Surgical Outcomes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Bile Duct Tumor Thrombus: A Korea-Japan Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify optimal surgical methods and the risk factors for long-term survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma accompanied by macroscopic bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Prognoses of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma accompanied by BDTT have been known to be poor. There have been significant controversies regarding optimal surgical approaches and risk factors because of the low incidence and small number of cases in previous reports. METHODS: Records of 257 patients from 32 centers in Korea and Japan (1992-2014) were analyzed for overall survival and recurrence rate using the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Curative surgery was performed in 244 (94.9%) patients with an operative mortality of 5.1%. Overall survival and recurrence rate at 5 years was 43.6% and 74.2%, respectively. TNM Stage (P < 0.001) and the presence of fibrosis/cirrhosis (P = 0.002) were independent predictors of long-term survival in the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Both performing liver resection equal to or greater than hemihepatectomy and combined bile duct resection significantly increased overall survival [hazard ratio, HR = 0.61 (0.38-0.99); P = 0.044 and HR = 0.51 (0.31-0.84); P = 0.008, respectively] and decreased recurrence rate [HR = 0.59 (0.38-0.91); P = 0.018 and HR = 0.61 (0.42-0.89); P = 0.009, respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical outcomes were mostly influenced by tumor stage and underlying liver function, and the impact of BDTT to survival seemed less prominent than vascular invasion. Therefore, an aggressive surgical approach, including major liver resection combined with bile duct resection, to increase the chance of R0 resection is strongly recommended.

Roles of unphosphorylated ISGF3 in HCV infection and interferon responsiveness.

Up-regulation of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) is sustained in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected livers. Here, we investigated the mechanism of prolonged ISG expression and its role in IFN responsiveness during HCV infection in relation to unphosphorylated IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 (U-ISGF3), recently identified as a tripartite transcription factor formed by high levels of IFN response factor 9 (IRF9), STAT1, and STAT2 without tyrosine phosphorylation of the STATs. The level of U-ISGF3, but not tyrosine phosphorylated STAT1, is significantly elevated in response to IFN-λ and IFN-ß during chronic HCV infection. U-ISGF3 prolongs the expression of a subset of ISGs and restricts HCV chronic replication. However, paradoxically, high levels of U-ISGF3 also confer unresponsiveness to IFN-α therapy. As a mechanism of U-ISGF3-induced resistance to IFN-α, we found that ISG15, a U-ISGF3-induced protein, sustains the abundance of ubiquitin-specific protease 18 (USP18), a negative regulator of IFN signaling. Our data demonstrate that U-ISGF3 induced by IFN-λs and -ß drives prolonged expression of a set of ISGs, leading to chronic activation of innate responses and conferring a lack of response to IFN-α in HCV-infected liver.

Long-term outcomes of infliximab treatment and predictors of response in 195 patients with ulcerative colitis: a hospital-based cohort study from Korea.

BACKGROUND: Large-scale studies regarding the long-term efficacy of infliximab (IFX) treatment in non-Caucasian patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are lacking. STUDY: We analyzed the long-term outcomes of IFX in 195 Korean UC patients who received scheduled IFX treatments at Asan Medical Center. IFX failure was defined as IFX discontinuation due to colectomy or non-response to IFX, and additionally UC-related hospitalization or a need for rescue corticosteroids during the course of IFX. RESULTS: Between December 2006 and October 2016, a total of 3101 infusions of IFX were administered to 195 patients over a median period of 21 months. At the end of the follow-up, 86 patients (44.1%) were still receiving IFX without failure. IFX was stopped in 73 (37.4%) patients due to colectomy (23 patients, 11.8%), non-response to IFX (35 patients, 17.9%) or other reasons such as adverse events or patients' preferences (15 patients, 7.7%). An additional 36 (18.5%) patients experienced IFX failure during follow-up due to a need for rescue corticosteroids (13 patients, 6.7%), UC-related hospitalization (8 patients, 4.1%), or both (15 patients, 7.7%). The survival free of IFX failure was 58.1% at 1 year, 50.7% at 3 years and 44.8% at 5 years. In a multivariate regression analysis, cytomegalovirus colitis within 3 months before IFX initiation was a predictor of IFX failure (hazard ratio 1.57; 95% confidence interval 1.04-2.37; p = .032). CONCLUSIONS: The long-term efficacy of IFX in a large, real-life cohort of Korean UC patients appears to be comparable to that in previously published Western studies.

