with an average about 3.4 × 1014 copies/d. The abundance of all four genes (tetG, tetM, sul1and sul2) in both water and sludge phases showed a general trend of reduction as sludge accumulated gradually in its storage tank within two months after desludging. Classification of ARGs based on particle sizes (>250 µm, 125-250 µm, 75-125 µm, 25-75 µm, 3-25 µm, <3 µm) indicated that while the major part of ARGs were distributed in particles with larger sizes (125-250 µm), ARGs in smaller particles (3-25 µm) and free ARGs (<3 µm) still existed, which may pose a greater threat to water environment due to their poor settleability. The results of this study can benefit the optimization of on-site maintenance and operation of decentralized wastewater treatment facility for elimination of the transfer of ARGs.

Effects of Adding Congested Segment IV to the Left Lateral Graft on Short-term Outcomes in Pediatric Living-donor Liver-transplant Recipients.

Background: In some pediatric patients undergoing living-donor liver transplantation, segment IV without the middle hepatic vein can be added to a left lateral segment graft to obtain larger graft volume. Because no clear consensus on this technique exists, this study investigated the effects of congested areas on postoperative outcomes in pediatric patients with biliary atresia undergoing living-donor liver transplantation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of recipients with biliary atresia aged ≤15 y who had undergone living-donor liver transplantation at Kyoto University Hospital between 2006 and 2021 and with graft-to-recipient weight ratios (GRWR) of ≤2%. Based on the percentage of congested area in the graft, patients were classified into the noncongestion (n = 40; ≤10%) and congestion (n = 13; >10%) groups. To compare the differences between groups with similar nooncongestive GRWRs and investigate the effect of adding congested areas, patients in the noncongestion group with GRWRs of ≤1.5% were categorized into the small noncongestion group (n = 24). Results: GRWRs and backgrounds were similar between the noncongestion and congestion groups; however, patients in the congestion group demonstrated significantly longer prothrombin times, higher ascites volumes, and longer hospitalization. Further, compared with the small noncongestion group, the congestion group had significantly greater GRWR and similar noncongestive GRWR; however, the congestion group had significantly longer prothrombin time recovery (P = 0.020, postoperative d 14), higher volume of ascites (P < 0.05, consistently), and longer hospitalization (P = 0.045), requiring significantly higher albumin and gamma-globulin transfusion volumes than the small noncongestion group (P = 0.027 and P = 0.0083, respectively). Reoperation for wound dehiscence was significantly more frequent in the congestion group (P = 0.048). Conclusions: In pediatric liver-transplant recipients, adding a congested segment IV to the left lateral segment to obtain larger graft volume may negatively impact short-term postoperative outcomes.

ERS: A simple scoring system to predict early recurrence after surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection (SR) is a potentially curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) hampered by high rates of recurrence. New drugs are tested in the adjuvant setting, but standardised risk stratification tools of HCC recurrence are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a simple scoring system to predict 2-year recurrence after SR for HCC. METHODS: 2359 treatment-naïve patients who underwent SR for HCC in 17 centres in Europe and Asia between 2004 and 2017 were divided into a development (DS; n = 1558) and validation set (VS; n = 801) by random sampling of participating centres. The Early Recurrence Score (ERS) was generated using variables associated with 2-year recurrence in the DS and validated in the VS. RESULTS: Variables associated with 2-year recurrence in the DS were (with associated points) alpha-fetoprotein (<10 ng/mL:0; 10-100: 2; >100: 3), size of largest nodule (≥40 mm: 1), multifocality (yes: 2), satellite nodules (yes: 2), vascular invasion (yes: 1) and surgical margin (positive R1: 2). The sum of points provided a score ranging from 0 to 11, allowing stratification into four levels of 2-year recurrence risk (Wolbers' C-indices 66.8% DS and 68.4% VS), with excellent calibration according to risk categories. Wolber's and Harrell's C-indices apparent values were systematically higher for ERS when compared to Early Recurrence After Surgery for Liver tumour post-operative model to predict time to early recurrence or recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: ERS is a user-friendly staging system identifying four levels of early recurrence risk after SR and a robust tool to design personalised surveillance strategies and adjuvant therapy trials.

Stepwise Approach for Acquisition of Microsurgical Skills through Rat Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Experiments.

