Bora Barut

Living donor liver transplantation for Echinococcus Alveolaris: single-center experience

Echinococcus alveolaris (EA) causes a hepatic zoonotic infection and behaves like a malignant tumor during invasion. Liver transplantation (LT) is the only curative treatment option for this unresectable disease. Here, we share our experience with living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) due to EA from the time between March 2002 and November 2014 at the Liver Transplantation Institute of İnönü University. Ten patients (mean age, 38.6 years) undergoing LDLT because of unresectable EA were evaluated preoperatively, and the operative and follow‐up data were analyzed retrospectively. The mean time interval between diagnosis and LT was 27 months. The mean operation time and mean intraoperative blood requirement were 613 minutes and 4 units of packed red blood cells, respectively. Diaphragmatic resections were performed in 3 patients, and vena cava replacement was performed in 2 patients because of difficulties in removing the extended disease. The local recurrence and distant metastasis rates were 10% and 20%, respectively. The mean survival time was 19.5 months (range, 0‐54 months), and the mortality rate was 30%. Unresectable hepatic alveolar echinococcosis is a rare indication for LT and presents some technical difficulties during surgery because diaphragmatic resection, vascular reconstruction, or multiple blood transfusions may be needed. LDLT can be performed successfully in patients with this rare infectious disease, with careful follow‐up for potential recurrence and metastasis and administration of low‐dose immunosuppressive agents. Liver Transpl 21:1091‐1095, 2015.

Laparoscopic Drainage of Pyogenic Liver Abscess

This study suggests that minimally invasive, laparoscopic techniques be considered for drainage of liver abscess before open exploration is performed.

Reconstruction of Anomalous Portal Venous Branching in Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Malatya Approach

Reconstruction of anomalous portal vein branching (APVB) during right lobe living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) can be challenging. The goal of this article is to describe our surgical technique, named the Malatya Approach, in case of APVB during right lobe LDLT. The technique unifies the APVB and obtains a funnel‐shaped common extension with a circumferential fence by a saphenous vein conduit. In total, 126 (10.6%) of 1192 right lobe grafts had APVB that were divided into 2 groups according to the adopted surgical techniques: the Malatya Approach group (n = 91) and the previously defined other techniques group (n = 35). Both groups were compared regarding portal vein thrombosis (PVT), postoperative 90‐day mortality and survival. PVT developed in 3 patients (3.3%) in the Malatya Approach group and developed in 10 (28.6%) patients for the other group (P < 0.001). There were 8 (8.8%) 90‐day mortalities in the Malatya Approach group (1 PVT related) and 15 patients (9 PVT related) died in the other techniques group (P < 0.001). Mean follow‐up time for both groups was similar (999.1 days for the Malatya Approach group versus 1024.7 days for the other group; P = 0.47), but longterm survival in the Malatya Approach group was better than in the other group (84.6% versus 40%; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the Malatya Approach group showed less PVT development and longer survival (P < 0.001). This technique is promising to avoid PVT and mortalities in cases of APVB during right lobe LDLT. Liver Transplantation 23 751–761 2017 AASLD.

Aynı ailede iki primer kas içi kist hidatik olgusu

A 39 years old woman was admitted to the hospital due to swelling and pain on her left lumbar region. In family history we learned that; her 19 years old daughter was operated due to primary muscular hydatid cyst located on gastrocnemius muscle one year ago. A painful painful mass with a size of 6x5 cm was palpated on patients’ left lumbar region during physical examination. Her indirect hemaglutination (IHA) for Echinococcus granulosus was positive. The lesion was reported as muscular hydatid cyst during ultrasound and computed tomography examinations. Hydatid disease was not in the previous history of the patient. Partial cystectomy and drainage was performed under spinal anesthesia on prone position. Excised material was confirmed as a hydatid cyst in histo pathological examination. Albendazol (15 mg/kg/day) was given to patient for three months following the operation. There were no postoperative complications. After 6 month follow up, the patient showed no evidence of recurrent hydatid disease. A hydatid cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of muscular cystic lesions in regions where hydatid cysts are endemic. Positive family history may help us in suspicion to this disease. If total excision is impossible, partial cystectomy and drainage can be the choice as surgical treatment for a muscular hydatid cyst.

Renoportal anastomosis in living donor liver transplantation with prior proximal splenorenal shunt

For transplant surgeons, end-stage liver disease with portal venous thrombosis and a previous splenorenal shunt (SRS) is a significant challenge during liver transplantation. Thrombosis of the portal vein can be corrected by surgical interventions, such as portal venous thrombectomy or surgical removal of the thrombosed portal vein. Even also placement of a graft between the mesenteric vein and the graft portal vein can be performed. If these maneuvers fail, a renoportal anastomosis (RPA) can be performed to achieve adequate graft inflow. A 51-year-old male patient who had a history of proximal SRS and splenectomy underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) due to cryptogenic cirrhosis. LDLT was performed with RPA using a cadaveric iliac vein graft. The early postoperative course of the patient was completely uneventful and he was discharged 20 d after transplantation. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first patient to receive LDLT with RPA after surgical proximal SRS and splenectomy.

Co-existence of idiopathic cecal ulcer and incidental appendix carcinoid tumor

Idiopathic cecal ulcer or solitary cecal ulcer is a rare entity that can only be diagnosed by histopathological evaluation. Generally, it is diagnosed by histolopathological evaluation of biopsy specimens obtained by colonoscopy that is performed for lower gastrointestinal bleeding. It can also be diagnosed after surgical resection performed for acute abdomen or cecal mass mimicking malignancy. Cecal carcinoid tumor is a rare cause of this condition; however, coexistence of cecal ulcer and appendix carcinoid tumor has not been previously reported. In this case, we present a 73-year-old woman who clinically presented as acute appendicitis with cecal wall thickening, underwent right hemicolectomy and was subsequently diagnosed with cecal ulcer, serosal abscess and coexisting appendix carcinoid tumor.

Retrohepatic inferior vena cava reconstruction with saphenous vein patch in advanced stage cholangiocarcinoma.

Hepatic resection is the only known curative treatment option in primary and metastatic liver tumors. Unlike other types of malignancies, the response rate to even the best chemotherapy protocols is quite low in liver malignancies. Survival is expressed in months in untreated liver malignancies or in patients with residual tumor after resection. The optimal survival can be achieved only by liver resection with negative surgical margins. In order to increase the number of patients suitable for hepatic resection, techniques such as portal vein embolization, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, two-step hepatectomy, re-do hepatectomy, hypothermic liver perfusion have been developed and newer modalities are still being investigated. Primary liver malignancies like hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, and metastatic liver tumors can invade the retrohepatic vena cava due to anatomical proximity. Invasion of either the hepatocaval confluence or vena cava are often considered as contraindications for liver resection due to the risk of intraoperative massive air embolism or hemorrhage. In this article, we present a patient who underwent left hepatectomy together with vena cava resection and reconstruction with saphenous vein patch due to cholangiocarcinoma.