Overall and cause-specific mortality in Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A hospital-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Limited data are available regarding mortality from inflammatory bowel disease in non-Caucasian populations. Herein, we evaluated overall and cause-specific mortality in a hospital-based cohort of Korean inflammatory bowel disease patients. METHODS: We determined mortality in 2414 Crohn's disease patients and 2798 ulcerative colitis patients diagnosed between 1977 and 2013. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated in several demographic and phenotypic subgroups. RESULTS: During the mean 9-year follow up, 114 patients died: 35 with Crohn's disease and 79 with ulcerative colitis. The overall standardized mortality ratios were 1.40 (95% confidence interval: 0.97-1.94) in Crohn's disease and 0.73 (0.58-0.91) in ulcerative colitis. In Crohn's disease, female sex, age < 30 years at diagnosis, disease duration > 10 years, ileocolonic disease at diagnosis, perianal fistula, intestinal resection, and ever-use of corticosteroids were associated with higher mortality. In ulcerative colitis, male sex, age ≥ 30 years at diagnosis, disease duration ≤ 5 years, proctitis at diagnosis, and no history of colectomy were associated with lower mortality, while primary sclerosing cholangitis was associated with higher mortality. In both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, high mortality rates due to nonmalignant gastrointestinal causes (standardized mortality ratios: 4.59 and 2.32, respectively) and gastrointestinal malignancies (standardized mortality ratios: 16.59 and 3.45, respectively) were observed. Cardiovascular mortality was lower in ulcerative colitis (standardized mortality ratio: 0.47). CONCLUSIONS: The overall mortality tended to be higher in Crohn's disease patients than in the general population; it was slightly lower in ulcerative colitis patients than in the general population.

Long-Term Outcomes of Adalimumab Treatment in 254 Patients with Crohn's Disease: A Hospital-Based Cohort Study from Korea.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Large-scale studies regarding the long-term outcomes of adalimumab (ADA) treatment in Asian patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are still scarce. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the long-term outcomes of ADA treatment in Korean CD patients who commenced on scheduled ADA treatment at Asan Medical Center between November 2008 and July 2016. Clinical response was defined as maintaining ADA treatment without dose intensification (DI) and/or major abdominal surgery (MAS). RESULTS: Of the 254 patients who received at least two doses of ADA at 2-week intervals as induction therapy, 250 patients (98.4%) showed an initial favorable response by week 4. Among responders, 243 patients were followed up for longer than 4 weeks and were included for further analysis. The median duration of ADA maintenance therapy was 19.4 months. At the last follow-up, 45 patients (18.5%) required DI after a median of 16.8 months and 31 (12.8%) required MAS after a median of 8.9 months. Finally, 161 patients (66.3%) were still receiving ADA without DI and/or MAS. The cumulative probability of maintaining ADA without DI and/or MAS was 81.1% at 1 year, and 36.5% at 5 years. Secondary loss of response to previous infliximab (P = 0.001) and elevated baseline C-reactive protein at starting ADA treatment (P = 0.008) were identified as independent predictors of a poor response to ADA treatment using multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term outcome of ADA treatment in a real-life cohort of Korean patients with CD appears to be comparable to that reported in previously published Western studies.

Validation of a novel endoscopic program for measuring the size of gastrointestinal lesions.