Although rat liver transplantation (LT) is useful in training surgeons to perform microsurgery, mastering these surgical techniques remains difficult. Systematized training protocols that enable learning of the proper skills in a short period of time are needed. The present study describes an efficient five-step rat LT training protocol for surgeons designed to be mastered within 3 months through continuous training. The first step was to review all procedures by watching full videos of rat LT and to watch actual LT operations performed by a skilled surgeon, enabling recognition of the anatomy of rat abdominal organs. The second step was to perform ten donor operations, including ex vivo graft preparation, to learn the atraumatic and delicate techniques. The third step was to perform ten LTs, with the goal of achieving an anhepatic time <20 min and surviving until the next day. The fourth step was to perform ten additional LTs, with the goal of achieving 7 days of survival. The fifth step was to perform 5-10 more LTs, with the goal of achieving 7 days of survival in five consecutive LT operations. Systematizing the training was found to increase its efficiency. Furthermore, determining the specific number of operations in advance is useful to maintain motivation for training. Mastering efficient rat LT will not only enhance the success of preclinical research but will enable young surgeons to better perform vascular anastomoses under a microscope in humans.

A circulating subset of iNKT cells mediates antitumor and antiviral immunity.

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are a group of innate-like T lymphocytes that recognize lipid antigens. They are supposed to be tissue resident and important for systemic and local immune regulation. To investigate the heterogeneity of iNKT cells, we recharacterized iNKT cells in the thymus and peripheral tissues. iNKT cells in the thymus were divided into three subpopulations by the expression of the natural killer cell receptor CD244 and the chemokine receptor CXCR6 and designated as C0 (CD244-CXCR6-), C1 (CD244-CXCR6+), or C2 (CD244+CXCR6+) iNKT cells. The development and maturation of C2 iNKT cells from C0 iNKT cells strictly depended on IL-15 produced by thymic epithelial cells. C2 iNKT cells expressed high levels of IFN-γ and granzymes and exhibited more NK cell-like features, whereas C1 iNKT cells showed more T cell-like characteristics. C2 iNKT cells were influenced by the microbiome and aging and suppressed the expression of the autoimmune regulator AIRE in the thymus. In peripheral tissues, C2 iNKT cells were circulating that were distinct from conventional tissue-resident C1 iNKT cells. Functionally, C2 iNKT cells protected mice from the tumor metastasis of melanoma cells by enhancing antitumor immunity and promoted antiviral immune responses against influenza virus infection. Furthermore, we identified human CD244+CXCR6+ iNKT cells with high cytotoxic properties as a counterpart of mouse C2 iNKT cells. Thus, this study reveals a circulating subset of iNKT cells with NK cell-like properties distinct from conventional tissue-resident iNKT cells.

Anatomy of the Middle Hepatic Vein Tributaries to Promote Safer Hepatic Vein-Guided Liver Resection.

BACKGROUND: In laparoscopic anatomic liver resection, an increasingly common procedure, the hepatic vein-guided approach is widely used although the hepatic vein tributaries can be a major source of bleeding in the event of inadvertent injury. This report describes the anatomy of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) including its tributaries based on reconstructed three-dimensional computed tomography images and provides anatomic data to enable safe middle hepatic vein-guided liver resection. METHODS: Following simulation modeling of the hepatic vasculatures, reconstructed MHV data was pooled from 35 healthy liver donors. Yields of the MHV tributaries were analyzed to enable MHV-guided liver resection. RESULTS: A total of 252 tributaries were identified in the 35 donors. The MHV yielded fewer tributaries from its anterior and posterior aspects than from its right-side and left-side aspects (40 [15.9%], 13 [5.2%], 93 [36.9%], and 106 [42.1%], respectively). The MHV tributaries from the anterior and posterior aspects were smaller in diameter than those from the right-side and left-side aspects (median, 3.0, 2.0, 4.8, and 4.0 mm, respectively). DISCUSSION: Our simulation revealed that MHV dissection from the anterior or posterior aspect poses a lower risk of injury to the MHV tributaries compared to dissection from either lateral aspect. In addition, MHV dissection from the anterior or posterior aspect allows for safer identification and isolation of the thick MHV tributaries originating from the lateral aspects. Ideally, the anterior or posterior aspect of the MHV should be accessed and exposed before the lateral aspects are dissected to minimize the risk of MHV tributary injury.

