Heterotopic pancreas autotransplantation with spleen for uncontrollable hemorrhagic pseudocyst and disabling pain in chronic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In this study, we report on a heterotopic segmental pancreatic autotransplantation (HPAT) with spleen for alcoholic chronic pancreatitis with uncontrollable hemorrhagic pseudocyst and complete portal venous obstruction. The patient was a 72-year-old man who had an alcoholic chronic pancreatitis with severe abdominal pain and hemorrhagic pseudocyst. The first bleeding from a pseudoaneurism of the gastro-duodenal artery (GDA) to the cyst of pancreas head was stopped by interventional radiology (IVR) at our hospital on May 2010. The second bleeding happened with severe abdominal pain on February 15th, 2011; he was admitted on February 17. The IVR was not successful. METHODOLOGY: There were two problems for the operation. The first was the severe inflammation and the second was the control of hemorrhage from GDA. We were afraid of the postoperative hemorrhage due to the leakage of pancreatic juice in the pancreato-duodenectomy (PD). Therefore, we chose the HPAT as a solution for postoperative hemorrhage and severe abdominal pain. After complete duodeno-pancreatectomy with spleen, we performed HPAT with spleen on March 8, 2011. The pancreatic duct reconstruction was performed by Roux-en-Y anastomosis to the jejunum. RESULTS: The postoperative course was uneventful. The abdominal pain had resolved completely and the patient remained normoglycemic after HPAT. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that HPAT is a useful option for hemorrhagic pseudocyst of the pancreas head with severe abdominal pain of chronic pancreatitis.

Perioperative immunological differentiation in liver cirrhotic patients who underwent living related liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Liver cirrhotic patients are immunological compromised hosts. Preoperative status in cirrhotic patients affects postoperative infection complications. This study investigates the perioperative immunological changes in the differentiation by MELD score. METHODOLOGY: Fifteen patients underwent LDLT and were divided two groups, Group I (n=5, MELD score >=20) and Group II (n=10, MELD score <20). Immunological status of cirrhotic patients was analyzed for Th1, Th2, Treg and Th17 by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibody CD3/CD19,CD4/8, FoxP3, IL-17, IFN-γ and TNF-α. RESULTS: T cell decreased and increased gradually following LDLT. The preoperative T cell count of MELD score 33 patients was very low. CD4 and CD8 T cells also decreased after LDLT. The preoperative CD8+ T cell count of MELD score 33 patients was very low. Th17 decreased and recovered gradually in the all patients after LDLT. However Th17 of MELD score 33 did not recover. IFN-γ-producing cells in naive T cells decreased after LDLT. Preoperatively those in the Group I was lower than those in the Group II. The population of Treg decreased in the Group I, however, it increased in the Group II on 7 days after LDLT. CONCLUSIONS: The patients with MELD score >20 showed a decrease of cytotoxic immunity with both diminution and delay of CD8+ T cells and Th17 helper T cells. The cytotoxic immunity of the patients with MELD score <20 was maintained and recovered in the early period after LDLT. The patients with MELD score >20 might be at high risk of infection after LDLT.

Catheter-directed continuous thrombolysis following aspiration thrombectomy via the ileocolic route for acute portal venous thrombosis: report of two cases.

Although acute portal venous thrombosis (PVT) is a potentially life-threatening complication that occurs after hepatobiliary surgery with portal vein (PV) reconstruction or splenectomy, no effective or universal treatments have yet been established. Transjugular or transhepatic catheter-directed thrombolysis has recently been reported to be effective for treating acute PVT. However, the efficiency of this treatment for complete PV occlusion might be limited because a poor portal venous flow prevents thrombolytic agents from reaching and dissolving thrombi. Moreover, the use of the transjugular or transhepatic route might not be suitable in patients who have undergone major hepatectomy or in those with ascites due to an increased risk of residual liver injury or intra-abdominal bleeding following puncture to the residual liver. We herein describe the cases of two patients with almost total PV occlusion caused by massive thrombi that formed after hepatobiliary surgery, who were successfully treated with catheter-directed continuous thrombolysis following aspiration thrombectomy via the ileocolic route. This treatment should be considered beneficial for treating selected patients such as the two patients described herein.

Successful laparoscopic division of a patent ductus venosus: report of a case.

