Interventional Management of Portal Vein Stenosis after Liver Transplant: Single Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Portal vein stenosis is a relatively rare complication after liver transplant but has severe consequences. We evaluated the efficacy and longterm results of the endovascular treatment methods for portal vein stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2011 to October 2022, we treated 22 patients (5 female, 17 male) with portal vein stenosis using endovascular methods. Doppler ultrasonography was used for initial diagnosis, with consideration of flow rate increase over stenosis, absence of flow, or reduced anastomotic segment size (>50%). Angiography served as the gold standard, with a pressure gradient above 5 mm Hg indicating the need for treatment. Technical success criteria were defined as <50% stenosis remaining and/or a pressure gradient <5mm Hg. The transhepatic approach was used for all patients. Balloon angioplasty was initially performed, and stents were reserved for patients in the early postoperative period or those unresponsive to balloon angioplasty. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 100%. Mean age was 27.1 years (SD 22.4; range, 4 months to 63 years). Mean time from transplant to intervention was 317 days (range, 0-3135 days). Angioplasty was successful for 7 patients (13.8%). Of 15 patients who underwent stent placement, 9 (40.9%) were in the early postoperative period; in the other 6 patients (27%), results of angioplasty were not satisfactory, and stents were placed. Within 3 months of transplant, 3 patients died because of other complications. Among patients with stents, 2 required reintervention, resulting in reestablishment of good portal venous flow. During the mean follow-up of 24 months (range, 15 days to 9 years), 19 patients (86%) had portal flows within reference limits. CONCLUSIONS: The endovascular approach is a safe and effective treatment option for management of portal vein stenosis in both adult and pediatric liver transplant recipients in the early or late period.

Interventional Treatment Methods for Ureteral Complications After Kidney Transplant: A Single-Center Experience.

OBJECYIVES: Ureteral complications are one of the most common complications after kidney transplant. Although these complications have been treated surgically in the past, almost all can be successfully treated with interventional methods today. In this study, we assessed the interventional treatment of ureteral complications after kidney transplants performed in our center and the long-term results of these treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 2223 kidney transplant recipients seen between January 1, 2000, and May 1, 2020. Among these, 70 kidney transplant recipients who experienced ureteral leakage or ureteral obstruction in the early or late posttransplant period were included in the study. Complications within the first 2 months posttransplant were classified as early complications, whereas those occurring after 2 months were considered late complications. We treated all patients with interventional methods. RESULTS: In review of patients, 44 patients were diagnosed with ureteral obstruction (22 patients were early obstruction, 22 were late obstruction) and 26 patients with ureteral anastomosis leakage. All patients with early and late ureteral obstruction were successfully treated with percutaneous methods. In the group of patients with ureteral leakage, all patients except 2 patients were treated with interventional methods. For 2 patients with ureteral leakage, surgical treatment was necessary because of persistent leakage despite percutaneous treatment methods. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteral complications after kidney transplant can be successfully treated with interventional methods in experienced centers without the need for surgery.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Combined with Simultaneous Thermal Ablation for Solitary Hepatocellular Carcinomas in Regions with a High Risk of Recurrence.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization combined with percutaneous thermal ablation (radiofrequency or microwave ablation) in the treatment of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma tumors ranging from 2 to 4.5 cm at subdiaphragmatic, subcapsular, or perivascular locations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients (12 men, mean [range] age of 66.6 ± 10.88 [34-75] y) who received transarterial chemoembolization combined with simultaneous percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (n = 5) or microwave ablation (n = 10) for hepatocellular carcinoma in regions with high risk of recurrence (subdiaphragmatic, subcapsular, or perivascular) between 2012 and 2018 were evaluated. We retrospectively investigated tumor diameter and localization, success rate, safety, local efficacy (imaging at month 1 after treatment), local tumor response (3 months posttreatment), local tumor progression, intrahepatic distant recurrence, overall survival and complications. RESULTS: Tumor diameter ranged from 20 to 45 mm (mean 31.7 ± 7.37 mm). Hepatocellular carcinoma diameter was 2 to 3 cm in 7 patients and 3.1 to 4.5 cm in 8 patients. The technical success rate was 100%, with no life-threatening complications. At enhanced imaging at 1-month follow-up, the complete necrosis rate was 100%; at 3 months, 100% of patients had a complete response. During a mean follow-up of 26 ± 13.6 months, 7 patients (46.7%) had tumor progression. Three patients (20%) had local tumor response, and 4 patients (26.7 %) experienced distant recurrences in the untreated liver. The mean local tumor progression and mean intrahepatic distance recurrence times were 11 months and 29.5 months, respectively. Overall survival rates were 100% at 1 year, 73% at 3 years, and 47% at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Transarterial chemoembolization combined with simultaneous percutaneous thermal ablation is safe, feasible, and effective in enhancing the local control rate for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma ranging from 2 to 4.5 cm in regions with high risk of recurrence.