Laparoscopic versus open liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Report of an international multicenter cohort study with propensity score matching.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a rare disease with a poor prognosis. In patients where surgical resection is possible, outcome is influenced by perioperative morbidity and lymph node status. Laparoscopic liver resection is associated with improved clinical and oncological outcomes in primary and metastatic liver cancer compared with open liver resection, but evidence on intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is still insufficient. The primary aim of this study was to compare overall survival for a large series of patients treated for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by open or laparoscopic approach. Secondary objectives were to compare disease-free survival, predictors of death, and recurrence. METHODS: Patients treated with laparoscopic or open liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from 2000 to 2018 from 3 large international databases were analyzed retrospectively. Each patient in the laparoscopic resection group (case) was matched with 1 open resection control (1:1 ratio), through a propensity score calculated on clinically relevant preoperative covariates. Overall and disease-free survival were compared between the matched groups. Predictors of mortality and recurrence were analyzed with Cox regression, and the Textbook Outcomes were described. RESULTS: During the study period, 855 patients met the inclusion criteria (open liver resection = 709, 82.9%; laparoscopic liver resection = 146, 17.1%). Two groups of 89 patients each were analyzed after propensity score matching, with no significant difference regarding pre- and postoperative variables. Overall survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 92%, 75%, and 63% in the laparoscopic liver resection group versus 92%, 58%, and 49% in the open liver resection group (P = .0043). Adjusted Cox regression revealed severe postoperative complications (hazard ratio: 10.5, 95% confidence interval [1.01-109] P = .049) and steatosis (hazard ratio: 13.8, 95% confidence interval [1.23-154] P = .033) as predictors of death, and transfusion (hazard ratio: 19.2, 95% confidence interval [4.04-91.4] P < .001) and severe postoperative complications (hazard ratio: 4.07, 95% confidence interval [1.15-14.4] P = .030) as predictors of recurrence. CONCLUSION: The survival advantage of laparoscopic liver resection over open liver resection for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is equivocal, given historical bias and missing data.

Laparoscopic liver resection versus percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for small hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) play central roles to treat early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, ≤3 cm, 1-3 nodules, and no macrovascular involvement), although data are lacking regarding whether LLR or RFA is preferable. This study aimed to compare outcomes of both treatments for small HCCs. METHODS: Treatment outcomes of small HCCs were compared between all the minor LLRs performed between 2005 and 2016 and RFAs performed between 2011 and 2016 at Kyoto University. RESULTS: A total of 85 and 136 patients underwent LLR and RFA, respectively. Patients that underwent LLR had higher incidence of blood transfusions, complications, and longer hospital stay. Overall and disease-specific survival rates were similar between LLR and RFA; however, recurrence-free (49.2% vs. 22.1% at 3-year) and local recurrence-free survival rates (94.9% vs. 63.6% at 3-year) were higher after LLR. Multivariate analyses identified that multiple nodules and 65-year-old and above are predictors of disease-specific survival, and that RFA is a predictor of recurrence and local recurrence. CONCLUSION: RFA is less invasive, although both LLR and RFA are safe and effective. LLR provides better local control with superior recurrence-free and local-recurrence free survival. These results help optimize treatment selection based on patient-specific factors.

Etiology of Liver Steatosis Influences the Severity of Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Survival After Liver Transplantation in Rats.

Liver steatosis is a leading cause of graft disposal in liver transplantation, though the degree of steatosis is often the single factor determining acceptability of the graft. We investigated how the cause of liver steatosis affects graft function in rat orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). OLT was performed using 2 types of steatotic liver grafts: the fasting and hyperalimentation (FHA) model and the methionine- and choline-deficient diet models. The FHA and 4-week feeding of a methionine- and choline-deficient diet (MCDD4wk) groups showed similar liver triglyceride levels without signs of steatohepatitis. Therefore, the 2 groups were compared in the following experiment. With 6-hour cold storage, the 7-day survival rate after OLT was far worse in the FHA than in the MCDD4wk group (0% versus 100%, P = 0.002). With 1-hour cold storage, the FHA group showed higher aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels and histological injury scores in zones 1 and 2 at 24 hours after reperfusion than the normal liver and MCDD4wk groups. Intrahepatic microcirculation and tissue adenosine triphosphate levels were significantly lower in the FHA group after reperfusion. Hepatocyte necrosis, sinusoidal endothelial cell injury, and abnormal swelling of the mitochondria were also found in the FHA group after reperfusion. Tissue malondialdehyde levels were higher in the MCDD4wk group before and after reperfusion. However, the grafts up-regulated several antioxidant enzymes soon after reperfusion. Even though the degree of steatosis was equivalent, the 2 liver steatosis models possessed quite unique basal characteristics and showed completely different responses against ischemia/reperfusion injury and survival after transplantation. Our results demonstrate that the degree of fat accumulation is not a single determinant for the usability of steatotic liver grafts.