Patent ductus venosus (PDV) is a rare condition of a congenital portosystemic shunt from the umbilical vein to the inferior vena cava. This report presents the case of an adult patient with PDV, who was successfully treated with laparoscopic shunt division. A 69-year-old male was referred with hepatic encephalopathy. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a large connection between the left portal vein and the inferior vena cava, which was diagnosed as PDV. The safety of a shunt disconnection was confirmed using a temporary balloon occlusion test for the shunt, and the shunt division was performed laparoscopically. The shunt was carefully separated from the liver parenchyma with relative ease, and then divided using a vascular stapler. Portal flow was markedly increased after the operation, and the liver function of the patient improved over the 3-month period after surgery. Although careful interventional evaluation for portal flow is absolutely imperative prior to surgery, a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach can be safely used for treating PDV.

A 10-year experience of shunt surgery for esophago-gastric varices in a single center in Japan.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We report 10 years' experience of shunt surgeries, and in particular Inokuchi shunt operation, at a single Japanese center. METHODOLOGY: Subjects were 50 patients who underwent shunt surgery, including Inokuchi shunt, distal splenorenal shunt, H-graft shunt, and inferior mesenteric venous-left renal vein shunt from November 1997 to November 2007. These patients were divided into two groups, a selective shunt group and a non-selective shunt group. RESULTS: Surgical duration was significantly longer in the selective group than in the non-selective group (p<0.0001). Blood loss was also significantly larger in the non-selective group (p=0.012). Pre-portal venous pressure did not change significantly after shunting in the selective shunt group. On the other hand, it decreased significantly from 378 +/- 39.7 mmH2O to 246 +/- 56.0 mmH2O (p<0.0001) in the non-selective group. The 2 and 5 year patency rates were 87% and 68%, respectively, in the selective shunt group, and 87% and 87% in the non-selective shunt group. CONCLUSIONS: Our data on survival rate and shunt patency for Inokchi shunt are similar to those originally reported by Inokuchi in 1984. The consecutive experiences of shunt operation in a single center were important for the improvement of surgical skills, both of the individual surgeon and the team.

A new technique of lateral approach for laparoscopy-assisted donor left hepatectomy.

This report describes laparoscopy-assisted donor left hepatectomy preserving the caudate lobe (LADLH), and a new technique for hand-assisted liver transection between the left lobe and the caudate lobe beforehand, called the 'lateral approach.' Four donor patients underwent LADLH. Preoperative computed tomography investigated the depth and width between the left lobe and the caudate lobe from the Arantius duct. LADLH was performed through a 9cm midline epigastric hand-port incision with four ports. The confluence of the middle and left hepatic veins was encircled with tape. Hand-assisted liver transection between the left lobe and the caudate lobe was performed using laparosonic coagulating shears after precoagulation with radio frequency ablation under ultrasonographic guidance. Through the hand-port incision, the tape around the middle and left hepatic veins could be passed between the left lobe and the caudate lobe to the porta hepatis. We used the tape toward the end of the parenchymal transection to bring the transection plane closer to the surface. The liver parenchyma was divided at Cantlie's line under direct vision. The graft was extracted through the hand-port incision. All donors underwent LADLH completely without any intraoperative complication. None of the donors required transfusion or re-operation.

Splenic-intrahepatic left portal shunt in an adult patient with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction without recurrence after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

In the last decade, a superior mesenteric-intrahepatic left portal shunt (Rex shunt) has been reported for successful management of extrahepatic portal vein obstruction in children. However, in adults, a mesocaval shunt has been generally performed for the surgical management of extrahepatic portal vein obstruction because of the complexity of the underlying disease and the difficulty of the superior mesenteric-intrahepatic left portal shunt. We herein report an adult patient who was successfully treated by splenic-intrahepatic left portal shunt with an artificial graft (6-mm polytetrafluoroethylene) for complete obstruction of the extrahepatic portal vein following pancreaticoduodenectomy. The shunt procedure not only relieved portal hypertension but also restored hepatic portal flow. In the near future, the Rex shunt should be considered for a beneficial management of extrahepatic portal vein obstruction, even in adults.

