Metabolic and surgical factors affecting postoperative quality of life in patients with total pancreatectomy with or without splenectomy: Single center results.

Objectives: Pancreatic resection may be required in the treatment of patients with pathologies of the pancreas. Total pancreatectomy is a major surgical procedure with serious risk of mortality and morbidity, and patient selection is important for prognosis. The endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that develops in patients after total pancreatectomy can lead to a serious decrease in the quality of life of the patients due to pain, diarrhea, vomiting etc. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of total pancreatectomy with spleen preservation as well as splenectomy on the quality of life of the patients. Material and Methods: In our study, we retrospectively analyzed the data of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, intrapapillary mucinous neoplasia, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and chronic pancreatitis undergoing from partial to total pancreatic resections in our clinic between 12/2017 and 12/2022. Quality of life was compared using the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale. Results: A total of 47 total pancreatectomy patients, 30 (63.8%) males and 17 (36.2%) females, were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 61.38 (39-83) years. Five (35.7%) patients underwent perioperative total pancreatectomy because of high risk of pancreatic fistula development due to hard parenchyma and narrow pancreatic duct. Patients had a perioperative blood loss of 500 mL or more, and there was a statistically significant increase in perioperative blood loss compared to patients without vascular resection (p <0.001). Forty (85.1%) patients used enzyme preparations to replace pancreatic enzymes. Conclusion: After total pancreatectomy, quality of life of the patients is reduced both by surgical factors and by metabolic factors due to endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in the postoperative period.

A new method for predicting alcohol relapse in patients undergoing liver transplantation for alcohol-related liver failure: Barratt scale.

Background and Aim: Alcohol-induced liver disease has become one of the major causes of chronic liver disease worldwide with the increasing use of alcohol in society. The most important step in treatment is cessation of alcohol consumption. In patients with advanced liver disease, the most effective treatment is liver transplantation. Careful evaluation of patients with alcoholic liver disease before transplantation can help identify those at high risk of relapsing. Materials and Methods: Of a total of 42 patients who underwent liver transplantation for alcohol-related liver failure in our hospital between 2011 and 2022, 26 surviving patients were included in the study. Patient data were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic data, MELD score, history of alcohol consumption, alcohol treatment, post-transplant prognosis and survival were analyzed. The Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 Short Form (BIS-11 SF) was applied to the surviving patients for impulsivity analysis to predict the possibility of relapse. Results: Of the 26 patients who were included in the study, all were male. The mean age at transplantation was 53 (31-71) years. Mean MELD score was 22.31 (9-36). 12 patients (46.2%) received living donor liver transplantation and 14 patients (53.8%) received cadaveric liver transplantation. 25 patients (96.2%) had no post-transplant dependence, while 1 patient (3.8%) had post-transplant dependence. 5 patients (19.2%) continued to consume alcohol after transplantation. Conclusion: In our study, we observed that patients with high motor impulsivity tendency according to BSI-11 SF had alcohol relapse. We believe that revising this scale with more detailed questions for alcohol-dependent liver patients and applying it to patients before transplantation will be effective in better selection for transplantation and guiding patients to appropriate therapy and thus preventing relapse after transplantation.

Comparison of Liver Transplant Outcomes in Biliary Atresia Patients, Considering Whether They Underwent the Kasai Procedure Beforehand: A Single Center Analysis of 72 Patients.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the results of liver transplantation (LT) in patients with biliary atresia, considering whether they underwent the Kasai procedure beforehand. LT and determine postoperative and long-term graft outcomes. METHODS: This single-center, retrospective study included 72 pediatric patients diagnosed with postpartum biliary atresia who underwent LT between 2010 and 2022. We included patients who underwent LT either after or without the Kasai procedure and compared the demographic data of the patients with various factors, such as the Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease scores and laboratory values. RESULTS: The study included 72 patients, with 39 of them being female (54.2%) and 33 of them being male (45.8%). Of the 72 patients in the study, 47 (65.3%) had undergone the Kasai procedure, and 25 (34.7%) had not. The preoperative and postoperative month 1 bilirubin values were lower in patients who underwent the Kasai procedure and were higher in postoperative months 3 and 6. Preoperative bilirubin values, postoperative month 3 bilirubin values, and preoperative albumin values were higher in patients who developed mortality (P < .05). Cold ischemia time was longer in patients who developed mortality (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed a higher mortality rate in patients who underwent the Kasai procedure. The results also showed that LT was more effective in children, as patients with Kasai had higher mean bilirubin values and higher preoperative albumin values than patients without Kasai.

