BSW light, the first completely virtual surgical congress in Belgium: out of the box.

BACKGROUND: Due to the SARS-COV2 pandemic-related restrictions the 2020 Belgian Surgical Week (BSW) was organized as a virtual congress, being the first surgical, virtual congress in Belgium. Since this was a new experience and probably not the last, we aim to share our experience to assist other professionals in organizing their virtual events. METHODS: The 'BSW-light' was organized by the RBSS in collaboration with a Professional Congress Organizer (PCO), which is described in detail. Analytical data of the event were provided by the PCO and a UEMS 'live educational events participant evaluation form' based survey was sent out to all registered participants, using google forms, to evaluate the event. RESULTS: During 2 days, 78 prerecorded presentations were broadcasted in 2 virtual conference rooms, each followed by a live Q & A session. The plenary session on the third day contained 8 live presentations, both from Belgium and from abroad. A total of 503 people registered for the congress, of whom 224 trainees. Each session attracted 158 visitors on average, each spending an average of 73 min. Attendees were satisfied with the technical aspect of the virtual congress, but they preferred an event that is at least partially live. CONCLUSION: Although the 'BSW-light' proved to be successful, a preference to meet in real life remained. However, given its potential, we should keep an open mind towards integrating the advantages of a virtual meeting into a live event.

Prognostic value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT in liver transplantation for hepatocarcinoma.

AIM: To evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment FDG positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) in patients with hepatocarcinoma treated by liver transplantation (LT). METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed the data of 27 patients (mean age 58 ± 9 years) who underwent FDG PET-CT before LT for hepatocarcinoma. Mean follow-up was 26 ± 18 mo. The FDG PET/CT was performed according to a standard clinical protocol: 4 MBqFDG/kg body weight, uptake 60 min, low-dose non-enhanced CT. The authors measured the SUVmax and SUVmean of the tumor and the normal liver. The tumor/liver activity ratios (RSUVmax and RSUVmean) were tested as prognostic factors and compared to the following conventional prognostic factors: MILAN, CLIP, OKUDA, TNM stage, alphafoetoprotein level, portal thrombosis, size of the largest nodule, tumor differentiation, microvascular invasion, underlying cirrhosis and liver function. RESULTS: Overall and recurrence free survivals were 80.7% and 67.4% at 3 years, and 70.6% and 67.4% at 5 years, respectively. According to a multivariate Cox model, only FDG PET/CT RSUVmax predicted recurrence free survival. Even though the MILAN criteria alone were not predictive, it is worth noting that none of the patients outside the MILAN criteria and with RSUVmax < 1.15 relapsed. CONCLUSION: FDG PET/CT with an RSUVmax cut-off value of 1.15 is a strong prognostic factor for recurrence and death in patients with HCC treated by LT in this retrospective series. Further prospective studies should test whether this metabolic index should be systematically included in the preoperative assessment.

Does comfort therapy during controlled donation after circulatory death shorten the life of potential donors?

INTRODUCTION: Controlled donation after circulatory death (DCD) remains ethically controversial. The authors developed a controlled DCD protocol in which comfort therapy is regularly used. The aim of this study was to determine whether this policy shortens the DCD donors' life. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed prospectively collected data on patients proposed for DCD at the University Hospital of Liege, Belgium, over a 56-month period. The survival duration of these patients, defined as duration between the time of proposal for DCD and the time of circulatory arrest, was compared between patients who actually donated organs and those who did not. RESULTS: About 128 patients were considered for controlled DCD and 54 (43%) became donors. Among the 74 non-donor patients, 34 (46%) objected to organ donation, 38 patients (51%) were denied by the transplant team for various medical reasons, and two potential DCD donors did not undergo procurement due to logistical and organizational reasons. The survival durations were similar in the DCD donor and non-donor groups. No non-donor patient survived. CONCLUSIONS: Survival of DCD donors is not shortened when compared with non-donor patients. These data support the ethical and respectful approach to potential DCD donors in the authors' center, including regular comfort therapy.

Liver transplantation for acute hepatic failure due to chemotherapy-induced HBV reactivation in lymphoma patients.

Hepatitis B (HBV) reactivation induced by chemotherapy is problem encountered recently in the management of malignant diseases. Chemotherapy-induced HBV reactivation may ultimately lead to terminal acute liver failure. Liver transplantation (LT) currently remains the only definitive treatment option for such cases, but is generally denied to patients suffering from malignancy. Here, the authors describe 2 cases of cancer-free and HBV graft re-infection-free survival after LT performed for terminal liver failure arising from HBV reactivation induced by chemotherapy for advanced stage lymphoma. These 2 cases, and some other reports in the literature, may suggest that patients suffering from hematologic malignancies and terminal liver disease can be considered for LT if the prognosis of their hematologic malignancy is good.

Liver transplantation for hepatic trauma: Discussion about a case and its management.

Liver transplant for trauma is a rare condition with 19 cases described in the literature. We report the case of a 16-year-old patient who suffered a gradeV liver injury with a vena cava tear after a car crash. After a computerized tomography (CT) scan, the patient was directly sent to the operating room where the surgeon performed a right hepatectomy extended to segment IV with a venous repair under discontinued hilar clamping. On day five, the patient developed acute liver failure and was put on an emergency transplant waiting list. He had a successful liver transplant 2 days later. Fifteen months after his transplant, the patient is alive and asymptomatic. This case report focuses on the patient's initial management, the importance of damage control surgery and the circumstances which finally led to the transplant.