Intra portal donor specific antigen transfusion might prevent re-infection of hepatitis C virus after living related liver transplantation in hepatitis C hepatic cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Re-infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is very important for prognosis after liver transplantation of HCV cirrhosis. In the mechanism of re-infection of HCV, the peri-transplant immunity including the immunosuppression must be very important for getting the solution of prevention of its infection. (please rewrite this phrase). In this study, we investigated the influences of intraportal DST for HCV-reinfection after living related liver transplantation (LRLT). METHODOLOGY: The 12 patients, who underwent LRLT for the end-stage HCV liver cirrhosis from 1999 to 2007 in our hospital, were estimated about the influence of intraportal DST for re-infection of HCV. The nine persons of all patients had received the intraportal DST after LRLT. RESULTS: These nine patients could be steroid withdrawn within 2 months. The seven persons of all patients that received intraportal DST were treated with perioperative IFN therapy. Two patients had preoperative interferon-beta therapy. The one patient could obtain SVR. The other patient dropped out for the complications. The four patients had interferon-beta therapy in the acute hepatitis phase. Two patients had it in the chronic hepatitis phase. The one patient mentioned before, had preoperative IFN-beta and dropped out. HCV of the one patients without interferon therapy disappeared spontaneously from 3 months. The HCV disappeared in the 6 patients (66.7%) of all nine patients with intraportal DST after LRLT. The five of six patients were SVR. The patient who got preoperative IFN-beta revealed the macrochimerism of donor type CD56+T cell in the graft liver one month after LRLT. The immunological analysis about the patient, who got a spontaneous disappearance of HCV two months after LRLT, demonstrated that CD56+T cells strongly developed the both FasL and TRAIL expressions. CONCLUSION: In this study, the clinical and immunological findings suggested that intraportal DST might affect for the clearance of HCV by the both host immunity and IFN-ribavirin therapy.

A complete physiological orthotopic living related partial pancreatic transplantation alone with pancreatic duct to duct anastomosis for type I diabetes mellitus.

In this study, we reported a complete solitary living related orthotopic partial pancreatic transplantation (LROPPT) with duct to duct drainage of pancreatic juice. A 29-year old man, who has suffered from type I diabetes mellitus (DM) since age 2, underwent LROPPT on 2007 August 9th. He had hypoglycemia for several times per week. His preoperative hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was 8.4%. He has little diabetic complications of 2 degree of nephropathy with albuminuria and slight neuropathy. The donor was a 57-year old his father, whose preoperative 75gOGTT and ivGTT revealed normal pattern. Donor was performed hand-assisted distal pancreatectomy with spleen. Operative time was 5 hours and 18 min and intraoperative hemorrhage was 75 ml. Recipient was explored by upper abdominal L-shaped incision. Distal pancreatectomy with spleen with enough expose of both splenic vein and artery, and main pancreatic duct. Both the splenic vein and the arterial anastomosis was made, thereafter, pancreatic duct to duct anastomosis was made by 6-0 PDS with pancreatic duct stent. The pancreatic duct stent lead to extra abdomen through Papilla Vater and duodenum. Pancreatic tissue was anastomosis by 6-0 prolene using fibrin-glue. After that, absorbed thin mesh was rolled around the pancreatic anastomosis with fibrin-glue. The operative time was 10 hr 10 min and the blood loss was 435 ml. Patient was discharged without a pancreatic leakage and vessel thrombosis 16th days after transplantation. LROPPT is a complete physiologic procedure. In Japan, almost of donor is marginal donor aged above 50 years old. The portal drainage might be comfortable for the stress of the partial pancreatic graft.

Risk factors and prevention of biliary anastomotic complications in adult living donor liver transplantation.

AIM: To evaluate risk factors of biliary anastomotic complications (BACs) and outcomes according to type of biliary reconstruction. METHODS: A total of 33 consecutive adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) were reviewed, 17 of which had undergone Duct-to-Duct anastomosis (D-D). The remaining 16 patients received Roux-en-Y anastomosis (R-Y). The perioperative factors, such as the type of graft and the number of graft bile ducts, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The overall incidence of BACs was 39.4%. The incidence of BACs was significantly higher in the patients with than without neoadjuvant chemotherapy (71.4% vs 10%, P = 0.050). There was no significant difference in the incidence of biliary leakage in patients with D-D vs those with R-Y. The incidence of biliary strictures following the healing of biliary leakage was significantly higher in D-D (60%) than in R-Y (0%) (P = 0.026). However, the incidence of BACs related bacteremia was significantly higher in R-Y than in D-D (71.4% vs 0%, P = 0.008). In D-D, use of T-tube stent remarkably reduced the incidence of BACs, compared with straight tube stent (0% vs 50%, P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: Our experience showed an increase of BACs related bacteremia in the patients with R-Y. Therefore, D-D might be a preferred biliary reconstruction. However, the surgical refinement of D-D should be required because of the high incidence of biliary strictures. Use of the T-tube stent might lead to a significant reduction of BACs in D-D.

