Surgical outcome and risk scoring to predict survival after hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis.

Backgrounds/Aims: The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is classified as the advanced stage (BCLC stage C) with extremely poor prognosis, and in current guidelines is recommended for systemic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the surgical outcomes and long-term prognosis after hepatic resection (HR) for patients who have HCC combined with PVTT. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 332 patients who underwent HR for HCC with PVTT at ten tertiary referral hospitals in South Korea. Results: The median overall and recurrence-free survival after HR were 32.4 and 8.6 months, while the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 75%, 48%, and 39%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, tumor number, tumor size, AFP, PIVKA-II, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade were significant prognostic factors. The risk scoring was developed using these seven factors-tumor, inflammation and hepatic function (TIF), to predict patient prognosis. The prognosis of the patients was well stratified according to the scores (log-rank test, p < 0.001). Conclusions: HR for patients who have HCC combined with PVTT provided favorable survival outcomes. The risk scoring was useful in predicting prognosis, and determining the appropriate treatment strategy for those patients who have HCC with PVTT.

Errate: Modification of Venous Outflow to Avoid Thrombotic Graft Failure in Pancreas Transplantation.

The authors asked for an errata to correct the affiliation information. The corrected affiliations are as follows:Je Ho Ryu1,2, Jae Ryong Shim1, Tae Beom Lee1, Kwang Ho Yang1, Taeun Kim3, Seo Rin Kim4, Byung Hyun Choi1,21 Division of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, South Korea2 Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, South Korea3 Department of Radiology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, South Korea4 Department of Internal medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine,  Yangsan, South KoreaThe change of affiliation does not affect the content or findings of the publication in any way. It is solely an update to the -authors' institutional affiliations.Reference:Je Ho Ryu, Jae Ryong Shim, Tae Beom Lee, Kwangho Yang, Taeun Kim, Seo Rin Kim, Byunghyun Choi. Modification of Venous Outflow to Avoid Thrombotic Graft Failure in Pancreas Transplantation. Ann Transplant. 2022; 27: e937514. DOI: 10.12659/AOT.937514.

A Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Tacrolimus and Corticosteroids in Combination With or Without Mycophenolate Mofetil in Liver Transplantation Recipients Infected With Hepatitis B Virus.

BACKGROUND: Mycophenolate mofetil exhibits pharmacologic mechanisms different from calcineurin inhibitors. Therefore, the dose of calcineurin inhibitors can be reduced along with side effects for effective immunosuppression. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus and corticosteroid in combination with or without mycophenolate mofetil in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) recipients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS: A randomized, open-label, comparative, multicenter, phase IV study was conducted with 119 patients from January 2014 to September 2017. In the full analysis set population, 58 and 59 patients were included in the study group (triple-drug regimen: TacroBell + My-rept + corticosteroid) and the control group (dual-drug regimen: TacroBell + corticosteroid), respectively. In the per protocol set population, 49 and 42 patients were included in the study and control groups, respectively. RESULTS: In the full analysis set population, the incidence of biopsy-proven acute cellular rejection (rejection activity index score ≥4) was 3.4% in the study group; however, this finding was not observed in the control group (P = .468). Hepatitis B virus recurrence was observed in one patient in the control group. No cases of biopsy-proven acute cellular rejection and HBV recurrence were observed in the per protocol set population. The incidences of serious adverse events were 25.9% and 18.0% in the study and control groups, respectively; however, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (P = .376). CONCLUSION: Although the study involved a small number of patients, the triple-drug regimen can be considered safe and effective for immunosuppression after living donor liver transplantation in patients infected with HBV.

Machine learning-based survival rate prediction of Korean hepatocellular carcinoma patients using multi-center data.

