Understanding the living-related pediatric liver transplantation donor's decision process: A questionnaire-based retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the donor characteristics and understand the sociocultural and familial aspects of the decision to donate for living donor liver transplant. METHODS: This is a retrospective study done in the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology of a liver transplant centre. We enrolled the consenting donors of pediatric liver transplantation between January 2020 and January 2022. The study was conducted through an anonymized questionnaire which was drafted in a multiple-choice format. The questionnaire had three domains having questions pertaining to demographic details, donor characteristics and sociofamilial aspects of the decision-making process. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 50 donors, 23 males (46%) and 27 females (54%), with the mean age being 31.8 ± 5.6 years. Parent-to-child was the most frequent relationship (n = 39, 78%). More than half of our donors had annual income <2.5 lakh/annum or <3500 USD (n = 27, 54%). Twenty-six (52%) responders had >4 members in their family; 62% were residing in urban areas and 52% of the donors were graduates. The main source of information regarding the feasibility of living donor liver transplantation was primary physicians in 46%. Financial management was the main hurdle in 72%. Majority (74%) denied any effect on their marital relationship and 6% of donors thought that the degree of information provided to them before the transplantation regarding donation was insufficient. CONCLUSION: Our study serves as an essential tool for health professionals to provide sufficient support to the donor. Clinical outcomes and cost must be part of the discussion between caregivers, health professionals and fund contributors.

Intraoperative portal vein stenting through umbilical vein approach: An innovative salvage procedure for portal vein thrombosis in pediatric liver transplant.

BACKGROUND: IPVS is considered a last resort or a salvage procedure in the event of recurrent PV thrombosis despite multiple attempts at redo PV anastomosis. We employed the opened umbilical vein approach to place the stent in the PV and deliver anticoagulation through a catheter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Jan 2017 to Feb 2022, 150 patients underwent pediatric transplantation at department of liver transplant and hepatobiliary surgery unit, Indraprastha Apollo hospitals, New Delhi. Age, weight, PELD Score, diagnosis, portal vein diameter on preoperative CT, Portal flow after stenting, decrease in spleen size after stenting in follow-up CT were collected from a prospectively maintained data base and reviewed. RESULTS: Eight patients underwent IPVS following LDLT (mean age-10.6 ± 2.2 months, mean weight 8.1 ± 1.6, mean PELD score 32.7 ± 7.3). The mean PV diameter on preoperative CT scan was 3.6 mm (range 2.7-5.6 mm). The mean portal flow following stenting was 718.75 cc/min. Percentage reduction in size of the spleen was 26.35% beyond 2nd post-operative week. No patient had recurrent PV thrombosis following IPVS and all maintained an adequate portal flow throughout the immediate postoperative period. Two patients had in-hospital mortality secondary to septic complications. CONCLUSION: Umbilical vein approach is technically feasible, easy to manipulate the stent and catheter placement after stenting helps to deliver anticoagulants locally.

HPi: A Novel Parameter to Predict Graft-related Outcome in Adult Living Donor Liver Transplant.

BACKGROUND: Portal hyperperfusion is frequently associated with early allograft dysfunction (EAD). It is imperative to identify patients who would require portal inflow modulation. We aimed to identify factors associated with hyperperfusion-related graft injury and develop a predictive index for the same. METHODS: Prospectively maintained database was queried to identify 135 adult living donor liver transplant recipients between September 2016 and July 2020. According to the calculated sample size, 96 patients were randomly selected for "test cohort". The remaining 39 patients made the "validation cohort." EAD was defined according to the A2ALL study. "Hyperperfusion index (HPi)," defined as posttransplant portal pressure gradient (ΔPpost)/graft-to-recipient splenic volume ratio (GRSVR), was devised on the basis of laws of flow dynamics and regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 40 patients (29.6%) had EAD, six 90-d mortalities (4.4%) were attributable to EAD. In the test cohort, EAD patients (n = 29, 30.2%) had lower GRSVR (1.00 versus 2.22, P < 0.001), higher ΔPpost (14.8 versus 11.9, P = 0.004), and HPi (20.89 versus 8.67, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed GRSVR, ΔPpost, and HPi as significant factors to predict EAD. Receiver operating characteristic determined cutoff of HPi ≥9.97 could predict EAD with sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 73% (F-score = 0.712). HPi ≥16.25 predicted 90-d mortality with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 78.9%. Patients with higher HPi had delayed graft-related recovery. Non-EAD patients had a higher 1-y (96% versus 79%) and 2-y (88% versus 79%) survival. The cutoff of HPi was validated well in the validation cohort (F-score = 0.645) (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = 0.89). CONCLUSIONS: While predicted GRSVR may help identify at-risk patients preoperatively, intraoperatively calculated HPi is more accurate in identifying patients who would require portal inflow modulation. Achieving an HPi below target cutoff significantly decreases the risk of EAD even in low-GRSVR patients.