BACKGROUND: Valid and reliable methods for measurement of lesion sizes during endoscopy have not been established. METHODS: We developed a novel software program (ENDOVER; Poinbionics, Seoul, Republic of Korea) to measure lesions sizes and assessed its validity and reliability. To validate the program, we measured standard coin sizes and estimated measurement errors. To assess program reliability, 32 pictures of endoscopically resected specimens were used to measure tissue sizes six times in a 24-h interval by two examiners. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess intraobserver and interobserver agreements. Agreement between the program and pathological measurements was assessed by absolute differences. RESULTS: The nominal standard sizes of 10-won, 100-won, and 500-won coins were 18.0, 24.0, and 26.5 mm, and the calculated sizes were 18.09, 24.48, and 26.31 mm, respectively. ICCs of the long and short diameters were, respectively, 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87-0.95] and 0.93 (CI 0.89-0.96) for examiner 1 and 0.88 (CI 0.81-0.93) and 0.92 (CI 0.87-0.95) for examiner 2. Interobserver ICCs of the long and short diameters were 0.97 (CI 0.94-0.99) and 0.97 (CI 0.94-0.99), respectively. The mean absolute differences between the program and pathological measurements were 4.4 and 4.7 mm for the long and short diameters, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the novel measurement program is a valid and reliable method for estimation of lesion sizes from endoscopic findings during and after examination.

Successful resolution of gastric perforation caused by a severe complication of pancreatic walled-off necrosis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic walled-off necrosis (WON) rarely causes critical gastric necrosis and perforation, which may develop when pancreatic WON squashes against the stomach. The Atlanta 2012 guidelines were introduced for acute pancreatitis and its related clinical entities. However, there are few reported cases describing the clinical course and resolution of pancreatic WON. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 45-year-old man who presented to the urgent emergency department with gastric perforation caused by a severe complication of pancreatic WON on computed tomography. The patient underwent an emergency distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and gastric wedge resection. Postoperative findings showed re-perforation of the gastric wall at a previously resected margin. Furthermore, endoscopic examination revealed an ulcerative area with a defect in the fundus. After diagnostic endoscopy, endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure was performed, and continuous suction was transferred over all tissues in contact with the sponge surface. The patient recovered without any further complications and was discharged in good condition at postoperative week 8. No recurrence occurred during the 6-mo follow-up period. CONCLUSION: When managing a patient with serious gastric perforation complicated by pancreatic WON, a multidisciplinary treatment approach should be considered.

Revised Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association for Acute Pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis can range from a mild, self-limiting disease requiring no more than supportive care, to severe disease with life-threatening complications. With the goal of providing a recommendation framework for clinicians to manage acute pancreatitis, and to contribute to improvements in national health care, the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association (KPBA) established the Korean guidelines for acute pancreatitis management in 2013. However, many challenging issues exist which often lead to differences in clinical practices. In addition, with newly obtained evidence regarding acute pancreatitis, there have been great changes in recent knowledge and information regarding this disorder. Therefore, the KPBA committee underwent an extensive revision of the guidelines. The revised guidelines were developed using the Delphi method, and the main topics of the guidelines include the following: diagnosis, severity assessment, initial treatment, nutritional support, convalescent treatment, and the treatment of local complications and necrotizing pancreatitis. Specific recommendations are presented, along with the evidence levels and recommendation grades.

Is left lateral sectionectomy of the liver without operative site drainage safe and effective?

Backgrounds/Aims: Despite its limited benefits, operative site drainage after elective hepatectomy is routinely used. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of left lateral sectionectomy without operative site drainage. Methods: This study retrospectively collected data from 31 patients who underwent elective left lateral sectionectomy between January 2017 and June 2020. Based on whether operative site drainage was used, the patients were divided into two groups: drainage and non-drainage of the operative site and a comparative analysis was conducted. Results: A total of 31 patients underwent left lateral sectionectomy during the study period. Of these, 22 patients were diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma; three, with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma; three, with liver metastasis; and three, with benign liver disease. Ten patients underwent laparoscopy. No significant differences were observed between the open and laparoscopic surgery groups. In the univariate analysis, there were no significant differences in the pre-, intra-, and postoperative clinicopathological factors between the non-drainage and drainage groups. The hospitalization period in the non-drainage group was significantly shorter than in the drainage group (8.44 days vs. 5.87 days, p < 0.05). In the operative site drainage non-use group, there were no cases of intraperitoneal fluid collection requiring additional procedures. Conclusions: Routine use of surgical drainage for left lateral sectionectomy of the liver to prevent intraperitoneal fluid collection is unnecessary.