Video-assisted living donor hemihepatectomy through a 12-cm incision for adult-to-adult liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: There has been remarkable progress in recent technical innovations for laparoscopic hepatectomy. However, a laparoscopic procedure rarely has been indicated for donation of the liver in living-related liver transplantation (LRLT). Here, we described the technique and the outcome of video-assisted donor hepatectomy (VADH) for adult-to-adult LRLT. METHODS: For 13 donors in adult-to-adult LRLT, 3 types of major hepatectomy--right hemihepatectomy (3), and left hemihepatectomy, with or without the caudate lobe (10)--were performed through video-assisted procedures; surgical manipulation via ports or via a 12-cm incision and viewing through a laparoscope or through incision were combined and used. RESULTS: VADH was completed in 13 donors, with a median operation time of 363 +/- 33 minutes and a median blood loss of 302 +/- 191 mL. No complications specific to video-assisted procedures, postoperative bile leak, or bleeding were observed. The restoration of the liver function was smooth, and the use of an analgesic (median: 1.2 times) was reduced, compared with the historical control (median: 3.8 times) that underwent a standard donation of the liver. Currently, all donors are healthy and have returned to their previous activities. The grafts have been functioning well, excluding 3 recipients who succumbed to serious complications unrelated to the video-assisted procedure. CONCLUSION: We have shown a new method of VADH through a 12-cm laparotomy for adult-to-adult LRLT. This technique is as feasible as standard open donor hepatectomy, with less pain and with improved postoperative symptoms.

Non-volatile transistor memory devices using charge storage cross-linked core-shell nanoparticles.

Solution processable cross-linked core-shell poly[poly(ethylene glycol)methylether methacrylate]-block-poly(2,5-dibromo-3-vinylthiophene) (poly(PEGMA)m-b-poly(DB3VT)n) nanoparticles are firstly explored as charge storage materials for transistor-type memory devices owing to their efficient and controllable ability in electric charge transfer and trapping.

Preoperative human-telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA in peripheral blood and tumor recurrence in living-related liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In this study we evaluated the potential role of preoperative h-TERT mRNA expression in peripheral blood as a tool for predicting prognosis and tumor recurrence after living-related liver donor transplantation (LRLDT). METHODOLOGY: The study included patients with unresectable HCC who underwent LRLDT from July 1999 to May 2003. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the survival curves of those patients who met the Milan criteria and those who did not. However, there was a statistically significant difference (p=0.032) between the survival curves of those patients with positive preoperative h-TERT mRNA expression, and those who either had an initially negative preoperative h-TERT mRNA or who converted from positive to negative after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the presence or absence of h-TERT mRNA in the peripheral blood may be a useful criterion in evaluating HCC patients for transplantation, as well as a valuable method of assessing anti-tumor therapy and tumor relapse.

A case of cervical spondylitis during stellate ganglion block.

We report a case of cervical spondylitis that developed during treatment with a series of stellate ganglion blocks. A 65-year-old man was scheduled for 10 sessions of stellate ganglion block for treatment of right-sided deafness of sudden onset due to Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Administration of betamethasone was started 5 days before the first block and was continued for 6 weeks. After disinfection of the skin by povidone iodine, each stellate ganglion block was performed via the paratracheal approach. The first four block sessions were uneventful. However, during the fifth session, the patient complained of neck pain. After 10 sessions, the deafness improved and the patient was discharged from the hospital. Three weeks after discharge, he was readmitted for sustained neck and bilateral shoulder pain and numbness of the right hand. Cervical roentgenography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed spondylitis of C5 and C6. Antibiotics were administered for 2 weeks. The inflammatory variables on blood examination improved, but cervical roentgenography performed 8 weeks after the last block showed that the vertebral body of C6 was nearly completely destroyed. Four months after the last block, the vertebral bodies of C5 and C6 had fused. This case indicates that when stellate ganglion block is performed in patients who are taking a corticosteroid, the disinfection procedure must be strictly followed and that if the patient complains of neck or shoulder pain, cervical roentgenography or magnetic resonance imaging or both should be immediately performed to assess the presence of spondylitis.