AIM: To predict survival time of Korean hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients using multi-center data as a foundation for the development of a predictive artificial intelligence model according to treatment methods based on machine learning. METHODS: Data of patients who underwent treatment for HCC from 2008 to 2015 was provided by Korean Liver Cancer Study Group and Korea Central Cancer Registry. A total of 10,742 patients with HCC were divided into two groups, with Group I (2920 patients) confirmed on biopsy and Group II (5562 patients) diagnosed as HCC according to HCC diagnostic criteria as outlined in Korean Liver Cancer Association guidelines. The data were modeled according to features of patient clinical characteristics. Features effective in predicting survival rate were analyzed retrospectively. Various machine learning methods were used. RESULTS: Target was overall survival time, which divided into approximately 60 months (= /< 60 m, > 60 m). Target distribution in Group I (total 514 samples) was 28.8%: (148 samples) less than 60 months, 71.2% (366 samples) greater than 60 months, and in Group II (total 757 samples) was 66.6% (504 samples) less than 60 months, 33.4% (253 samples) greater than 60 months. Using NG Boost method, its accuracy was 83%, precision 84%, sensitivity 95%, and F1 score 89% for more than 60 months survival time in Group I with surgical resection. Moreover, its accuracy was 79%, precision 82%, sensitivity 87%, and F1 score 84% for less than 60 months survival time in Group II with TACE. The feature importance with gain criterion indicated that pathology, portal vein invasion, surgery, metastasis, and needle biopsy features could be explained as important factors for prediction in case of biopsy (Group I). CONCLUSION: By developing a predictive model using machine learning algorithms to predict prognosis of HCC patients, it is possible to project optimized treatment by case according to liver function and tumor status.

Reducing Supply Cost by Standardization of Surgical Equipment in Laparoscopic Appendectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Compensation for increased medical services from reimbursement systems are sometimes insufficient. Generally, appendectomies are performed by individual surgeons with their preferred instrument. Surgical equipment standardization is known to reduce medical cost without compromising patient safety. Hence, we investigated the effectiveness of surgical equipment standardization to reduce the required operative cost for laparoscopic appendectomy at our tertiary hospital. METHODS: Nine surgeons at our tertiary hospital agreed to use standardized equipment for laparoscopic appendectomy. We compared outcomes among patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy between December 2012 and June 2013 before standardization (control group) and between August 2015 and February 2016 after standardization. Participating provider and staff convenience was also surveyed using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The implementation of standardized equipment for laparoscopic appendectomy decreased intraoperative supply cost from US $552.92 to $450.17. Operative times also decreased from 73.8 to 53.3 minutes. However, hospital days and complication rates remained unchanged. Participants responded that surgical equipment standardization improved efficiency in the operating room and reduced the cost. CONCLUSION: Surgical equipment standardization in laparoscopic appendectomy is effective in reducing intraoperative supply cost without compromising patient safety.

ABO-Incompatible Living Donor Liver Transplantation With a Simplified Desensitization and Immunosuppression Protocol: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: New desensitization strategies have made ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplant an attractive option for patients with end-stage liver disease. We aimed to report our experience with 20 consecutive patients who underwent ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplant using a simplified desensitization and immunosuppression regimen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 20 ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplant cases (August 2015 to July 2019). The ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplant protocol involved rituximab administration (375 mg/m2 body surface area) at 2 to 3 weeks before transplant, subsequent plasma exchanges (target isoagglutinin titer of ≤1:8), basiliximab administration (20 mg on day of surgery and on postoperative day 4), and intravenous immunoglobulin administration (2 g/day from day of surgery to postoperative day 7). No graft local infusion therapy or splenectomy was performed. RESULTS: The living donor liver transplant procedure involved a modified rightlobe graft(18 patients), a right posterior segment graft (1 patient), or a left lobe (1 patient). The most common reason for liver transplant was hepatitis B virus-associated liver cirrhosis (16 patients); 14 patients had hepatocellular carcinoma. The mean age was 55.4 ± 6.3 years, mean Model End-stage LiverDisease score was 14.7 ± 7.7, and mean graft-to-recipient weight ratio was 1.07 ± 0.2%. The median initial anti-ABO antibody titers were 1:16 forimmunoglobulin M (range, 1:2 to 1:256) and 1:48 for immunoglobulin G (range, 1:4 to 1:>2048). The median number of plasma exchanges was 2 (range, 0-12). No patients had biopsy-confirmed antibody-mediated rejection. No bacterial or fungal infections were observed. Biliary anastomotic stricture was observed in 9 patients. CONCLUSION: This ABO-incompatible living donor liver transplant protocol with rituximab, plasma exchange, low-dose intravenous immunoglobulin, and immunosuppression (equivalent to ABO-compatible living donor liver transplant) could be a safe and effective way to overcome antibody-mediated rejection and other complications.