Percutaneous revision of dysfunctional shunts in patients who underwent intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure via percutaneous or conventional method: 11-years single center experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Our primary objective is to report the results of the ultrasound (US)-guided revision technique of transhepatic shunt in patients in whom intrahepatic portosystemic shunt was created by the percutaneous or conventional route. Our secondary objective is to investigate whether there is an association between the indication for a portosystemic shunt and the need for post-shunt revision. METHODS: Data from 117 consecutive patients who had a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placed percutaneously or conventionally were extracted from hospital electronic medical records and examined those who underwent revision within 11 years and those who did not. US-guided transhepatic shunt revision technique was evaluated in terms of technical success, complications, and patency. In addition, the relationship between etiology and the need for revision was also examined using the chi-square test in three groups. RESULTS: Forty six point two percent of patients who underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt required one or more revisions within 11 years. While patency of the shunt could be established via the transjugular route in 83.3% of revision patients, it was necessary to use the transhepatic route in 16.7%. The technical success rate for the US-guided transhepatic shunt revision method was 100%, and the pressure gradient between the portal and hepatic venous systems decreased below 10 mmHg in all patients at the end of the procedure. CONCLUSION: US-guided transhepatic shunt revision is a safe and effective method where transjugular revision cannot be performed. In addition, the revision rate is significantly higher in patients who have undergone transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt due to Budd-Chiari syndrome compared with other groups.

Endovascular Management of Hematomas in Pediatric Transplant Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Transcatheter arterial embolization is used to control active hemorrhage at different anatomic locations. Because hematomas can suddenly deteriorate and become life threatening for transplant patients, they require prompt diagnosis and intervention rather than conservative management. Here, we evaluated computed tomography in treatment planning and transcatheter embolization effectiveness for hematoma management in pediatric liver transplant patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 2012 and December 2021, 10 pediatric liver transplant patients were referred to our interventional radiology unit. Computed tomography and angiograms were reviewed for hematoma location and presence of extravasation. We analyzed correlations between computed tomography and angiography findings and technical and clinical success of the endovascular interventions. RESULTS: Active leak of contrast material during arterial phase was detected on 9/10 CT scans. Although there was no active bleeding on CT in 1 patient, active arterial bleeding was detected on angiography. On the contrary, in 2 patients, although active bleeding was observed on computed tomography, it was not detected on angiography. Source of bleeding was superior mesenteric artery branches in 4, hepatic artery branch in 2, superior epigastric artery in 1, and phrenic artery in 1 patient. Six of 8 patients with active bleeding were treated with endovascular procedures. The remaining 2 patients received surgery: 1 had bleeding from liver cut surface originating from a hepatic artery branch and received open surgery because the bleeding branch was too thin for catheterization, and 1 was hemodynamically unstable and selective catheterization of the internal thoracic artery would take time. Two patients received embolization procedures with N-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate (glue) diluted with iodized oil, and 1 patient had coil and glue with iodized oil. Embolization with coils was performed in 3 patients. Rate of success with transcatheter arterial embolization was 75%. No complications related to patient comorbidities or embolization procedures were shown. No deaths occurred due to progression of the hematoma. CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter arterial embolization is effective and safe for treatment of pediatric liver transplant patients with hematomas. Computed tomography has value in identifying the bleeding source and its anatomic relationships and may enhance our intervention abilities to become quicker, more effective, and more secured.

Vascular Complications in Pediatric Liver Transplants and Their Management.