Predictive Value of Red Blood Cell Distribution Width, Platelet Count to Lymphocyte Count Ratio, and Neutrophil Count to Lymphocyte Count Ratio Values for the Detection of Postoperative Infection in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) value is a simple and fast parameter that shows an elevation in the presence of infectious disease. It is thought that proinflammatory signals cause changes in the cell wall of the erythrocytes. In our study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of RDW and other parameters in patients undergoing liver transplantation. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 200 patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT) in our center. The study group was 100 patients who underwent LT and developed a postoperative abdominal or catheter-related infection in the early period between the first and second weeks of hospitalization. The control group comprises 100 patients who underwent LT and were discharged without complications. In 4 different periods, inflammatory markers and RDW, platelet count to lymphocyte count ratio, and neutrophil count to lymphocyte count ratio (NLR) values were compared in the 2 groups. RESULTS: In our study, we found RDW and NLR parameters to be elevated in correlation with infection in patients who underwent LT (P < .05). Other markers were elevated but not significantly correlated with infection. CONCLUSIONS: These parameters can be simple and effective additional tools to implement in patients suspected of infection. Further prospective studies with larger patient groups and varying infection states are required for validating RDW and NLR as additional diagnostic markers.

Preliminary Report of the ministry of health working group on standardization of living donor liver transplantation in Turkiye.

Liver transplantation is successfully achieved all over the world and in Turkiye. Similar to many middle and far east countries, donation from deceased donors has not reached the desired level in Turkiye. Therefore, in Turkiye, living donors have been frequently used for liver transplantation. Although Turkiye is the leading country in Europe and one of the top three countries in the world executing LDLT, nationwide standardization of LDLT protocols, including donor and recipient evaluation and acceptance criteria, donor and recipient follow-up and reporting rules, and routine periodic audits by the ministry of health authorities, has not been established. Therefore, we created a working group to study reviewing regulations of LDLT operation in Europe and the USA. The establishment and implementation of standardization of LDLT operation will serve to improve the donor and recipient outcomes while preventing incomplete or incorrect practices. The guide prepared on this subject is presented in the Appendix.

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: introducing a diagnostic algorithm based on 5 years of follow-up of 152 cases from Turkey and a review of the literature.

PURPOSE: The goals of this study were to report our clinical experience in a single center at a high-volume tertiary university hospital in Istanbul and to introduce a diagnostic algorithm based on a 5-year follow-up of 152 women with biopsy-proven idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM). IGM is an uncommon, non-malignant, chronic inflammatory disease of the mammary gland with an unknown etiology. The symptoms, clinical presentation, and radiologic findings of IGM may resemble carcinomas. To our knowledge, this study comprises the largest series of IGM, especially with a 5-year follow-up, yet reported in the English literature. METHODS: The present study reported our single-center clinical experience at a tertiary university hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, and introduced a diagnostic algorithm using our treatment protocol based on a 5-year follow-up of 152 women with biopsy-proven IGM. Our database of 10 years' experience containing over 700 patients with IGM was evaluated. However, to assess recurrence and resistance to treatment, only the 152 patients with a long follow-up period of 5 years were included in the study group. The analysis included 152 women with biopsy-proven IGM who were treated between January 2009 and March 2014. The clinical data of the presentation, histopathology, and treatment modalities were analyzed by reviewing the medical records. RESULTS: Of the 152 patients diagnosed with granulomatous mastitis, 32 (21%) recovered by expectant management, while 14 (9%) responded to antibiotics, 65 (43%) received corticosteroids, 20 (13%) had antituberculosis medication, 16 (11%) underwent excision, and 5 (3%) responded to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Fifty-one patients (33%) had recurrence; of these, 30 achieved a cure with second-line treatment, 16 underwent excision, and 5 achieved a cure with observation. CONCLUSION: IGM is a rare benign breast disorder, and clinicians need a high index of suspicion to diagnose it, as IGM can be mistaken for breast cancer. Unlike periductal mastitis, IGM does not evolve secondary to nicotine addiction and is typically seen in women of childbearing age with a recent history of pregnancy and lactation. The diagnosis can be challenging, and an evaluation with a multidisciplinary team is necessary. There is no consensus concerning the definitive treatment approach. We suggested a diagnostic algorithm in the present study, using our treatment protocol based on the 5 years' follow-up of 152 women.

Rare case of bilateral incarcerated obturator hernia: a case report.

Here, we report the case of an 84-year-old woman with acute mechanical intestinal obstruction (AMIO) who was admitted to our Emergency Department. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an incarcerated bilateral obturator hernia, and the defect was resolved using transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) technique with polypropylene mesh. The patient was administered an oral regimen two days after the operation. The patient stayed in the intensive care unit for 4 days and was uneventfully discharged on the 9th postoperative day. Follow-up was scheduled at the 6th month, during which no adverse events were detected and the patient did not report any complaints. Obturator hernia is among the differential diagnoses of intestinal obstruction requiring early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention. Laparoscopic approach is less invasive compared with open surgery, and it can be attempted in cases presenting with no sign of ischemia or peritonitis. TAPP technique should be preferred since it allows the control of all intraabdominal pathologies and the viability of the intestines.

Segmental grafts in adult and pediatric liver transplantation: improving outcomes by minimizing vascular complications.