Postoperative management for donor safety in living related donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Living related donor liver transplantation must hold on in absolute donor safety. Nevertheless, the risks to the donors are increased because of the use of right lobe for size mismatch. Therefore the intensive management for donor operation can hardly be overestimated. In this study, we investigated the utility of prostaglandin E1, methylprednisolone and C-tube in the postoperative management for donor operation based on our understanding of the mechanisms of liver injury after massive hepatectomy. METHODOLOGY: Outcome of the thirteen donors, whose right lobe was removed (right lobe group: 7 cases) or the left lobe only (3 cases) and left lobe plus caudate lobe (3 cases) (left lobe group: 6 cases) from 1999 March to 2000 August, for living related liver transplantation were evaluated. Indication for right lobe living related liver transplantation was basically defined as an estimated left lobe volume/recipient body weight ratio (GVBW ratio) of < 0.8% (range: 0.65-1.4, right lobe group: 1.05 +/- 0.18, left lobe group: 0.89 +/- 0.16). RESULTS: The donors recovered from the operation without the differentiation between right and left lobe group. There were no significant differences in the operative time, the operative hemorrhage, the hospital stays and the postoperative liver function in the two groups. They had no bile leakage and no serious complications. We experienced the left lobe donor who suffered from a cholangitis without any infection and he recovered by the administration of prostaglandin E1 and steroid. They improved bile secretion and bilirubinemia. Eleven recipients (84.6%) were successfully treated. The two causes of death were the sepsis (right lobe) and brain hemorrhage (left lobe). CONCLUSIONS: The current series of right lobe donation was able to show successful results as well as left lobe donation by the postoperative management with steroid, prostaglandin E1 and C-tube drainage based on our understanding of liver injury after massive hepatectomy in the adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation.

Splenectomy for reduction of excessive portal hypertension after adult living-related donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the effects of splenectomy on the reduction of excessive portal hypertension immediately after adult living-related donor liver transplantation, paying particular attention to peritransplanted portal pressure in seven adult patients. METHODOLOGY: We studied the relationship between portal hypertension and hyperbilirubinemia in small-for-size graft liver transplantation. RESULTS: In the three cases, the portal pressures increased beyond 30 cmH2O after living-related donor liver transplantation, despite the right lobe graft, and these patients underwent splenectomy. After splenectomy, their portal pressures decreased below 25 cmH2O. The portal pressure underwent auxiliary orthotopic partial liver transplantation due to the hypercitrullinemia and did not change after surgery (9.5 to 11.5 cmH2O). Interestingly, the hyperbilirubinemia occurring after living-related donor liver transplantation were as the primary result of direct bilirubin except for the patient with citrullinemia. The posttransplanted portal pressures were controlled below 25 cmH2O in all patients, with their peak serum total bilirubin levels not exceeding 15 mg/dL, and the patients were discharged without major complications. Three patients underwent splenectomy, and did not suffer from serious infection. The reduction in excessive portal hypertension after living-related donor liver transplantation might prevent liver injury and post-transplant hyperbilirubinemia. CONCLUSIONS: However, splenectomy remains a life-threatening factor. Therefore, transplant surgeons encountering living-related donor liver transplantation must continue to seek out additional solutions to problems with excessive portal hypertension.

Carbon monoxide hemoglobin and bilirubin metabolism in adult living-related liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hemeoxygenase-1 produces carbon monoxide as a byproduct of hemoglobin metabolism. The present study examines the relationship between carbon monoxide production and hyperbilirubinemia following adult living-related liver transplantation with special attention to the contribution of shear stress in retarding regeneration. METHODOLOGY: Case records from 16 patients who underwent adult living-related liver transplantation from March 1999 to May 2001 were reviewed. Patients were divided into group A (graft weight: recipient body weight ratio > or = 1) and group B (graft weight: recipient body weight ratio < 1). Clinical characteristics and outcome in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Total serum bilirubin concentration and the direct: total serum bilirubin concentration were higher in group B than group A (p < 0.01). Further, the carbon monoxide-hemoglobin concentration correlated with the total serum bilirubin concentration (r = 0.81, p < 0.0001) and also was higher in group B than group A (p < 0.05). The arterial: ketone body ratio rose similarly during the first week in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent hyperbilirubinemia in small-for-size grafts and concomitant carbon monoxide-hemoglobinemia reflect both parenchymal and Kupffer cell dysfunction. The role of shear stress in the portal system and its relationship to portal hypertension are discussed.