OBJECTIVES: The blood supply of the liver occurs through the hepatic artery and portal vein. Outflow of blood circulation in the liver is via the hepatic veins. Any disruption in this blood circulation results in deterioration of liver functions. In this study, we evaluated early vascular complications in pediatric liver transplant recipients seen at our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 1988 to December 2021, our team has performed 701 liver transplant procedures, which have included 334 pediatric liver transplants. Among these pediatric liver transplant recipients (mean age of 7.34 y), 176 were male patients. Nineteen patients (5.7%) were recipients of deceased donors. Reason for liver failure was mainly biliary atresia (n = 169). Mean weight of recipients was 23.3 kg. Most graft types were left lateral grafts (n = 204). RESULTS: Three patients had hepatic vein complications. All 3 patients were successfully treated with interventional radiological methods by placing a stent in the anastomosis region. Portal vein complications occurred in 3 patients. One patient had hemostasis performed surgically. The second patient had surgically revision of the anastomosis because of thrombus formation. Because of stenosis of more than 50% in the portal vein anastomosis, the third patient required stent placement in the anastomosis region. Hepatic artery complications occurred in 54 patients: 31 patients had hepatic artery thrombosis, 13 patients had hepatic artery stenosis, 7 patients had bleeding from hepatic artery anastomosis, 2 patients had hepatic artery dissection, and 1 patient had pseudoaneurysm in the hepatic artery. Forty-three of these patients were successfully treated with interventional radiological methods and 11 required surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular complications after liver transplant can cause deterioration in hepatic functions and acute liver failure. Vascular complications can be successfully treated in experienced organ transplant centers.

Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy as a Bridge to Liver Transplant for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Preliminary Results of Baskent University Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver tumor, with curative treatment options being liver transplant and resection. However, approximately 20% to 30% of patients have substantial disease progression while awaiting transplant. Here, we report our initial experience on stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy as a bridge to liver transplant for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients with 9 lesions received stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy as a bridge treatment to transplant. All patients underwent radiofrequency ablation, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, or hepatic resection before stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate radiographic responses 1 month later. RESULTS: Median age of patients was 65 years (range, 63-71 years), median stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy dose was 45 Gy (range, 30-54 Gy; delivered in 3-5 fractions), and median tumor diameter was 17 mm (range, 12-30 mm). Before stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy, all patients underwent liver-directed therapies, including transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for 3 lesions, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation for 4 lesions, surgical resection for 1 lesion, and surgical resection plus transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the remaining lesion. Patients showed no evidence of gastrointestinal toxicity or radiation-induced liver disease. Acute toxicity was negligible; all patients completed the treatment course. One month after stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy administration, response rates were assessed with magnetic resonance imaging, with complete responses obtained in 5 lesions (55.5%), partial responses for 2 lesions, and stable disease for 2 lesions. No disease progression was shown following stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy application. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy is an effective, safe, and tolerable bridging therapy option. Although we observed an early response after treatment, exact response rates will not be known for at least 3 months following stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy. Thus, our findings should be confirmed through additional prospective studies with longer follow-up.

Seventeen Years of Pediatric Liver Transplantation Experience for Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: This was a retrospective analysis of liver transplant for pediatric patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen pediatric patients with chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma underwent liver transplant from 2004 to 2021. Preexisting diseases were tyrosinemia (n = 6), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2 (n = 2) and type 3 (n = 3), cryptogenic cirrhosis (n = 2), hepatitis B and D (n = 1), and biliary atresia (n = 1). RESULTS: Mean age was 9.43 ± 4.9 years (range, 13 months to 16 years). Three patients had 1 tumor, 4 had 2 tumors, and 7 had multiple (≥3) lesions. Six patients were classified as Pretreatment Extent of Disease Staging System for Hepatoblastoma (PRETEXT) stage IV, 3 as stage II, and 5 as stage I. Some patients received systemic chemotherapy before (n = 4) or after transplant (n = 3) or transarterial chemoembolization and microwave ablation pretransplant (n = 1). Hepatocellular carcinoma posttransplant recurrence was observed at 23, 47, and 108 months in 3 patients (21%). Recurrence sites were omentum (n = 1) and liver graft (n = 2). One patient was treated with hepatic resection, radiofrequency ablation, and radiotherapy, while the other received radiofrequency ablation and chemotherapy for graft tumor recurrence. Relapse-free patient survival rates were 92%, 82.5%, and 72.2% at 2, 4, and 10 years, respectively. Four recipients (28.5%) died; posttransplant cause of death was infection at 19 (n = 1) and 188 months (n = 1) or hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence at 79 (n = 1) and 165 months (n = 1). Median follow-up was 178 months (range, 13-204 months). Mean estimated survival was 171.25 ± 16.6 months. Overall patient posttransplant survival was 100%, 92.3%, 92.3%, 83%, and 72% at 1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatocellular carcinoma was mainly associated with inherited liver diseases in our pediatric series. Liver transplant provided a long-term survival advantage to pediatric patients with preexisting cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Treatment of Posttransplant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence.