Successful defibrotide treatment of a patient with veno-occlusive disease after living-donor liver transplantation: A case report.

RATIONALE: Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is characterized by painful hepatomegaly, ascites, weight gain, and jaundice with nonthrombotic, fibrous obliteration of the centrilobular hepatic veins. VOD after liver transplantation is a rare complication, with an incidence of approximately 2%; however, it can be life-threatening in severe cases. The precise etiology and mechanism of VOD after liver transplantation remains unclear. Acute cellular rejection, antibody-mediated rejection, and treatment with tacrolimus or azathioprine may be associated with the development of VOD after liver transplantation. Additionally, the optimal treatment of VOD after liver transplantation has not yet been established and focuses on supportive care. Defibrotide is an anti-ischemic and antithrombotic drug with no systemic anticoagulant effects. Moreover, only a few reports have investigated the use of defibrotide for VOD after liver transplantation, which has shown promising results. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 39-year-old woman with primary biliary cholangitis underwent living-donor liver transplantation at our center. She experienced right upper quadrant pain with increased ascites, pleural effusion, and weight gain on postoperative day 14. DIAGNOSES: Imaging and pathological tests showed no evidence of rejection or vessel complications. VOD was diagnosed clinically based on the findings of weight gain, ascites, jaundice, and pathological biopsy. INTERVENTIONS: Defibrotid, 25 mg/kg/day, was administered intravenously for 21 days. OUTCOMES: She showed complete clinical resolution of the VOD. LESSONS: Herein, we report a case of successful defibrotide treatment of VOD after living-donor liver transplantation.

Role of postoperative adjuvant therapy in resected invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas: A multicenter external validation.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant therapy is beneficial in prolonging survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, no clear guidelines are available on the oncologic effect of adjuvant therapy in resected invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (inv-IPMN). METHODS: In total, 551 patients with PDAC and 67 patients with inv-IPMN of the pancreas were reviewed. For external validation, 46 patients with inv-IPMN from six other Korean institutions were enrolled. Propensity score-matched analysis and stage-matched survival analysis were conducted. RESULTS: The mean follow-up durations in the inv-IPMN and PDAC groups were 43.36 months (SD, 42.34 months) and 43.35 months (SD, 35.62 months), respectively. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was significantly better in the resected inv-IPMN group than in the PDAC group in the overall stage-matched analysis (P < .001). In the inv-IPMN cohort, OS was better in the surgery alone group (P = .042). In subgroup analysis, no significant survival difference was found between the adjuvant therapy and surgery alone groups according to the stage (stage I; P = .285, stage II or III; P = .077). Multicenter external validation did not show a better OS in the adjuvant therapy group (P = .531). On multivariable analysis, only perineural invasion (PNI) was identified as an adverse prognostic factor in resected inv-IPMN (HR 4.844; 95% CI 1.696-13.838, P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: inv-IPMN has a more indolent course than PDAC. Current strategy of adjuvant therapy may not improve the OS in patients with resected inv-IPMN. Further investigations on the potential role of adjuvant therapy in inv-IPMN are mandatory.

Usefulness of Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Improve the Safety of a Living Liver Donor.

