[Biliary cast syndrome in non-liver surgery patients].

Biliary cast describes the presence of casts within the biliary tree. It is resultant sequel of cholangitis and hepatocyte damage secondary to bile stasis and bile duct injury. Biliary cast syndrome was first reported in patient undergone liver transplantation. The pathogenesis of biliary cast is not clearly identified, but proposed etiologic factors include post-transplant bile duct damage, ischemia, biliary infection, or post-operative biliary drainage tube. Although biliary casts are uncommon, most of biliary cast syndrome are reported in the liver transplant or hepatic surgery patients. A few reports have been published about non-transplant or non-liver surgery biliary cast. We report two cases of biliary cast syndrome in non-liver surgery patients.

Clinical characteristics of stent fracture after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: Despite several case reports of sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) fracture and concern regarding restenosis after successful SES implantation, the clinical characteristics of this problem are not well known. METHODS: Clinical records and angiographic films of patients who received follow-up coronary angiography between February 2005 and October 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 686 SES implanted in 479 patients, 27 fractures were found in 22 (3.2%) stents in 18 patients. All stent fractures occurred in long stented segments, i.e. >/=28 mm (range, 28 mm to 83 mm). Of the 22 fractured stents, sixteen (72.7%) were identified in the right coronary artery (RCA) and fifteen (68.2%) were found to have a fracture site within 10 mm from areas with increased rigidity due to metal overlap. The significant multivariate predictors of stent fracture were the stented length (Odds ratio 1.06; 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.09; p=0.001) and the RCA location (Odds ratio 4.44; 95% confidence interval 1.66-11.86; p=0.003). The binary restenosis rate was 22.7% and target lesion revascularization was performed in two (9.1%) fractured stents. CONCLUSIONS: SES fracture was associated with a long stented segment, RCA location and metal overlap. Stent fracture may be another potential risk factor for restenosis after successful SES implantation.

[Biliary-duodenal fistula following radiofrequency ablation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma].

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms occurring worldwide. Surgical resection currently provides the best chance of long-term tumor free survival, but the most HCCs are not candidates for surgical excision due to poor liver function or poor medical background. Numerous noninvasive alternatives to surgical resection have been introduced to treat liver cancers. Radiofrequency thermal ablation has begun to receive much attention as an effective and minimally invasive technique for the local control of HCC. The biliary system related complications after radiofrequency ablation has rarely been reported. We report a case of biliary-duodenal fistula with liver abscess after radiofrequency ablation for HCC. The case was treated by abscess drainage and antibiotics.