OBJECTIVES: In patients who receive liver transplant to treat hepatocellular carcinoma, 10% to 15% posttransplant recurrence is observed. In the present study, we evaluated the long-term outcomes of patients who had received liver transplant for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the 683 livertransplants that we performed, 72 were in response to hepatocellular carcinoma. The physical examination and laboratory and imaging results of the patients were retrospectively analyzed and recorded. The recipients were evaluated according to the Baskent criteria and divided into 2 groups: early diagnosis and late diagnosis. RESULTS: Among 72 total patients in our study, 19 (26.3%) were pediatric recipients. Hepatocellular carcinoma recurred in 7 patients (9.7%; 5 adult, 2 pediatric). Except for one patient, all were in the late diagnosis group.The mean survivaltime of all patients was 137.45 ± 10 months.The mean survival in the early diagnosis group was longer than in the late diagnosis group. During follow-up, 11 patients died from recurrence and distant metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who received liver transplant, we found that postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and distant metastasis can be treated with surgery and/or with interventional radiology methods, which may improve patient survival after liver transplant.

Role of Interventional Radiology in the Management of Early Vascular Complications After Liver Transplant.

OBJECTIVES: A hepatic vascular complication after liver transplant is a critical situation, often resulting in graft failure and potentially leading to patient death. Early diagnosis and treatment of vascular complications can provide prolonged graft survival and prohibit further complications. This study presents our experiences with endovascular treatment during the first week after liver transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2012 and February 2021, 240 liver transplants were performed, with 43 patients having early endovascular treatment (37 men; mean age 27 ± 2.9 years) at a single center. Early endovascular interventions were carried out 1 to 7 days (mean ± SD of 2.7 ± 0.24 days) after transplant. Patients with vascular complications were grouped by arterial, venous, and portal complications. In addition, arterial complications were subgrouped by occlusive (hepatic artery thrombosis) and nonocclusive (hepatic artery stenosis/splenic artery steal syndrome) complications. Patients had median follow-up of 47 ± 4 months. RESULTS: In the first week after liver transplant, vascular complications included splenic artery steal syndrome in 27 patients (62.7%), hepatic complications in 10 patients (23.2%) (7 with hepatic artery thrombosis, 3 with hepatic artery stenosis), hepatic venous outflow complications in 4 patients (9.3%), and portal vein complications in 2 patients (4.6%). Only 1 patient required revision surgery because of excessive arterial kinking; the remaining patients with arterial complications were successfully managed with multiple endovascular treatment attempts. Patients with splenic artery steal syndrome were treated by selective arterial embolization with coil devices. Resistivity index, peak systolic velocity of hepatic arteries, and portal vein maximal velocity significantly improved (P < .001). Patients with hepatic venous outflow and portal vein complications who had endovascular treatments and vascular structures maintained good results over follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Early endovascular intervention is feasible and safe for hepatic vascular complications following liver transplant, with high success treatment rates with advances in interventional radiology.

Efficacy of the Sonoelastography Method for Diagnosis of Fibrosis in Renal Transplant Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Although biopsy is the most important method for diagnosing the cause of renal allograft dysfunction, sonoelastography, a new ultrasonography method, can be used to distinguish between the soft or hard nature of lesions. In this study, our aim was to investigate whether sonoelastography could diagnose fibrosis in renal transplant patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, we included patients over 18 years old who were recommended for clinical biopsy. Sonoelastographic evaluation was made by conducting acoustic radiation force impulse measurements for each patient after they were admitted to the clinic for biopsy. Measurements were performed just before the biopsy procedure. All results were examined by 2 experienced radiologists using the Siemens S3000 Ultrasound Machine (Erlangen, Germany). Comparisons of ultrasonographic values with biopsy results were made with SPSS software (SPSS: An IBM Company, version 20, IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: Of the 65 patients included in this study, pathology showed acute T-cell-mediated rejection in 37 patients. There was a significant correlation between the pathologic Banff scores and the sonographic acoustic radiation force impulse values (P = .002), where the degree of Banff increased as the mean acoustic radiation force impulse values elevated. A rise in mean impulse values correlated with increased degree of interstitial fibrosis in renal allografts. Renal parenchymal echogenicity of patients significantly differed by sex (P = .009), with an average renal echogenicity of grade 1 in women and grade 0 in men. Also, a statistically significant difference was found between age of the renal transplant recipient and resistive index values. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed a significant correlation between Banff degree and the acoustic radiation force impulse values of renal transplant patients. In addition to biopsy, sonoelastography can be beneficial for the diagnosis of fibrosis in renal transplant patients.