OBJECTIVES: The steatosis of graft liver is an important factor in liver transplant that determines the graft function in the recipient and the recovery of the remnant liver in the living donor. We analyzed the data of living donors from our center to evaluate whether magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy can replace liver biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 2010 to May 2019, data from a total of 239 living donors was collected. There were 84 patients who had no magnetic resonance imaging or magnetic resonance spectroscopy data, and they were excluded. The result of preoperative liver biopsy was compared with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy data. The steatosis was defined by the degree of macrosteatosis. RESULTS: The magnetic resonance imaging of the fat fraction was a good parameter to predict fatty changes between normal and fatty liver groups (3.09 ± 3.38% for normal 7.48 ± 4.07% for fatty liver; P < .001). The magnetic resonance spectroscopy was also a good parameter to predict fatty changes between normal and fatty liver groups (2.09 ± 1.43% for normal and 6.89 ± 2.68% for fatty liver; P < .001). Linear regression showed that pathology results were significantly correlated with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (P < .001, R2 = 0.604) but not with magnetic resonance imaging (P < .001, R2 = 0.227). CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy has several benefits for quantifying hepatic steatosis during a living donor liver transplant evaluation, including no radiation exposure, and a noninvasive procedure. Moreover, preoperative magnetic resonance spectroscopy can determine an anatomic variation of the bile duct, which helps improve the safety of the living donor. However, more clinical data and further studies are needed to ensure that preoperative magnetic resonance spectroscopy is essential.

En Bloc Kidney Transplant From a Pediatric Donor to a Pediatric Recipient Through a Total Extraperitoneal Approach: A Case Report.

En bloc kidney transplant remains a technically challenging procedure, especially in pediatric transplants. The intra-abdominal approach has been the preferred operation for very young children. However, the transverse incision could result in more abdominal muscle damage and intra-abdominal adhesions. If the extraperitoneal approach, which is the standard method for adult kidney transplant, could be performed in pediatric recipients, then adverse effects after a transverse incision could be avoided. A 30-month-old female recipient (13.1 kg) underwent an en bloc kidney transplant from a 36-month-old female donor (13.3 kg) who had cardiac arrest of unknown origin. The kidneys were retrieved with the en bloc technique using a bladder patch. A right Gibson incision was made along the lateral fascia of the rectus muscle of the recipient to prevent muscle fiber damage. The inferior vena cava and aorta of the donor were anastomosed to the inferior vena cava and right common iliac artery of the recipient, respectively. The bladder patch with 2 ureteral openings was directly anastomosed to the bladder of the recipient. Urination was excellent immediately after the operation. The recipient recovered quickly. The total extraperitoneal approach is feasible and has some advantages over the transverse incision, even in pediatric recipients.

Epidermoid cyst in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen in the pancreas head: a case report.

BACKGROUND: An epidermoid cyst in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen (ECIPAS) in the pancreas head is an extremely rare condition. The natural course of this condition is not well known, and it is difficult to diagnose before surgery due to the lack of specific imaging findings. CASE PRESENTATION: A tumor was found in the head of the pancreas in a 68-year-old man with abdominal distension and discomfort. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested a malignant tumor, such as a colloid cancer. The tumor was removed surgically, with pathologic examination showing that it was an ECIPAS. CONCLUSION: ECIPAS cannot be easily distinguished from other pancreatic cystic tumors, making it necessary to include ECIPAS in the differential diagnosis of these tumors. Unnecessary surgical resection may be avoided by more accurate preoperative diagnosis based on clinical and imaging characteristics.

Effect of CYP3A5 on the Once-Daily Tacrolimus Conversion in Stable Liver Transplant Patients.

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A5 polymorphism influences tacrolimus metabolism, but its effect on the drug pharmacokinetics in liver transplant recipients switched to once-daily extended-release formulation remains unknown. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of CYP3A5 polymorphism on liver function after once-daily tacrolimus conversion in liver transplant patients. A prospective open-label study included 60 stable liver transplant recipients who underwent 1:1 conversion from twice-daily tacrolimus to once-daily tacrolimus. All participants were genotyped for CYP3A5 polymorphism. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02882113). Twenty-eight patients were enrolled in the CYP3A5 expressor group and 32 in the non-expressor group. Although there was no statistical difference, incidence of liver dysfunction was higher in the expressor group than in the non-expressor group when converted to once-daily extended-release tacrolimus (p = 0.088). No biopsy-proven acute rejection, graft failure, and mortality were observed in either group. The decrease in dose-adjusted trough level (-42.9% vs. -26.1%) and dose/kg-adjusted trough level of tacrolimus (-40.0% vs. -23.7%) was significantly greater in the expressor group than in the non-expressors after the conversion. A pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in 10 patients and tacrolimus absorption in the non-expressor group was slower than in the expressor group. In line with this observation, the area under the curve for once-daily tacrolimus correlated with trough level (Cmin) in the non-expressors and peak concentration (Cmax) in the expressors. CYP3A5 genotyping in liver transplant recipients leads to prediction of pharmacokinetics after switching from a twice-daily regimen to a once-daily dosage form, which makes it possible to establish an appropriate dose of tacrolimus.