Impact of the preoperative bone mineral density on the outcomes after resection of pancreatic cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and other body composition markers, as well as, the impact of preoperative BMD on the surgical outcomes after resection of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study included 275 patients who underwent surgical resection of pancreatic cancer in our institute between 2003 and 2016. Patients were divided according to BMD into low and normal groups and their postoperative outcomes were compared. Risk factors for mortality and tumor recurrence were also evaluated. RESULTS: Patients with low BMD were older (P < 0.001), had a higher intramuscular adipose tissue content (P = 0.011) and higher visceral fat area (P = 0.003). The incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) (grade ≥ B) was higher in the low BMD group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding overall survival and recurrence-free survival and low BMD was not a risk factor for mortality or tumor recurrence after resection of pancreatic cancer. CONCLUSION: A low preoperative BMD was not found to be a risk factor for mortality or tumor recurrence after resection of pancreatic cancer; however, it was associated with a higher incidence of clinically relevant POPF.

Including body composition in MELD scores improves mortality prediction among patients awaiting liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The Model for End-stage Liver Diseases (MELD) is widely accepted for prioritizing candidates awaiting liver transplantation (LT). However, MELD scores do not reflect the severity of the nutritional or functional status of patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed data from 173 patients who were waitlisted for LT at our institution between April 2006 and December 2016. By including skeletal muscle mass, muscle quality and visceral adiposity evaluated using plain computed tomography imaging in MELD scores, we developed body composition-MELD (BC-MELD), and investigated its impact on the prediction of mortality among patients awaiting LT. RESULTS: The equation generated using Cox regression analysis was as follows: BC-MELD = MELD score + 3.59 × low SMI + 5.42 × high IMAC + 2.06 × high VSR. (IMAC, intramuscular adipose tissue content; SMI, skeletal muscle mass index; VSR, visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio). The median BC-MELD score was 17.4 and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) revealed a cut-off BC-MELD score of 21.4 (AUC = 0.835, P < 0.001, sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 70.7%). Waitlist mortality in patients with high BC-MELD was significantly higher in all tested cohorts (P < 0.001) and among patients with lower conventional MELD scores (<15) (P < 0.001). The discriminatory power was significantly better for BC-MELD than MELD scores (AUC; 0.835 vs. 0.732, P = 0.001 for 3-month, AUC; 0.765 vs. 0.671, P = 0.002 for 6-month, AUC; 0.716 vs. 0.615, P < 0.001 for 12-month, AUC; 0.636 vs. 0.584, P = 0.014 for overall mortality). CONCLUSIONS: BC-MELD is the first to include not only muscularity but also visceral adiposity. It predicted waitlist mortality more accurately than the conventional MELD score. A new allocation system based on BC-MELD might lead to better outcomes for patients with cirrhosis awaiting LT.

Preoperative risk score for prediction of long-term outcomes after hepatectomy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Report of a collaborative, international-based, external validation study.

PURPOSE: A preoperative risk score (PRS) to predict outcome of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treated by liver surgery could be clinically relevant.To assess accuracy for broadly adoption, external validation of predictive models on independent datasets is crucial. The objective of this study was to externally validate the score for prediction of long-term outcomes after liver surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma proposed by Sasaki et al. and based on preoperative albumin, neutrophil-to-lymphocytes-ratio, CA19-9 and tumor size. METHODS: Patients treated by liver surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma at 11 international HPB centers from 2001 to 2018 were included in the external validation cohort. Harrell's c-index and Hosmer-Lemeshow analyses were used to test PRS discrimination and calibration. Kaplan-Meier curve for risk groups as described in the original study were displayed. RESULTS: A total of 355 patients with 174 deaths during the follow-up period (median = 41.7 months, IQR 32.8-50.6) were included. The median PRS value was 14.7 (IQR 10.7-20.6), with normal distribution across the cohort. A Cox regression on PRS covariates found coefficients similar to those of the derivation cohort, except for tumor size. Measures of discrimination estimated by Harrell's c-index was 0.61(95%CI:0.56-0.67) and Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.175. The Kaplan-Meyer estimation showed reasonable discrimination across risk groups, with 5years survival rate ranging from 20.1% to 0%. CONCLUSION: In this external validation cohort, the PRS had mild discrimination and poor calibration performance, similarly to the original publication. Nevertheless, its ability to identify different classes of risk is clinically useful, for a better tailoring of a therapeutic strategy.