IMPORTANCE: The use of technically variant segmental grafts are key in offering transplantation to increase organ availability. OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of segmental allograft in the current era of donor scarcity, minimizing vascular complications using innovative surgical techniques. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective study from August 2007 to August 2012 at a university hospital. A total of 218 consecutive liver transplant patients were reviewed, and 69 patients (31.6%; 38 males and 31 females; mean age, 22.5 years) received segmental grafts from living donors or split/reduced-size grafts from deceased donors. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Graft type, vascular and biliary complications, and patient and graft survival. RESULTS: Of 69 segmental transplants, 47 were living donor liver transplants: 13 grafts (27.7%) were right lobes, 22 (46.8%) were left lobes, and 12 (25.5%) were left lateral segments. Twenty-two patients received deceased donor segmental grafts; of these, 11 (50.0%) were extended right lobes, 9 (40.9%) were left lateral segments, 1 (4.5%) was a right lobe, and 1 (4.5%) was a left lobe. Arterial anastomoses were done using 8-0 monofilament sutures in an interrupted fashion for living donor graft recipients and for pediatric patients. Most patients received a prophylactic dose of low-molecular-weight heparin for a week and aspirin indefinitely. There was no incidence of hepatic artery or portal vein thrombosis. Two patients developed hepatic artery stenosis and were treated with balloon angioplasty by radiology. Graft and patient survivals were 96% and 98%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Use of segmental allografts is essential to offer timely transplantation and decrease waiting list mortality. Living donor liver transplants and segmental grafts from deceased donors are complementary. It is possible to have excellent outcomes combining a multidisciplinary team approach, technical expertise, routine use of anticoagulation, and strict patient and donor selection.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a surgical perspective.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. Early detection and timely treatment of HCC is critical for better patient outcomes. Curative therapy consists of surgical hepatic resection or liver transplantation (LTx); however, both are restricted to explicit selective criteria. Liver resection is the gold standard of treatment for noncirrhotic patients but can be done in only a small fraction of cirrhotic patients depending on synthetic dysfunction, degree of portal hypertension, and number and location(s) of tumor(s). Therefore, the best treatment modality in cirrhotic patients with HCC is LTx as it will cure both HCC and the underlying cirrhosis. The limitation to offer transplant to all cirrhotic patients with HCC is the shortage of available donor organs. While these patients are waiting for transplant, their tumors may progress and develop distant metastases and may lead to patients losing their candidacy for LTx. Various ablation therapies can be used to treat HCC, prevent tumor progression, and thus, avoid patients losing the option of LTx. Future directions to improve HCC patient outcomes include advancement in tumor gene analysis and histopathology for better prediction of tumor behavior, improved immunosuppression regimens to reduce tumor recurrence in the posttransplant setting, and efficient use of an expanded donor pool that includes living donor organs. This paper will review the current methods of HCC diagnosis, selection for either hepatic resection or LTx, and will also summarize posttreatment outcomes. We will suggest future directions for the field as we strive to improve outcomes for our HCC patients.

Current concepts in pediatric liver tumors.

Liver tumors in children can be classified into benign or malignant; some of the benign lesions can have the potential of malignant transformation, and therefore the therapeutic approach may change. These neoplasms account for nearly 1-2% of all pediatric tumors and they have gained significant attention in the last decades due to data suggesting that the incidence may be increasing 5% annually. We know that with new and improved imaging modalities some of these lesions may be detected more often than before. Recent studies showed that liver cancer represented 2% of malignancies in infants by 1980s and this was doubled in incidence to 4% in the following 10 yr. In this review our aim is to discuss all primary liver tumors in children with attention to their clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features followed by the current standard of care.

Current concepts in pediatric liver transplantation.

Liver transplantation is the definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease in both children and adults. Advances over the last 2 decades have resulted in excellent patient and graft survival rates in what were previously cases of fatal disorders. These developments have been due to innovations in surgical technique, increased surgical experience, refinements in immunosuppressive regimens, quality improvements in intraoperative anesthetic management, better understanding of the pathophysiology of the liver diseases, and better preoperative and postoperative care. Remarkably, the use of split-liver and living-related liver transplantation surgical techniques has helped mitigate the well-recognized national organ shortage. This review will discuss the major aspects of pediatric liver transplantation as it pertains to indication for transplantation, recipient selection and listing for orthotopic liver transplantation, pre-orthotopic liver transplantation care of children, optimal timing of orthotopic liver transplantation, surgical technical considerations, postoperative care and complications, and patient and graft survival outcomes.

Liver transplantation at Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center.

It is possible to achieve better results after liver transplantation in adult and pediatric patients. An approach driven by multidisciplinary protocol is the most important factor, along with excellent communication skills, technical expertise, application of new technologies such as MARS and Arctic-Sun for ALF, and new knowledge/treatment protocols such as escalating-dose interferon ribavirin treatment, protocol biopsies, routine use of IL28B gene mutation and new protease inhibitors as part of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C.