Clinical implication of tumor site in terms of node metastasis for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The clinical implication of lymph node (LN) dissection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) is still controversial, and LN metastasis (LNM) based on tumor site has not been confirmed yet. METHODS: Patients who underwent curative-intent surgery at 10 tertiary referral centers were identified and divided into peripheral (PP) and near second confluence level tumor (NC) groups on the basis of the distance from the second confluence and oncological outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Of 179 patients, 121 patients with LND were divided into the NC (n = 89) and PP groups (n = 32) on the basis of 4.5 cm from the second confluence. NC group showed higher LNM rate than PP group (46.1 vs 21.9%, p = 0.016) and NC was a risk factor for LNM (odds ratio: 4.367; 95% confidence interval: 1.234-15.453, p = 0.022). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (38.0% vs. 27.8%, p = 0.777) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates (22.8% vs. 25.8%, p = 0.742) showed no differences between the PP and NC groups. In the NC group, N1 patients showed worse 5-year OS (12.7% vs 39.0%, p = 0.004) and RFS (8.8% vs 28.6%, p = 0.004) than the N0 patients. In the PP group, discordant results in 5-year OS (48.9% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.462) and RFS (41.3% vs. 0%, p = 0.056) were found between the N0 and N1 patients. CONCLUSION: The NC group was an independent risk factor for LNM and LNM worsened prognosis in NC group for ICCA. In the PP group, LND should not be omitted because of high LNM rate and insufficient oncologic evidence.

ALKBH5 gene is a novel biomarker that predicts the prognosis of pancreatic cancer: A retrospective multicohort study.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Discovery of new prognostic factors for cases in which the pancreatic cancer scoring and staging system does not result in a clear definition is imperative. We examined the role of Human AlkB homolog H5 (ALKBH5) as a prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Patient data were extracted from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The prognostic value of ALKBH5 was confirmed via analysis of ALKBH5 and other clinical factors, such as age, sex, and stage, using the time-dependent area under the curve (AUC) of Uno's C-index, the AUC value of the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) at three years, the Kaplan-Meier survival curve, and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: ALKBH5 showed excellent prognosis prediction in comparison with existing markers in the two independent cohorts (n=262). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that ALKBH5 expression was positively associated with overall survival (log-rank test, ICGC, p=0.001; TCGA, p=0.01). Notably, comparison of C-index and AUC values in ROC analysis showed that ALKBH5 was associated with high C-index and AUC values compared with other clinical variables (C-index: ICGC, 0.621; TCGA, 0.614 and AUC at three years: ICGC, 0.609; TCGA, 0.558). Multivariate analysis demonstrated thatALKBH5 is an independent prognostic factor (ICGC, p=0.0123; TCGA, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to the study of RNA methylation in pancreatic cancer. We believe that ALKBH5 is a new prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer.

CMV specific T cell immunity predicts early viremia after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most important factors affecting liver transplant with direct and indirect effects. However, CMV disease after transplant remains poorly predicted. OBJECTIVE: In this study, preoperative CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity was evaluated in recipients of liver transplant in Korea, where most people are seropositive. METHODS: A total of 32 patients were enrolled in a prospective study, and blood samples were collected before liver transplant to determine CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity. Testing using ELiSpot IFN-γ (CMVspot) and CMV serology were performed simultaneously. RESULTS: CMVspot results showed that 30 recipients had CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity, of which 29 were positive for phosphoprotein 65 and 14 for immediate early protein 1 (IE-1). All patients were positive for CMV IgG before transplantation, and 17 patients had a CMV viremia episode after transplantation. CMVspot showed 100% specificity and positive predictive value, and 11.76% sensitivity to predict CMV viremia. Patients with positive or borderline results for IE-1 did not show viremia two months after transplantation (p = .041). CONCLUSION: CMVspot may be helpful in establishing a treatment strategy that includes regular monitoring for risk stratification of CMV reactivation.

