Success rate of natural orifice specimen extraction after laparoscopic colorectal resections.

PURPOSE: To date, no data have been available to inform which cases are appropriate for natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) after laparoscopic colorectal resections (LCRRs). Our aim was to evaluate the success rate and the factors affecting the failure in patients who were scheduled for NOSE after LCRRs. METHODS: Seventy-two consecutive cases that were intended for NOSE after LCRR were enrolled. The transanal route was always chosen as the first option, and when it failed, the transvaginal route was tried in female patients. If both failed, the specimen was judged as unsuitable for NOSE and removed through an abdominal wall incision. Demographic data, surgical indications, resection localization, implemented procedures, incision sites, specimen extraction methods, specimen sizes, and failures of NOSE were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 349 colorectal resections (240 open and 109 laparoscopic) in a 3-year period were examined. The subset of 72 consecutive patients who met the criteria were analyzed. Five cases required a conversion to open surgery during resections. In the remaining 67 patients, NOSE after LCRR was successful in 49 cases (73.1%) but failed in 18 (26.9%). Specimens were extracted from transanal and transvaginal routes in 37 (75.5%) and 12 (24.5%) patients, respectively. The failure rate of NOSE after LCRR was higher in males, in colonic lesions, and in large-sized tumors. The mean sizes of transanal and transvaginal extracted specimens were 3.5 ± 3.1 and 5.4 ± 1.4 cm, respectively (p < 0.05). The mean size of the tumors in the failed cases was 6.5 ± 4.2 cm (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 2/3 of the unselected LCRRs were suitable for NOSE. The success rate increased with female gender, small-sized tumors, and rectal resections.

Retained Foreign Body in Transplanted Liver.

Liver transplantation is a technically complex and long surgical procedure. A large quantity of various materials such as catheters, sutures, needles and clips are frequently used during the procedure. These materials may enter in the liver from the vascular or biliary orifices inadvertently. A 50-year-old patient who had hepatic failure due to HBV underwent a deceased-donor liver transplantation. The deceased donor was a 75-year-old HbsAg(+) man. The recipient had subfebrile fever and leukocytosis post-operatively. A control computed tomography revealed a cuneiform ischemic area, and a foreign body inside the right anterior portal vein branch proximal to this ischemic region. A 10-F Nelaton catheter, 5-cm long, was removed from the portal vein by surgery. Retrospectively, we understood that the portal vein was cut during the back-table procedure and the portal vein catheter was replaced with a larger one for better irrigation. Most probably, the original catheter was cut together with the portal vein, and the tip of the catheter was retained in the portal system and migrated into the liver. As far as we know, such a complication of liver transplantation has never been described previously.

Liver Transplantation With Livers From Octogenarians and a Nonagenarian.

INTRODUCTION: A shortage of deceased donors has compelled the use of extended-criteria donor organs in liver transplantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of using deceased donors older than 80 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 13 patients who received a liver graft from cadaveric donors older than 80 years between December 2007 and March 2014. We analyzed the donor and their recipient characteristics together with morbidity and mortality of recipients. RESULTS: All 13 donors were older than 80 years (median age, 82.7; range, 80-93). There were 9 male and 4 female recipients with an average age of 50.7 (range, 2-65) years. All of the recipients did not have a living donor for liver transplantation. Recipients' mean model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was 14.2 (range, 7-20). Graft with macroscopic steatosis was not accepted. Medium follow-up was 19.5 months. The most frequent cause for liver transplantation (LT) was hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis (8/13 patients). We had 1 case of primary nonfunction, and 4 patients died in 2 weeks after surgery. Of these patients, 2 of them received a split transplant from an 80-year-old cadaver liver. Overall the survival rate after 1 year was 61.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Deceased elderly donor usage in LT could expand the donor pool. Liver grafts from donors older than 80 years can be used in necessity or emergency situations. However, care should be taken to avoid early mortality and primary nonfunction. Procedures extending cold ischemia time such as split liver transplantation may increase the risk of primary nonfunction.

Histopathological Examination of Explanted Liver After Transplantation in Patients With Cryptogenic Cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVES: Cryptogenic cirrhosis is a common indication for liver transplantation. Diagnosis is made after exclusion of other causes of cirrhosis. In this study, the aim was to evaluate patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis after histopathological examination of explanted liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective histopathological chart review of 117 patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis who had liver transplantation between November 2009 and June 2014 was performed. Age, sex, operative features, survival rates, and preoperative and postoperative diagnosis were evaluated. RESULTS: During the study period, 123 liver transplantations were performed for these 117 patients. Deceased donor liver transplantations were performed in 23 (18.7%) of the cases. Retransplantations were performed in 5 patients. Median age was 48 years, and female-to-male ratio was 41:76. Hepatosteatosis were observed in 29 patients. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis were observed in 20 (12%) and 9 (7.7%) of these patients, respectively. Autoimmune hepatitis was observed in 2 patients. The definitive cause of cirrhosis was unclear in 68 (58%) of the patients. Incidental malignant and premalignant lesions were observed in 15 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Histopathological examination of the explanted liver after liver transplantation in those patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis may significantly help to diagnose the cause of cirrhosis, such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or autoimmune hepatitis, with using the scoring system developed by the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Workgroup. In addition, incidental malignant or premalignant lesions may be observed.