Laparoscopic repair of colonoscopic perforation: a new standard?

BACKGROUND: Scientific evidence demonstrating interest in the laparoscopic approach for surgical repair of colonoscopic perforations is still lacking. The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 43 patients who suffered from colonic perforations after colonoscopy between 1989 and 2008 in two tertiary centers in order to compare the results of the laparoscopic and the open approaches to repair. METHODS: The patients' demographic data, perforation location, therapy, and outcome were recorded from the medical charts. Forty-two patients were managed operatively (19 laparoscopies and 23 laparotomies). In three patients who underwent explorative laparoscopy, the procedure had to be converted to laparotomy due to surgical difficulties. The patients who underwent laparotomy management had a longer period between the colonoscopy and the surgery (P=0.056) and more stercoral contaminations. RESULTS: The mean hospital stay was shorter for the laparoscopy group (P=0.02), which had fewer postoperative complications (P=0.01) and no mortality (NS). CONCLUSION: This series demonstrates that early laparoscopic management of colonoscopic perforation is safe. Laparoscopic management may lead to reduced surgical and psychological stress for the patient because of its low morbidity and mortality rates and shorter hospital stay. However, the procedure should be converted to a laparotomy if necessary.

Pressure-controlled ventilation does not improve gas exchange in morbidly obese patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Morbid obesity results in marked respiratory pathophysiologic changes that may lead to impaired intraoperative gas exchange. The decelerating inspiratory flow and constant inspiratory airway pressure resulting from pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) may be more adapted to these changes and improve gas exchanges compared with volume-controlled ventilation (VCV). METHODS: Forty morbidly obese patients scheduled for gastric bypass were included in this study. Total intravenous anesthesia was given using the target-controlled infusion technique. During the first intraoperative hour, VCV was used and the tidal volume was adjusted to keep end-tidal PCO(2) around 35 mmHg. After 1 h, patients were randomly allocated to 30-min VCV followed by 30-min PCV or the opposite sequence using a Siemens Servo 300. FiO(2) was 0.6. During PCV, airway pressure was adjusted to provide the same tidal volume as during VCV. Arterial blood was sampled for gas analysis every 15 min. Ventilatory parameters were also recorded. RESULTS: Peak inspiratory airway pressures were significantly lower during PCV than during VCV (P < 0.0001). The other ventilatory parameters were similar during the two periods of ventilation. PaO(2) and PaCO(2) were not significantly different during PCV and VCV. CONCLUSION: PCV does not improve gas exchange in morbidly obese patients undergoing gastric bypass compared to VCV.

Radiochemotherapy and transplantation allow long-term survival for nonresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Results of liver transplantation in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma have been poor as a result of the high incidence of locoregional dissemination and tumor recurrence. This study evaluates the effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy combined with orthotopic liver transplantation in a carefully selected group of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Seventeen patients were included in the study. The neoadjuvant protocol included 6,000 cgy biliary brachy-therapy delivered through percutaneous transhepatic catheters and intravenous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (300mg/m2/day) until transplantation. Five of the 17 patients demonstrated tumor progression precluding transplantation. One patient died of sepsis on the waiting list. Eleven patients underwent liver transplantation, a median of 3.4 months (range = 1-26 months) after diagnosis. Five of the 11 (45%) are alive without evidence of tumor recurrence with a median follow up of 7.5 years (range = 2.8-14.5 years). Six deaths occurred in the transplanted patients. Tumor recurrence was responsible for two deaths at 10 and 18months, respectively, after transplantation. Three mortalities resulted from bacterial or fungal peritonitis and sepsis. One patient underwent re-transplantation for chronic rejection and died from graft failure resulting from hepatic artery thrombosis 16 months after diagnosis without evidence of tumor recurrence. Complications of transhepatic catheter placement included bile duct perforation (n = 4) and biliary-portal vein fistula (n = 1). All these patients died of tumor recurrence or sepsis. Cholangiocarcinoma should not be considered an absolute exclusion criteria for orthotopic liver transplantation. Long-term, tumor-free survival was achieved in 45% of the transplanted patients. Complications of biliary catheter placement for brachytherapy were associated with poor outcome.

Reversal of oxalosis cardiomyopathy after combined liver and kidney transplantation.

Few data have been published on the course of oxalosis cardiomyopathy after combined liver and kidney transplantation in hyperoxaluria patients with myocardial involvement. We report the case of a primary hyperoxaluria type 1 patient with renal failure who developed end-stage cardiomyopathy. Left venticulography showed severe diffuse hypokinesia and left ventricular ejection fraction was calculated at 12%. Endomyocardial biopsy demonstrated platelike calcium oxalate crystals within the myocardium and the connective tissue, and mild perivascular fibrosis. The patient was first considered for combined liver-heart-kidney transplantation, but as his cardiac function improved slightly with an intensive dialysis program, combined liver and kidney transplantation was performed. Normal cardiac function was demonstrated at 1-year follow-up, and comparative endomyocardial biopsy showed regression of the myocardial oxalate deposits. This case adds stronger clinical, hemodynamic, and histopathological evidence that severe oxalosis cardiomyopathy may be reversed after combined liver and kidney transplantation.