Doppler-derived renal resistive index helps predict acute kidney injury in patients undergoing living-related liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly associated with increased postoperative morbidity in liver transplant (LT) recipients. The aim of this study was to identify the role of renal resistive index (RRI) in predicting AKI and to study the factors associated with AKI in LT recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a single-center, prospective study, including adult living donor LT recipients at our center between January 2018 and September 2019 with no preoperative renal dysfunction. RRI was calculated on ultrasound doppler once preoperatively, and once daily in the postoperative period through postoperative day (POD) six. Patients were grouped into AKI and non-AKI groups for comparison. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included in the study (mean age, 44 years; 20% females). AKI developed in 25 patients (50%). Both groups were similar in baseline characteristics. RRI of ≥ 0.69 on POD 2 predicted AKI (sensitivity 88%; specificity 92%). RRI on the day before AKI diagnosis (0.71 vs. 0.65) and on the day of diagnosis (0.72 vs. 0.65) were significantly increased relative to preoperative baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Doppler-derived RRI is a rapid, non-invasive, and bedside procedure capable of predicting the occurrence of postoperative AKI in LT recipients.

Alveolar echinococcosis of liver: a diagnostic problem in a nonendemic area.

Alveolar echinococcosis is a parasitic disease primarily invading the liver. Due to its aggressive nature, it invades the adjacent structures and can even metastasize to distant organs. The appearance of hepatic involvement on computed tomographic scan is characteristic, but not specific, with areas of calcification seen within a hypoenhancing mass. Although magnetic resonance imaging may better define the extent of the disease, it often misleads the radiologist, especially if the lesion is devoid of cystic component(s) and if it occurs in nonendemic areas. Knowledge of the imaging appearance may prompt serological evaluation and aid in making an early diagnosis and planning appropriate treatment of this uncommon fatal disease, especially in nonendemic areas.

Single or multiport percutaneous endoscopic necrosectomy performed with the patient under conscious sedation is a safe and effective treatment for infected pancreatic necrosis (with video).

BACKGROUND: Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a dreaded adverse event of acute pancreatitis (AP). Most patients with IPN require drainage and necrosectomy, preferably by a minimally invasive method. OBJECTIVE: To study the success and safety of an alternative form of minimally invasive necrosectomy for IPN. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Tertiary care academic center. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients with IPN formed the study group. INTERVENTION: Patients with IPN were initially treated conservatively including percutaneous drainage. Those who failed to improve underwent percutaneous endoscopic necrosectomy (PEN). Single- or multiport PEN was performed by using a flexible endoscope through the percutaneous tract. PEN involved vigorous lavage and suction followed by necrosectomy. Multiple sessions were undertaken depending on the size and number of collections and the amount of necrotic debris. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Control of sepsis and resolution of collection(s) without the need for surgical necrosectomy. RESULTS: During the period from October 2012 to July 2013, 165 patients (mean age, 38.82 ± 14.99 years; 119 male patients) were studied. Of them, 103 patients had necrotizing pancreatitis and IPN had developed in 74. Of these 74 patients with IPN, 15 underwent PEN after a mean interval of 39.2 days. Fourteen of the 15 patients improved after a mean of 5 sessions of PEN. Two of 15 patients had minor adverse events: self-limiting bleeding and pancreatic fistula in 1 patient each. One patient required surgery but died of organ failure. LIMITATIONS: Lack of a control arm. CONCLUSION: PEN is a safe and effective minimally invasive technique for necrosectomy for IPN.

Tracheal penetration and tracheoesophageal fistula caused by an esophageal self-expanding metallic stent.

Tracheal penetration of esophageal self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) with/without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) formation is a rare occurrence. We report the case of a 66-year-old female patient with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who had undergone palliative esophageal stenting on three occasions for recurrent esophageal stent obstruction. On evaluation of symptoms of breathing difficulty and aspiration following third esophageal stent placement, tracheal erosion and TEF formation due to the tracheal penetration by esophageal stent were diagnosed. The patient was successfully managed by covered tracheal SEMS placement under flexible bronchoscopy.