Dr. Liver: A preoperative planning system of liver graft volumetry for living donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Manual tracing of the right and left liver lobes from computed tomography (CT) images for graft volumetry in preoperative surgery planning of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is common at most medical centers. This study aims to develop an automatic system with advanced image processing algorithms and user-friendly interfaces for liver graft volumetry and evaluate its accuracy and efficiency in comparison with a manual tracing method. METHODS: The proposed system provides a sequential procedure consisting of (1) liver segmentation, (2) blood vessel segmentation, and (3) virtual liver resection for liver graft volumetry. Automatic segmentation algorithms using histogram analysis, hybrid level-set methods, and a customized region growing method were developed. User-friendly interfaces such as sequential and hierarchical user menus, context-sensitive on-screen hotkey menus, and real-time sound and visual feedback were implemented. Blood vessels were excluded from the liver for accurate liver graft volumetry. A large sphere-based interactive method was developed for dividing the liver into left and right lobes with a customized cutting plane. The proposed system was evaluated using 50 CT datasets in terms of graft weight estimation accuracy and task completion time through comparison to the manual tracing method. The accuracy of liver graft weight estimation was assessed by absolute difference (AD) and percentage of AD (%AD) between preoperatively estimated graft weight and intraoperatively measured graft weight. Intra- and inter-observer agreements of liver graft weight estimation were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) using ten cases randomly selected. RESULTS: The proposed system showed significantly higher accuracy and efficiency in liver graft weight estimation (AD = 21.0 ±â€¯18.4 g; %AD = 3.1% ±â€¯2.8%; percentage of %AD > 10% = none; task completion time = 7.3 ±â€¯1.4 min) than the manual tracing method (AD = 70.5 ±â€¯52.1 g; %AD = 10.2% ±â€¯7.5%; percentage of %AD > 10% = 46%; task completion time = 37.9 ±â€¯7.0 min). The proposed system showed slightly higher intra- and inter-observer agreements (ICC = 0.996 to 0.998) than the manual tracing method (ICC = 0.979 to 0.999). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed system was proved accurate and efficient in liver graft volumetry for preoperative planning of LDLT.

Predictors of postoperative infectious complications in liver transplant recipients: experience of 185 consecutive cases.

Background/Aims: Infections following liver transplant (LT) remain a major cause of mortality. This study was conducted to evaluate risk factors for infection and to review clinical characteristics. METHODS: Medical records of patients who underwent LT from 2010 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate risk factors of infection. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to predict prognosis of infected and non-infected groups. RESULTS: Of 185 recipients, 89 patients experienced infectious complications. The median follow-up period was 911 days (range, 9 to 2,031). The infected group had higher 1-year mortality (n = 22 [24.7%] vs. n = 8, [8.3%], p = 0.002), and longer postoperative admission days (mean: 53.7 ± 35.8 days vs. 28.3 ± 13.0 days, p < 0.001), compared to the non-infected group. High preoperative Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (odds ratio [OR], 1.057; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.010 to 1.105; p = 0.016), deceased-donor type (OR, 5.475; 95% CI, 2.442 to 12.279; p < 0.001), and acute rejection (OR, 3.042; 95% CI, 1.241 to 7.454; p = 0.015) were independent risk factors associated with infection. Intra-abdominal infection (n = 35, 20.8%) was the major infectious complication. Among identified bacteria, Enterococcus species (28.4%) were major pathogens, followed by Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species. Conclusions: High preoperative MELD score, deceased-donor type, and acute rejection were risk factors associated with infection. To prevent infections following surgery, it is important to determine the appropriate time of operation before the recipient has a high MELD score.

Clinical Impacts of Donor Types of Living vs. Deceased Donors: Predictors of One-Year Mortality in Patients with Liver Transplantation.

