Trasplante hepático: evolución, curva de aprendizaje y resultados después de los primeros 300 casos / Liver transplantation: development, learning curve and results after the first 300 cases

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) is an option for people with liver failure who cannot be cured with other therapies and for some people with liver cancer. Aim: To describe, and analyze the first 300 LT clinical results, and to establish our learning curve. Material and Methods: Retrospective cohort study with data obtained from a prospectively collected LT Program database. We included all LT performed at a single center from March 1994 to September 2017. The database gathered demographics, diagnosis, indications for LT, surgical aspects and postoperative courses. We constructed a cumulative summation test for learning curve (LC-CUSUM) using 30-day post-LT mortality. Mortality at 30 days, and actuarial 1-, and 5-year survival rate were analyzed. Results: A total of 281 patients aged 54 (0-71) years (129 women) underwent 300 LT. Ten percent of patients were younger than 18 years old. The first, second and third indications for LT were non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, chronic autoimmune hepatitis and alcoholic liver cirrhosis, respectively. Acute liver failure was the LT indication in 51 cases (17%). The overall complication rate was 71%. Infectious and biliary complications were the most common of them (47 and 31% respectively). The LC-CUSUM curve shows that the first 30 patients corresponded to the learning curve. The peri-operative mortality was 8%. Actuarial 1 and 5-year survival rates were 82 and 71.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Outcome improvement of a LT program depends on the accumulation of experience after the first 30 transplants and the peri-operative mortality directly impacted long-term survival.

Risk factors for severe postoperative complications after gastrectomy for gastric and esophagogastric junction cancers / Fatores de risco para complicações pós-operatórias graves após gastrectomia por câncer do estômago e junção esofagogástrica

ABSTRACT Background: Gastrectomy is the main treatment for gastric and Siewert type II-III esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer. This surgery is associated with significant morbidity. Total morbidity rates vary across different studies and few have evaluated postoperative morbidity according to complication severity. Aim: To identify the predictors of severe postoperative morbidity. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study from a prospective database. We included patients treated with gastrectomy for gastric or EGJ cancers between January 2012 and December 2016 at a single center. Severe morbidity was defined as Clavien-Dindo score ≥3. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of severe morbidity. Results: Two hundred and eighty-nine gastrectomies were performed (67% males, median age: 65 years). Tumor location was EGJ in 14%, upper third of the stomach in 30%, middle third in 26%, and lower third in 28%. In 196 (67%), a total gastrectomy was performed with a D2 lymph node dissection in 85%. Two hundred and eleven patients (79%) underwent an open gastrectomy. T status was T1 in 23% and T3/T4 in 68%. Postoperative mortality was 2.4% and morbidity rate was 41%. Severe morbidity was 11% and was mainly represented by esophagojejunostomy leak (2.4%), duodenal stump leak (2.1%), and respiratory complications (2%). On multivariate analysis, EGJ location and T3/T4 tumors were associated with a higher rate of severe postoperative morbidity. Conclusion: Severe postoperative morbidity after gastrectomy was 11%. Esophagogastric junction tumor location and T3/T4 status are risk factors for severe postoperative morbidity.

RESUMO Raciona l: A gastrectomia é o tratamento principal para o câncer de junção esofagogástrica (EGJ) e Siewert tipo II-III. Ela está associada à morbidade significativa. As taxas de morbidade total variam entre os diferentes estudos e poucos avaliaram a morbidade pós-operatória de acordo com a gravidade da complicação. Objetivo: Identificar os preditores de morbidade pós-operatória grave. Métodos: Este foi um estudo de coorte retrospectivo de um banco de dados prospectivo. Foram incluídos pacientes tratados com gastrectomia para câncer gástrico ou EGJ em um único centro. A morbidade severa foi definida como escore de Clavien-Dindo ≥3. Análise multivariada foi realizada para identificar preditores de morbidade grave. Resultados: Duzentos e oitenta e nove gastrectomias foram realizadas (67% homens, mediana de idade: 65 anos). A localização do tumor foi EGJ em 14%, o terço superior do estômago em 30%, o terço médio em 26% e o terço inferior em 28%. Em 196 (67%), foi realizada gastrectomia total com dissecção de linfonodos D2 em 85%. Duzentos e onze pacientes (79%) foram submetidos à gastrectomia aberta. O estado T foi T1 em 23% e T3/T4 em 68%. A mortalidade pós-operatória foi de 2,4% e a taxa de morbidade foi de 41%. A morbidade severa foi de 11% e foi representada principalmente por fístula esofagojejunal (2,4%), fístula duodenal (2,1%) e complicações respiratórias (2%). Na análise multivariada, a localização do EGJ e os tumores T3/T4 foram associados com maior morbidade pós-operatória grave. Conclusão: Morbidade pós-operatória severa após gastrectomia foi de 11%. A localização do tumor na junção esofagogástrica e o estado T3/T4 são fatores de risco para a morbidade pós-operatória grave.