Living Donor Liver Transplantation With Vena Cava Replacement.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the indications, techniques, and results of inferior vena cava (IVC) replacement at living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed 821 LDLTs and 11 (1.3%) patients required concomitant IVC replacement. We analyzed the indications, replacement materials, and outcomes. RESULTS: Right, left, and left lateral liver lobes were transplanted in 7, 2, and 2 patients, respectively. The indications for IVC replacement were thrombosis/fibrosis in 7 patients (Budd-Chiari 4, hereditary tyrosinemia 1, congenital hepatic fibrosis 1, cryptogenic 1), involvement with mass in 3 patients (Echinococcus alveolaris 2, hepatoblastoma 1) and iatrogenic narrowing at IVC in 1 patient. Cryopreserved grafts (aorta n = 5, IVC n = 4, iliac vein n = 1) or synthetic graft (n = 1) were used for replacements. In 1 patient, hepatic outflow obstruction developed at 39 days and was treated successfully by interventional radiology. There was only 1 hospital mortality (8.9%) that was unrelated to caval replacement (subarachnoid hemorrhage). Of the remaining patients, the caval grafts were patent after a mean 7.7 months of follow-up (range 1 to 17 months). CONCLUSIONS: Although rare, IVC replacement can be necessary at LDLT. Budd-Chiari and E. alveolaris are the main underlying diseases for replacement requirements. Caval replacement with cryopreserved vascular grafts can provide successful short-term and long-term patency.

Influence of Liver Transplantation on Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Wilson Disease.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the effect of liver transplantation on the neuropsychological manifestations of Wilson disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine of 42 Wilson disease patients had neuropsychological symptoms before liver transplantation. They were 7 male and 2 female subjects with a median age of 19 years (range 10 to 25). They were analyzed for their preoperative and postoperative hepatic, neurological, and psychological scores described by the Unified Wilson Disease Rating Scale after a mean 36.6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Preoperative mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease and Child-Pugh scores were 18.3 (range 15 to 26) and 8.9 (range 6 to 12), respectively. One patient had acute postoperative ischemic stroke unrelated to Wilson disease and was excluded from the statistical analysis. Preoperative and postoperative hepatic, neurological, and psychological scores of the remaining 8 patients were 7.4 ± 2.3 vs 2.4 ± 1.3 (P = .0005), 17.7 ± 11.7 vs 12.7 ± 12.5 (P = .055), and 9.0 ± 1.7 vs 7.0 ± 2.1 (P = .033). CONCLUSIONS: Liver transplantation for Wilson disease can provide some improvement of the neuropsychological symptoms in addition to the hepatic recovery.

Laparoscopic right colectomy with transvaginal extraction in a patient with prior pancreaticoduodenectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Previous complicated abdominal surgeries such as pancreaticoduodenectomy with large abdominal incisions may keep the surgeons away from major laparoscopic procedures. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published study that shows the feasibility of major laparoscopic surgery in a patient with previous pancreaticoduodenectomy. CASE REPORT: A 68-year-old female (BMI 27 kg/m2, ASA II), was admitted for anemia. Her medical history included an open pancreaticoduodenectomy four years ago for chronic pancreatitis. She had an abdominal Mercedes incision. Computed tomography and colonoscopy showed a 5-cm cecal mass with a histological diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. We performed a totally laparoscopic right hemicolectomy and intracorporeal ileotransverse anastomosis. The specimen was extracted through the vagina. The operating time was 500 minutes and the blood loss was 400 ml. The patient was uneventfully discharged on postoperative day four. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic colon surgery can be feasible and safe despite previous extensive abdominal surgeries such as pancreaticoduodenectomy. Moreover, laparoscopic surgery in these cases can also be completed with intracorporeal anastomosis and specimen extraction through a natural orifice.

Is flow cytometry crossmatch analysis using sera with different dilutions important for pretransplant analysis? A case report.

The most effective form of treatment for chronic renal failure is kidney transplantation from a cadaver or a living donor. For a kidney transplant to be successful, tissue compatibility and a lack of donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies in the circulation of the patient are vital, in addition to ABO blood group compatibility. The presence of anti-HLA antibodies is assayed before transplantation using various methods, but because organ rejections have been observed in previous studies, different techniques are required to detect anti-HLA antibodies. Today, flow cytometry crossmatching is one of the most important and effective techniques in testing for donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs). If weakly positive serum is assayed after serial dilution, it can yield high positivity. Herein, we describe the differences between the results for diluted and undiluted weakly positive sera studied using the flow cytometry crossmatch (FCXM) technique. In a recent study, the sera of weakly FCXM-positive patients were diluted 1/50, and the FCXM test was repeated. The use of diluted serum eliminated the effect of the prozone so that the DSAs could be detected.