Wall shear stress and intrahepatic leukocytes of graft in living related donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the influence of HTK solution against natural killer T cells and thymic T cells in liver graft before and after perfusion in adult living related donor liver transplantation. METHODOLOGY: Graft samples were obtained before liver resection, after perfusion, and one hour after liver transplantation. Flowcytometry analysis was conducted using several human natural killer markers; CD16, CD56, CD57, and CD161. RESULTS: Natural killer T cells existed prominently in the liver leukocytes compared with their presence in peripheral blood lymphocytes, and the difference was significant. CD56+ T and CD161+ T cells, in comparison with CD16+ T cells and CD57+ T cells, were especially numerous in the liver. The proportion of CD56+ T and CD161+ T cells increased in the graft immediately after perfusion with HTK solution. However, CD16+ T cells and CD57+ T cells decreased in the graft immediately after perfusion and reperfusion of portal blood flow. Thymus-derived cells also decreased significantly after perfusion. The proportion of CD56+ T cells among CD3+ cells showed a significant increase immediately after perfusion. All types of natural killer cells in the graft immediately increased after perfusion by HTK solution and reperfusion of portal blood flow. Compared with CD57+ NKT cells, CD56+ NKT cells showed a significant tendency to stay in the liver graft against the perfusion. CD57+ NKT cells tended to wash out from the liver into the systemic circulation. Moreover, thymus-derived T cells showed the strongest tendency to wash out from the liver graft. CONCLUSIONS: CD56+ NKT cells and natural killer cells are more involved in local immunity, whereas thymus-derived cells and CD57+ NKT cells are involved in regulation of systemic immunity. Alloimmunity between local and systemic systems may be affected by the dynamic changes in hepatic circulation associated with living related donor liver transplantation.

Repeating intraportal donor-specific transfusion may induce tolerance following adult living-related donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Oral or portal administration of allogeneic antigens downregulates the alloimmune response and prolongs graft survival following organ transplantation. However, the effect of donor-specific transfusion via the portal vein has been reported in rodent models, but has not been reported in human cases. We investigated whether donor-specific transfusion via the portal vein would bring up the clinical and immunological benefits in living-related donor liver transplantation. METHODOLOGY: Eighteen patients who underwent living-related donor liver transplantation from March 1999 to December 2001, were investigated. Seven patients were given the Tac + steroid regimen (IP(-) group: n = 7, mean age 54 +/- 9 yo). Eleven patients had postoperative repeated donor specific transfusion performed via a portal venous catheter inserted from vena colica media besides from the Tac + steroid (IP(+) group: n = 11, mean age 45 +/- 15 yo). The clinical effects of the reduction of immunosuppression and the rejection, and the immunological analysis were studied in the two groups. RESULTS: Total amount of methylprednisolone and prednisolone within one month in the IP(+) group was smaller than that in the IP(-) group with statistical significance. Amount of Tac within one month and Trough level of Tac was statistically smaller in the IP(+) group than that in the IP(-) group. Minimum dose of Tac in the IP(+) group was clearly smaller than that in the IP(-) group with statistical significance. The frequency of acute cellular rejection within one month and after one month or total frequency of acute cellular rejection in the IP(+) group tended to be less than that in the IP(-) group. Macrochimerism of donor type CD56+ T cells in a graft were confirmed in patients with donor-specific transfusion via the portal vein. Conversely recipient type CD56+ T cells increased in the graft liver in patients without donor-specific transfusion. IL-10 production of the donor-specific transfusion(+) group was higher than that of the donor-specific transfusion(-) group on day 1 after living-related donor liver transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: The repeated donor-specific transfusion via the portal vein has brought the rapid reduction of immunosuppressants. Donor type natural killer T cells especially CD56+ T cells, may induce tolerance by Veto mechanism and anti-idiotype network mechanism. These benefits might introduce more advantages in frequency of complications and cost of transplantation.

Clinical and cardiac features of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage presenting with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is known as one of the aetiologies of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the mechanisms of circulatory collapse in these patients have remained unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 244 consecutive OHCA patients transferred to our emergency department. Head computed tomography was performed on all patients and revealed the existence of SAH in 14 patients (5.9%, 10 females). Among these, sudden collapse was witnessed in 7 patients (50%). On their initial cardiac rhythm, all 14 patients showed asystole or pulseless electrical activity, but no ventricular fibrillation (VF). Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was obtained in 10 of the 14 patients (14.9% of all ROSC patients) although all resuscitated patients died later. The ROSC rate in patients with SAH (71%) was significantly higher than that of patients with either other types of intracranial haemorrhage (25%, n=2/8) or presumed cardiovascular aetiologies (22%, n=23/101) (p<0.01). On electrocardiograms, ST-T abnormalities and/or QT prolongation were found in all 10 resuscitated patients. Despite their electrocardiographic abnormalities, only 3 patients showed echocardiographic abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of SAH in patients with all causes of OHCA was about 6%, and in resuscitated patients was about 15%. The initial cardiac rhythm revealed no VF even though half had a witnessed arrest. A high ROSC rate was observed in patients with SAH, although none survived to hospital discharge.