Incidence of Urinary Complications With Double J Stents in Kidney Transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: Ureteral complications remain a major source of morbidity and occasional mortality in renal transplant. Among all ureteral complications, leaks are the most frequently encountered in the early posttransplant period. The routine use of a double-J ureteric stent remains controversial, with reported increased incidence of urinary tract infection. Here, we retrospectively compared the efficacy of a double J stent in kidney transplant patients to investigate ureteral complication incidence in our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study included 382 kidney transplant patients. At 5 weeks after transplant, the double J stent was removed under sedation. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 125 patients with double J stent placement (group 1) and 257 patients without double J stent placement (group 2). RESULTS: We observed no significant demographic differences between the 2 groups with regard to patient age (median patient age of 30 y [range, 2-73 y] for group 1; median patient age of 33 y [range, 4-69 y] for group 2), patient sex (30.2% females in group 1, 32.4% females in group 2), and body mass index (median of 25.1 vs 24.9 kg/m2 in groups 1 and 2, respectively). Cold and warm ischemia time for donor organ, delayed graft function, and episodes of acute rejection did not differ significantly between the groups. Urinary tract infection was observed in 25/125 (20.4%) and 50/257 patients (19.2%) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Urinary leak was present in 8/125 group 1 (6.4%) and 6/257 group 2 patients (2.3%). CONCLUSIONS: A double J stent in ureteral anastomosis was not likely to decrease the frequency of leakage but is likely to reduce the gravity of the complication and the need for reoperation. In addition, the use of a double J stent was not associated with increased urinary tract infections in renal transplant recipients.

Liver Biopsy Results in Potential Donor Evaluation in Living Related Liver Transplant.

OBJECTIVES: The number of living-donor liver transplants has been increasing due to the growing discrepancy between the number of patients on wait lists for liver transplant and the availability of deceased donations. Evaluations of potential liver donors should ensure the safety of the surgical procedure for both the donor and recipient. Liver biopsy is the criterion standard for selecting optimal donors. In this study, we evaluated the importance of preoperative liver biopsy in selecting donor candidates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the data of 612 living-related liver donor candidates who received liver biopsies between January 2001 and June 2017 at our center. RESULTS: In the 612 liver donor candidates (328 male, 284 female; age range, 18-69 years), 416 liver biopsies (68%) were reported as normal and 196 liver biopsies (32%) had pathologic findings. Of 196 donors with pathologic findings, 86 (44%) had fatty changes and 24 (12%) had portal inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of pathologic findings in liver biopsy of healthy-appearing donor candidates indicated the importance of liver biopsy in the preoperative evaluation of donors.

Vascular Complications After Renal Transplant: A Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Despite surgical and medical advances, vascular complications are still among the major concerns after renal transplant, with a reported incidence of 3% to 15%. We evaluated the incidence and management of our transplant team 's vascular complications over 40 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 1975 to the present, we have performed a total of 2594 renal transplant procedures. Of these, 1997 grafts (76%) were obtained from living donors, and 597 grafts (24%) were obtained from deceased donors. All renal transplant procedures, including those performed in pediatric patients, used the extraperitoneal approach to the contralateral iliac fossa. Revascularization was performed for all grafts. A single end-to-end internal iliac artery anastomosis was performed in 1082 patients (41.8%), an end-to-side external iliac artery anastomosis was performed in 1289 patients (49.7%), and an end-to-side common iliac artery anastomosis was performed in 66 patients (2.5%). In 157 procedures (6%), there were at least 2 renal arteries, and both internal iliac arteries or external iliac arteries were used for anastomosis. RESULTS: We observed 57 vascular complications (2.1%) in 54 renal transplant procedures. The most frequent complication was renal artery stenosis (n = 17; 0.6%). There were 8 instances of renal artery thrombosis (0.4%), 7 of renal artery kinking (0.3%), 5 of renal vein thrombosis (0.2%), 9 of renal vein kinking (0.5%), 3 of external iliac artery dissection (0.01%), 5 renal vein lacerations (0.2%), and 3 renal artery lacerations (0.01%). We performed urgent surgery for 41 vascular complications; 38 were managed successfully. Percutaneous interventional techniques were used successfully for 18 vascular complications. CONCLUSIONS: The vascular complication rate in our patients is lower than that reported in the literature. Surgical complications can be minimized with careful transplant technique and close follow-up, as early diagnosis is crucial to early management and successful treatment of complications.