Clinical application of a new hemostatic material using mussel-inspired catecholamine hemostat: A pilot study.

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate clinical application of InnoSEAL Plus (a mussel-inspired catecholamine hemostat) as a new hemostatic material for humans. METHODS: Patients treated with topical hemostatic patches after liver resection were enrolled. They were divided into an experimental group (InnoSEAL Plus group) and two control groups (TachoSil® group and Surgicel Fibrillar® group) for efficacy evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were enrolled. Each group had five patients. The 3-minute hemostasis success rate was 80.0% (4/5 patients) in the InnoSEAL Plus group, 80.0% (4/5 patients) in the TachoSil® group, and 40.0% (2/5 patients) in the Surgicel Fibrillar® group, showing no significant difference in the success rate among these groups (p > 0.05). All three groups exhibited 100% success rate for 10-minute hemostasis. Both InnoSEAL Plus and TachoSil® groups had one patient developing adverse events, which were treated easily with drug administrations. CONCLUSIONS: InnoSEAL Plus is expected to be functionally not inferior to other conventional hemostatic agents. However, it is necessary to confirm this through multicenter prospective studies in the future.

Complete resection of large-cell neuroendocrine and hepatocellular carcinoma of the liver: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Combined tumors comprising large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma have been rarely reported in the literature. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of a 73-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis B suspected to have a malignant hepatic mass (segment 3; size, 4.5 cm) and lymph node metastasis based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Despite being Child-Pugh class A, esophageal varices were present. She underwent left lateral sectionectomy and lymph node dissection. Pathological examination revealed a collision tumor consisting of large-cell neuroendocrine (90%) and hepatocellular (10%) carcinomas. The combined carcinoma had metastasized to one of the three lymph nodes excised. The patient recovered without any postoperative complications and was discharged in good condition on postoperative day 13. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not performed. No recurrence occurred during a follow-up period of 24 mo. CONCLUSION: To improve the therapeutic management of combined tumors in the liver, it is necessary to discuss each clinical experience and consider an appropriate method for the preoperative diagnosis and treatment.

Diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance image for malignant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms: the importance of size of enhancing mural nodule within cyst.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical significance of enhancing mural nodules ≥ 5 mm by comparing the diagnostic performance of high-risk stigmata for diagnosing the malignant IPMN between the international consensus guideline (ICG) 2012 and 2017 in pancreatic magnetic resonance image (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we reviewed preoperative pancreatic MRI with surgically confirmed IPMNs between May 2009 and April 2021. High-risk stigmata, defined by ICG 2012 and ICG 2017, associated with malignant IPMN were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. We calculated and compared the sensitivity and specificity of ICG 2012 and ICG 2017 for diagnosing malignant IPMNs. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare ICG 2012 to ICG 2017. RESULTS: A total of 73 patients (43 men and 30 women; mean age, 69 years; standard deviation, 8 years) with 34 malignant IPMNs and 39 benign IPMNs were included. Among high-risk stigmata, enhancing mural nodule ≥ 5 mm, and MPD diameter ≥ 10 mm were the significant predictor of malignant IPMN, in multivariate logistic regression (P < 0.001 for all). For the diagnosis of malignant IPMN, the specificity of ICG 2017 for enhancing mural nodules ≥ 5 mm as the high-risk stigmata was significantly higher than that of ICG 2012 (87.2% vs. 64.1%, P = 0.008). However, there was no significant difference in sensitivity between the two guidelines (94.1% vs. 97.1%, P = 1.0). The comparison of the ROC curves showed that the diagnostic performance of ICG 2017 for malignant IPMNs (AUC, 0.91) significantly improved when compared to that of ICG 2012 (AUC, 0.81) (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: When applying enhancing mural nodule ≥ 5 mm as a high-risk stigmata, ICG 2017 provided a significantly higher specificity than ICG 2012 without a reduction in sensitivity.