Laparoscopic Parenchymal-Sparing Hepatectomy for Multiple Colorectal Liver Metastases Improves Outcomes and Salvageability: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Parenchymal-sparing hepatectomy (PSH) is regarded as the standard of care for colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) in open surgery. However, the surgical and oncological benefits of laparoscopic PSH compared with laparoscopic major hepatectomy (MH) have not been fully documented. METHODS: A total of 269 patients who underwent initial laparoscopic liver resections with curative intent for CRLMs between 2004 and 2017 were enrolled. Preoperative patient characteristics and tumor burden were adjusted with propensity score matching, and laparoscopic PSH was compared with laparoscopic MH after matching. RESULTS: PSH was performed in 148 patients, while MH was performed in 121 patients. After propensity score matching, 82 PSH and 82 MH patients showed similar preoperative characteristics. PSH was associated with lower rates of major postoperative complications compared with MH (6.1 vs. 15.9%; p = 0.046). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and liver-specific RFS rates were comparable between both groups (p = 0.595 and 0.683). Repeat hepatectomy for liver recurrence was more frequently performed in the PSH group (63.9 vs. 36.4%; p = 0.022), and the PSH group also showed a trend toward a higher overall survival (OS) rate (5-year OS 79.4 vs. 64.3%; p = 0.067). Multivariate analyses revealed that initial MH was one of the risk factors to preclude repeat hepatectomy after liver recurrence (hazard ratio 2.39, p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic PSH provided surgical and oncological benefits for CRLMs, with less complications, similar recurrence rates, and increased salvageability through repeat hepatectomy, compared with laparoscopic MH. PSH should be the standard approach, even in laparoscopic procedures.

Laparoscopic versus open two-stage hepatectomy for bilobar colorectal liver metastases: A bi-institutional, propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: The safety and feasibility of laparoscopic, two-stage hepatectomy for bilobar colorectal liver metastases is poorly evaluated. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 86 consecutive patients who underwent complete two-stage hepatectomy (left lobe clearance as the first stage and standard/extended right hepatectomy as the second stage) for bilobar colorectal liver metastases between 2007 and 2017 in 2 tertiary centers. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared between laparoscopic and open two-stage hepatectomy before and after propensity score matching. RESULTS: Laparoscopic two-stage hepatectomy was performed in 38 patients and open two-stage hepatectomy in 48. After propensity score matching, 25 laparoscopic and 25 open patients showed similar preoperative characteristics. For the first stage, a laparoscopic approach was associated with lesser hospital stays (4 vs 7.5 days; P < .001). For the second stage, a laparoscopic approach was associated with less blood loss (250 vs 500 mL; P = .040), less postoperative complications (32% vs 60%; P = .047), lesser hospital stays (9 vs 16 days; P = .013), and earlier administration of chemotherapy (1.6 vs 2 months; P = .039). Overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and liver-recurrence-free survival were comparable between the groups (3-year overall survival: 80% vs 54%; P = .154; 2-year recurrence-free survival: 20% vs 18%; P = .200; 2-year liver-recurrence-free survival: 39% vs 33%; P = .269). Although both groups had comparable recurrence patterns, repeat hepatectomies for recurrence were performed more frequently in the laparoscopic two-stage hepatectomy group (56% vs 0%; P = .006). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic two-stage hepatectomy for bilobar colorectal liver metastases is safe and feasible with favorable surgical and oncologic outcomes compared to open two-stage hepatectomy.

Auxiliary xenotransplantation as an in vivo bioreactor-Development of a transplantable liver graft from a tiny partial liver.

BACKGROUND: We established a completely novel method of auxiliary xenogeneic partial liver transplantation and examined whether liver grafts procured from Syrian hamsters regenerated in nude rats, which were used as in vivo bioreactors. METHODS: The hamsters and the rats were all males (n = 10). Partial liver grafts from hamsters were transplanted into nude rats in an auxiliary manner. We evaluated liver graft injury, rejection, and regeneration during 7 days after auxiliary xenogeneic partial liver transplantation. RESULTS: All rats survived until sacrifice on post-operative day (POD) 1, 3, and 7. HE-staining showed normal at POD1, mild periportal edema, and slight bile duct and venous endothelial inflammation at POD3, and moderate acute cellular rejection at POD7 without parenchymal necrosis. The liver regeneration rates at POD3 and 7 were 1.54 ± 0.23 and 2.54 ± 0.43, respectively. The Ki-67 labeling index was also elevated at POD3 (27.5 ± 4.1%). Serum HGF and VEGF were elevated at POD1 and 3. ATP levels of liver grafts recovered at POD7. CONCLUSIONS: These results revealed that with appropriate immunosuppressive therapy, partial liver graft regeneration occurred in a xenogeneic animal, which suggests liver grafts regenerated in xenogeneic environments, such as an in vivo bioreactor, have potential to be transplantable liver grafts for humans.