Intensive Early Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit for Liver Transplant Recipients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the feasibility and tolerance of an intensive rehabilitation protocol initiated during the postoperative period in an intensive care unit (ICU) in liver transplant recipients. DESIGN: Prospective randomized study. SETTING: ICU. PARTICIPANTS: Liver transplant recipients over a period of 1 year (N=40). INTERVENTIONS: The "usual treatment group" (n=20), which benefited from the usual treatment applied in the ICU (based on physician prescription for the physiotherapist, with one session a day), and the experimental group (n=20), which followed a protocol of early and intensive rehabilitation (based on a written protocol validated by physicians and an evaluation by physiotherapist, with 2 sessions a day), were compared. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Our primary aims were tolerance, assessed from the number of adverse events during rehabilitation sessions, and feasibility, assessed from the number of sessions discontinued. RESULTS: The results revealed a small percentage of adverse events (1.5% in the usual treatment group vs 1.06% in the experimental group) that were considered to be of low intensity. Patients in the experimental group sat on the edge of their beds sooner (2.6 vs 9.7d; P=.048) and their intestinal transit resumed earlier (5.6 vs 3.7d; P=.015) than patients in the usual treatment group. There was no significant difference between the 2 arms regarding length of stay (LOS), despite a decrease in duration in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of an intensive early rehabilitation program for liver transplant recipients was well tolerated and feasible in the ICU. We noted that the different activities proposed were introduced sooner in the experimental group. Moreover, there is a tendency to decreased LOS in the ICU for the experimental group. These results now need to be confirmed by studies on a larger scale.

Ileal patch duodenoplasty after right colectomy extended to the duodenal wall.

After radical resection of cancer of the right colonic flexure, a parietal defect can be created in case of duodenal invasion. In this paper the authors describe an "easy and safe" duodenoplasty surgical technique using an ileal patch.

Prognostic factors after resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in nonfibrotic or moderately fibrotic liver. A 116-case European series.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing prognosis after resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in the noncirrhotic liver and to measure the impact of moderate fibrosis on presentation and prognosis. A series of 116 primary procedures were performed for hepatocellular carcinoma in the noncirrhotic liver. These cases accounted for 42% of hepatic resections performed for hepatocellular carcinoma during the study period (1987-2005). Seventy-seven cases (58%) occurred in patients with nonfibrotic livers (Metavir score F0). The mean age was 61 years. The sex ratio was 3.5, with a female predominance before 50 years. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus infection was found in 30% of patients. Symptoms were present in 64% of cases. Elevated serum alpha fetoprotein levels were observed in 44% of cases. Procedures involved minor hepatectomy in 40 cases, major hepatectomy in 72 cases, and transplantation in 4 cases. Postoperative mortality was 6% and morbidity was 31%. Complete resection was achieved in 90% of cases. The tumor was isolated in 72% of cases. The mean tumor diameter was 10.6 cm. Vascular invasion was observed in 48% of cases. Hepatocellular carcinoma in the nonfibrotic liver was associated with younger age and female sex, but there was no difference with other hepatocellular carcinoma with regard to histological or prognostic features. With a median follow-up of 79 months, overall survival was 40% for a median of 41 months. Multivariate analysis identified incomplete resection, vascular invasion, and HBV infection as independent factors of poor prognosis. In case of recurrence, repeat resection was feasible in 30% of cases with 69% survival at 5 years. Although hepatocellular carcinoma in the noncirrhotic liver is generally diagnosed at an advanced stage, its resectability remains high. As a result, hepatocellular carcinoma in the noncirrhotic liver accounts for a large proportion of cases in surgical series and has a better prognosis than hepatocellular carcinoma in the cirrhotic liver. Vascular invasion, incomplete resection, and HBV infection are independent factors of poor prognosis.

Resection of hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus in the major vasculature. A European case-control series.

Tumor thrombus in major vasculature is a frequent finding with a poor long-term prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The utility of surgical resection is still controversial. This study compared morbidity and survival after resection for HCC with and without tumor thrombus. Data of 108 patients who underwent major hepatic resection for HCC were prospectively recorded. Patients were divided into two groups. The venous thrombectomy (VT) group included 26 patients who had HCC with tumor thrombus in the portal or hepatic veins. The matched control group included 82 patients who had HCC without tumor thrombus. Surgical technique, early outcome, and late survival were analyzed in each group. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the prognostic value of this feature. Surgical technique was comparable in the VT and control group with regard to extent of hepatectomy, procedure duration, and transfusion requirements. Early postoperative outcome was also comparable. Actuarial survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 38%, 20%, and 13%, respectively, in the VT group (median: 9 months) versus 74%, 56%, and 33%, respectively, in the control group (median: 41 months). In the subgroup of patients with tumor thrombus limited to the portal vein, actuarial survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 50%, 26%, and 17%, respectively, (median: 12 months) and two patients lived longer than 5 years. Multivariate analysis showed that incomplete resection, alphafetoprotein level greater than 100 N, more than two tumor nodules, and tumor thrombus in major vasculature were independent factors of poor prognosis. Survival after resection for HCC with tumor thrombus in the major vasculature is poorer than after resection for HCC without tumor thrombus. However, an aggressive surgical strategy can provide significant survival with comparable morbidity in selected cases, that is, tumor thrombus located in the portal vein only and expected complete resection of the lesions.

Leiomyosarcoma of the retrohepatic portion of the inferior vena cava: clinical presentation and surgical management in five patients.

BACKGROUND: Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare primary soft tissue sarcoma arising from the inferior vena cava (IVC). For LMS involving the retrohepatic portion of IVC there are limited published data about tumor features, surgical strategies, and IVC replacement. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical data, surgical procedures, and pathologic features of five consecutive patients referred for IVC-LMS, in 5 years, were reviewed. A complete surgical resection of the tumor was performed in each patient and IVC replacement used expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. RESULTS: Abdominal pain (n = 4) and palpable flank mass (n = 3) were the most frequent signs. To assure a complete tumoral exeresis, adjacent organ resection included hepatectomy (n = 4), extended right nephrectomy (n = 3), and right adrenalectomy (n = 1). Prosthetic IVC reconstruction was performed in four patients, three times associated with arteriovenous fistula. Median postoperative stay was 18 days. No prosthetic-related complication was observed, venous insufficiency sequela did not occur. Tumoral clearance was achieved in all patients, and direct tumoral involvement of the liver was less frequent than for kidney. Three patients died at a median followup of 34 months, two are alive and disease-free at 34 and 44 months. CONCLUSIONS: LMS of the IVC is characterized by locally advanced status at the time of diagnosis. A radical tumoral resection associated with liberal use of venous prosthetic replacement may offer a chance for cure and good quality of life in palliative situations.

Congenital intrathoracic herniation of the right liver--late presentation as anicteric cholestasis.

This report describes an unusual case of right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia discovered fortuitously in a 45-year-old woman. Herniation was characterized by intrathoracic protrusion of the right liver and other abdominal viscera, left intrahepatic biliary dilatation, and anicteric cholestasis. Surgical repair was performed.