Endosonographic findings of gastric ectopic pancreas: a single center experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Ectopic pancreas is a common submucosal lesion in the stomach, but its histological diagnosis is usually difficult when tissue samples are obtained with a conventional biopsy forceps. The aim of this study was to describe the endosonographic features of gastric ectopic pancreas. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a database of all patients who underwent endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) at Pusan National University Hospital from July 2006 to August 2010. A total of 26 patients with histologically confirmed ectopic pancreas were included in the study. The EUS features of their lesions were analyzed. RESULTS: Ten lesions were located in the antrum, and 16 lesions were located in the body. Nine lesions (34.6%) showed an umbilication or central dimpling on the surface, and a mural growth pattern was most commonly observed (61.5%). Twenty-four lesions (92.3%) showed hypoechoic echogenicity, and 13 lesions (50.0%) were heterogeneous. The borders were indistinct in 16 lesions (61.5%) and lobulated margins were observed in 16 lesions (61.5%). Anechoic cystic or tubular structures appeared in 17 lesions (65.4%), and 20 lesions (76.9%) involved two or more sonographic layers. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristic EUS features of ectopic pancreas are indistinct borders, lobulated margins, presence of anechoic duct-like structures, a mural growth pattern, and localization within two or more layers. These EUS features are potentially useful for differentiating ectopic pancreas from other mesenchymal tumors in the stomach.

Fabrication and Biological Activities of Plasmid DNA Gene Carrier Nanoparticles Based on Biodegradable l-Tyrosine Polyurethane.

Gene therapy is a suitable alternative to chemotherapy due to the complications of drug resistance and toxicity of drugs, and is also known to reduce the occurrence of cellular mutation through the use of gene carriers. In this study, gene carrier nanoparticles with minimal toxicity and high transfection efficiency were fabricated from a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer, l-tyrosine polyurethane (LTU), which was polymerized from presynthesized desaminotyrosyl tyrosine hexyl ester (DTH) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), by using double emulsion and solvent evaporation techniques, resulting in the formation of porous nanoparticles, and then used to evaluate their potential biological activities through molecular controlled release and transfection studies. To assess cellular uptake and transfection efficiency, two model drugs, fluorescently labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) and plasmid DNA-linear polyethylenimine (LPEI) complex, were successfully encapsulated in nanoparticles, and their transfection properties and cytotoxicities were evaluated in LX2 as a normal cell and in HepG2 and MCF7 as cancer cells. The morphology and average diameter of the LTU nanoparticles were confirmed using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering, while confocal microscopy was used to validate the cellular uptake of FITC-BSA-encapsulated LTU nanoparticles. Moreover, the successful cellular uptake of LTU nanoparticles encapsulated with pDNA-LPEI and the high transfection efficiency, confirmed by gel electrophoresis and X-gal assay transfection, indicated that LTU nanoparticles had excellent cell adsorption ability, facilitated gene encapsulation, and showed the sustained release tendency of genes through transfection experiments, with an optimal concentration ratio of pDNA and LPEI of 1:10. All the above characteristics are ideal for gene carriers designed to transport and release drugs into the cytoplasm, thus facilitating effective gene therapy.

Curative resection of bladder cancer with pancreas head metastasis.

Bladder cancer is the 9th most frequent cancer worldwide. Its incidence is increasing. The pancreas is an infrequent site of metastasis in relation to any type of malignancy. In this study, we report our experience with a patient who has undergone a pancreaticoduodenectomy for metastatic bladder cancer. A 61-year-old male was admitted with jaundice and pancreas head mass. He underwent robot assisted-cystectomy and ileal conduit for bladder cancer 7 months ago. Initial diagnosis under the imaging study was a resectable pancreas head cancer. However, we did not rule-out a metastatic bladder cancer. He underwent a classic pancreaticoduodenectomy. Based on histologic findings and immunohistochemistry results, a pancreas tumor with 4.9-cm sized metastatic urothelial carcinoma was diagnosed. He experienced no complication. He was discharged 11 days after the surgery. Four cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin were administered. He remained recurrence-free of tumors for 16 months. Although the benefit of pancreatectomy for patient survival has been reported for metastases from renal cell carcinoma, it is unknown for bladder cancer because of no report. We believe that curative resection for metastasis to pancreas of urothelial carcinoma might be helpful for its management.