Transplantation studies about the clinical differences according to the type of donors are mostly conducted in western countries with rare reports from Asians. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical impacts of the type of donor, and the predictors of 1-year mortality in patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT). This study was performed for liver transplant recipients between May 2010 and December 2014 at the Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital. A total of 185 recipients who underwent LT were analyzed. Of the 185 recipients, 109 (58.9%) belonged to the living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) group. The median age was 52.4 years. LDLT recipients had lower model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score compared with better liver function than deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) recipients (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 12.5 ± 8.3 vs. 24.9 ± 11.7, respectively; P < 0.001), and had more advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (62.4% vs. 21.1%, respectively; P = 0.001). In complications and clinical outcomes, LDLT recipients showed shorter stay in intensive care unit (ICU) (mean ± SD, 10.8 ± 8.8 vs. 23.0 ± 13.8 days, respectively, P < 0.001), ventilator care days, and post-operative admission days, and lower 1-year mortality (11% vs. 27.6%, respectively, P = 0.004). Bleeding and infectious complications were less in LDLT recipients. Recipients with DDLT (P = 0.004) showed higher mortality in univariate analysis, and multi-logistic regression analysis found higher MELD score and higher pre-operative serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were associated with 1-year mortality. This study may guide improved management before and after LT from donor selection to post-operation follow up.

Clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes of neuroendocrine tumors of ampulla of Vater.

BACKGROUND: The study aims to investigate the clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes of neuroendocrine tumors of ampulla of Vater (NETAoVs) patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: From January 2007 to December 2014, 45 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignant disease of the ampulla of Vater in our institution. Of those, 5 patients were diagnosed as neuroendocrine tumors. The data included age, sex, presenting symptoms, preoperative imaging, preoperative type of biopsy results, type of operation, pathologic findings and survival status. RESULTS: The patient's mean age was 55.2 ± 9.7 years. Endoscopic ultrasound guided biopsy was performed in 4 patients and gastroduodenoscopic biopsy was performed in one patient. All showed neuroendocrine tumor without mitosis. Mean tumor size was 1.9 ± 0.56 cm (range, 1.2-2.0 cm). Lymph node metastases were detected in two patients. All patients were synaptophysin-positive. Median periods of follow-up were 45 months (range, 43-78 months). Recurrence after operation occurred in two patients. 4 patients were alive at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Radical resection for NETAoVs can provide the information of status of lymph node metastasis after surgery. However, correlation between lymph node metastasis and overall survival is uncertain to date.

Do hepatic-sided tumors require more extensive resection than peritoneal-sided tumors in patients with T2 gallbladder cancer? Results of a retrospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Tumor location is a prognostic factor for survival in patients with T2 gallbladder cancer. However, the optimal extent of resection according to tumor location remains unclear. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 192 patients with T2 gallbladder cancer who underwent R0 or R1 resection at 6 institutions. Perioperative and oncologic outcomes were compared according to the extent of resection between hepatic-sided (n = 93) and peritoneal-sided (n = 99) tumors. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 30 months, the 5-year overall survival (84.9% vs 71.8%, P = .048) and recurrence-free survival (74.6% vs 62.2%, P = .060) were greater in peritoneal-sided T2 patients than in hepatic-sided T2 patients. Among hepatic-sided T2 patients, the 5-year overall survival was greater in patients who underwent radical cholecystectomy including lymph node dissection with liver resection than in patients who underwent lymph node dissection without liver resection (80.3% vs 30.0%, P = .032), and the extent of liver resection was not associated with overall survival (P = .526). Lymph node dissection without liver resection was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in hepatic-sided T2 gallbladder cancer (hazard ratio 5.009, 95% confidence interval 1.512-16.596, P = .008). In peritoneal-sided T2 patients, the 5-year overall survival was not significantly different between the lymph node dissection with liver resection and the lymph node dissection without liver resection subgroups (70.5% vs 54.8%, P = .111) and the extent of lymph node dissection was not associated with overall survival (P = .395). CONCLUSION: In peritoneal-sided T2 gallbladder cancer, radical cholecystectomy including lymph node dissection without liver resection is a reasonable operative option. Radical cholecystectomy including lymph node dissection with liver resection is suitable for hepatic-sided T2 gallbladder cancer.