Interventional Radiologic Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The current treatment modalities for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are discussed in this review. Hepatocellular carcinoma arises in up to 90% of cirrhotic patients, mainly due to chronic viral hepatitis and alcohol abuse. Nearly two-thirds of all patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are diagnosed at advanced stages, thus causing problems with treatment. Regardless of the stage of the disease, interventional radiology offers both curative and palliative treatment options in the management of this disease. Selecting the most appropriate treatment requires an initial staging assessment and detailed clinical and radiologic workup. Treatment allocation is based on liver function, size and number of tumors, macrovascular invasion, and extrahepatic spread of disease.

A New Perspective for Infantile Hepatic Hemangioma in the Age of Propranolol: Experience at Baskent University.

Propranolol was first used in 2008 to treat hemangioma; its efficacy and safety have since changed the classical treatment indications. Infantile hepatic hemangioma presents as a spectrum of clinical conditions varying from simple asymptomatic lesions to lethal complications. Tufted hemangioma and Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma are congenital vascular tumors that lead to Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. Hemangiomas, like pure arteriovenous malformations, can cause hyperdynamic heart failure, and diffuse nodular-type hemangiomas can present with hypothyroidism. Respiratory problems and hepatic failure can be associated with diffuse nodular-type liver hemangiomas. There is a spectrum of approaches to management, varying from "watchful waiting" to liver transplant. In the age of propranolol, there has been a prominent change in the infantile hepatic hemangioma treatment algorithm. Our suggestion is early treatment with 3 mg/kg/day propranolol plus 1.0 to1.5 mg/kg/day prednisolone in all patients. This protocol is the most effective strategy for type 3 infantile hepatic hemangioma. Approximately one-third of patients with abdominal compartment syndrome in the era before propranolol treatment required liver transplant; this new treatment obviates transplant for many of these patients.

Surgical Complications After Kidney Transplantation.

Since the first successful organ transplant conducted between twins in 1954, kidney transplant has evolved considerably over the past 50 years. Kidney transplant plays an important role in the treatment of end-stage kidney disease to improve the quality of life and prolong the life of patients. Despite significant advances, postoperative medical and surgical complications still represent important causes of morbidity and mortality. Many problems can be avoided through prophylactic correction of abnormalities detected during the preoperative evaluation; however, it is critical that technical mishaps at all stages of the transplant process (donor nephrectomy, benchwork preparation, and implant) be prevented and that careful postoperative monitoring be carried out, including thorough examination by attending physicians. However, despite these advances, surgical complications still present serious problems in kidney transplant recipients.

Arterial complication of irreversible electroporation procedure for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal ablation technique used especially in locally advanced pancreatic carcinomas that are considered surgically unresectable. We present the first case of acute superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion secondary to pancreatic IRE procedure that has not been reported before in the literature. A 66-year-old man underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. IRE procedure was applied to the patient during laparotomy under general anesthesia. After finishing the procedure, an acute intestinal ischemia was detected. A conventional vascular angiography was performed and a metallic stent was successfully placed to the SMA and blood flow was maintained. It is important to be careful in such cases of tumor involvement of SMA when evaluating for IRE procedure of pancreatic tumor.

Outcomes of Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplant.

OBJECTIVES: Liver transplant is one of the few effective treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, conducted between October 1988 and March 2015, four hundred seventy-three liver transplants were performed at our institution. Of these, 231 were pediatric and 242 were adult. Among these patients, liver transplant was performed in 58 patients (12.3%) for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. RESULTS: Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence was detected in 14 patients (24.1%). Overall 5-year and 10-year survival rates of patients underwent liver transplant beyond the Milan criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma were 50.3% and 43.1%. Overall, 5- and 10-year survival rates of patients underwent liver transplant within the Milan criteria for hepatocellular carcinoma were 78.4% and 72.6%. The main predictive variable was whether the tumor had expensed beyond the Milan criteria. CONCLUSIONS: As expected, outcomes were significantly better in the Milan criteria group. Although the overall- and disease-free survival rates were promising in such a group of patients who had no better chance, it could be asserted that liver transplant is a safe and effective treatment option with promising results, even if the tumor expanse is beyond the Milan criteria.