Coagulopathy-independent, bioinspired hemostatic materials: A full research story from preclinical models to a human clinical trial.

Since the first report of underwater adhesive proteins of marine mussels in 1981, numerous studies have reported mussel-inspired synthetic adhesive polymers. However, none of them have developed up to human-level translational studies. Here, we report a sticky polysaccharide that effectively promotes hemostasis from animal bleeding models to first-in-human hepatectomy. We found that the hemostatic material instantly generates a barrier layer that seals hemorrhaging sites. The barrier is created within a few seconds by in situ interactions with abundant plasma proteins. Therefore, as long as patient blood contains proper levels of plasma proteins, hemostasis should always occur even in coagulopathic conditions. To date, insufficient tools have been developed to arrest coagulopathic bleedings originated from genetic disorders, chronic diseases, or surgical settings such as organ transplantations. Mussel-inspired adhesion chemistry described here provides a useful alternative to the use of fibrin glues up to a human-level biomedical application.

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.

Patient-performed seton irrigation for the treatment of deep horseshoe fistula.

PURPOSE: Compared with total fistulotomy using a lay-open technique for treatment of deep horseshoe or deep posterior complex anal fistula, the seton drainage method has reduced damage of the external anal sphincter. However, conventional seton drainage is burdensome to patients, requiring frequent clinic visits for wound management during prolonged periods while the drainage tube is in place. To reduce the number of clinic visits and facilitate healing, we devised a patient-performed seton irrigation technique and compared the results with a conventional loose seton to determine its clinical usefulness. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 24 patients who were diagnosed with deep horseshoe fistula and underwent surgery between January 1999 and December 2004. Twelve patients treated through December 2001 received a conventional loose seton. Twelve patients treated from January 2002 performed self-irrigation via the seton. These 2 groups were compared regarding duration of purulent discharge, length of time until seton removal, and recurrence rate. RESULTS: The mean duration of purulent discharge was 18.75 (range, 15-24) days for self-irrigation vs 29.75 (24-37) days for conventional loose seton treatment (P < .001). The mean time to removal of the seton was 21.58 (18-29) days for self-irrigation vs 32.58 (28-39) days for conventional treatment (P < .001). The recurrence rate after surgery was 8.3% for self-irrigation vs 16.7% for conventional treatment (P > .99). CONCLUSION: Patient-performed seton irrigation shortens the period of treatment and healing through more effective wound management, and we propose this technique as a useful new method of treating deep horseshoe fistula.

Comparison of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel and FOLFIRINOX in metastatic pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GA) and modified FOLFIRINOX (FFX) have been widely used as standard first-line treatment in pancreatic cancer. However, it is unclear which regimen is more efficacious. AIM: To evaluate a retrospective analysis comparing the efficacy and safety of FFX and GA as first-line chemotherapeutic regimens in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed and compared outcomes in 101 patients who presented with pancreatic cancer and were treated with either GA (n = 54) or FFX (n = 47). Moreover, we performed subgroup analysis based on the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between two groups in baseline characteristics, except for the ECOG performance status. The median progression-free survival (PFS) (6.43 mo vs 4.90 mo, P = 0.058) was comparable between two groups; however, median overall survival (OS) (10.17 mo vs 6.93 mo, P = 0.008) was longer in patients who received GA regimen. In patients with ECOG 0 (PFS: 8.93 mo vs 5.43 mo, P = 0.002; OS: 16.10 mo vs 6.97 mo, P = 0.000) and those with NLR < 3 (PFS: 8.10 mo vs 6.57 mo, P = 0.008; OS: 12.87 mo vs 9.93 mo, P = 0.002), GA regimen showed higher efficacy. CONCLUSION: GA regimen may be recommended to the patients with NLR < 3 or ECOG 0 status although GA and FFX showed comparable efficacy outcomes in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.