Jong Yoon Won

Complete response at first chemoembolization is still the most robust predictor for favorable outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUNDS & AIMS The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic significances of not only the initial and the best response during repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but if eligible, also the time point of achieving treatment responses. METHODS Three hundred and fourteen treatment-naïve patients with well-preserved liver function undergoing TACE were recruited. Treatment responses were assessed using modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Overall survival (OS) was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods, and Cox regression analysis was performed for multivariate analysis. RESULTS After adjusting other variables, objective response (complete response [CR] and partial response [PR]) as the initial response (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.410) and the best response (adjusted HR 0.335) had independent prognostic significances for OS, respectively (both p < 0.001). Objective responders as the initial response had the longest OS, followed by patients who subsequently achieved objective response after at least two sessions and those who did not achieve objective response during treatment course eventually (52.6, 27.0, and 10.8 months, respectively; log-rank test, p < 0.001). Likewise, patients with CR as the initial response had the longest OS, followed by those who subsequently achieved CR after at least two sessions and those who achieved PR as the best response (70.2, 40.6, and 23.0 months, respectively; log-rank test, p < 0.001). Large (>5 cm) and multiple (⩾ 4) tumors were independently associated with failure to achieve CR after the initial TACE (both p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Both the initial and the best response predicts OS effectively. However, achievement of treatment response at an early time point is still the most robust predictor for favorable outcomes.

Percutaneous Peritoneovenous Shunt Creation for the Treatment of Benign and Malignant Refractory Ascites

Peritoneovenous shunt placement has been reported as a treatment of refractory ascites by general surgeons, but without a clearly established role. The authors successfully inserted shunts under ultrasonographic and fluoroscopic guidance in 12 patients who had symptomatic refractory ascites (nine men, three women; mean maintenance duration, 88.5 d). Nine patients had advanced liver cirrhosis (five with superimposed hepatoma). Other patients had stomach cancer, colon cancer, and complicated polycystic kidney disease. The mortality rate was 83%. Causes of death included bleeding from preexisting varices, sepsis, hepatic failure, rupture of hepatoma, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The authors describe the feasibility, technical details, and short-term results of percutaneous peritoneovenous shunt placement.

Percutaneous Sclerotherapy of Renal Cysts with a Beta-Emitting Radionuclide, Holmium-166-chitosan Complex

Objective To evaluate the usefulness of a beta-emitting radionuclide (holmium-166-chitosan complex) as a sclerosing agent for the treatment of renal cysts. Materials and Methods Using 10-30 mCi of holmium-166-chitosan complex, 20 renal cysts in 17 patients (14 male and 3 female patients, ranging in age from 47 to 82 years) were treated by percutaneous sclerotherapy under ultrasonographic guidance. The volume of the cysts before and after the sclerotherapy and the percentage change in volume were calculated in order to evaluate the response to therapy, which was classified as either complete regression (invisible), nearly complete regression (< 15 volume% of initial volume), partial regression (15-50 volume%) or no regression (> 50 volume%). Results The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 36 months (mean 28 months). Eighteen cysts (90%) regressed completely (n=11, 55%) or near-completely (n=7, 35%). Partial regression was obtained in one patient (5%) and there was no regression in one patient (5%). No significant complications were encountered. Conclusion The holmium-166-chitosan complex seems to be useful as a new painless sclerosing agent for the treatment of renal cysts with no significant complications.

Fluoroscopically guided placement of self-expandable metallic stents and stent-grafts in the treatment of acute malignant colorectal obstruction.

PURPOSE To evaluate the technical feasibility and clinical effectiveness of fluoroscopically guided placement of self-expandable metallic stents and stent-grafts for acute malignant colorectal obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS Radiologic images and clinical reports of 42 patients (22 men, 20 women; age range, 28-93 years; median age, 65.5 years) who underwent fluoroscopically guided colorectal stent insertion without endoscopic assistance for acute malignant obstruction were reviewed retrospectively. Eighteen patients received bare stents as a bridge to surgery. Twenty-four patients received 27 insertions of either a bare stent (n = 15) or a stent-graft (n = 12) for palliation. The obstruction was located in the rectum (n = 8), sigmoid (n = 17), descending colon (n = 8), splenic flexure (n = 3), and transverse colon (n = 6). RESULTS Clinical success, defined as more than 50% dilatation of the stent with subsequent symptomatic improvement, was achieved in 41 of the 42 patients (98%). No major procedure-related complications occurred. Minor complications occurred in eight of the 45 procedures (18%). No perioperative mortalities occurred within 1 month after surgery. In the palliative group, the median stent patency was 62 days (range, 0-1,014 days). There was no statistically significant difference in stent patency between the bare stents (range, 0-855 days; median, 68 days) and stent-grafts (range, 1-1,014 days; median, 81 days). CONCLUSIONS Fluoroscopically guided placement of self-expandable metallic stents and stent-grafts for the relief of acute malignant colorectal obstruction was technically feasible without endoscopic assistance-even in lesions proximal to the splenic flexure and transverse colon-and clinically effective in both bridge to surgery and palliative management.

Comparison of the efficacy of covered versus uncovered metallic stents in treating inoperable malignant common bile duct obstruction: a randomized trial.

PURPOSE To compare patency and overall survival achieved with covered versus uncovered metallic stents among patients with inoperable malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS There were 40 patients enrolled in this prospective randomized study between January 2012 and July 2013. Mean age of patients was 62.6 years (range, 43-86 y). The malignancies causing extrahepatic biliary obstruction were pancreatic cancer (n = 18), stomach cancer (n = 13), gallbladder cancer (n = 3), common bile duct cancer (n = 2), and other cancer types (n = 4). Uncovered (n = 20) and covered (n = 20) stents were used. Stent patency, overall survival, and complications were evaluated and statistically compared. RESULTS Mean patency of uncovered stents (413.3 d ± 63.0) was significantly longer than mean patency of covered ones (207.5 d ± 46.0; P = .041). Mean overall survival was 359.9 days ± 61.5 for uncovered stents, which was statistically similar to survival of 350.5 days ± 43.8 for covered stents (P = .271). Causes of recurrent obstruction included tumor ingrowth (n = 2), tumor overgrowth (n = 5), debris or food material (n = 5), and stent migration (n = 2). One case of acute cholecystitis occurred in covered stent group. CONCLUSIONS Uncovered metallic stents had superior patency duration than covered stents for patients with malignant extrahepatic biliary obstruction. However, the overall complication and survival rates achieved with covered and uncovered stents were similar.

Inferior mesenteric artery collaterals to the uterus during uterine artery embolization: Prevalence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes

PURPOSE To evaluate the prevalence of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) collaterals to the uterus found during uterine artery embolization (UAE), associated risk factors, and clinical outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS The records of 559 women who underwent UAE during the period 2008-2011 for uterine fibroids or adenomyosis found on magnetic resonance imaging were retrospectively analyzed. If IMA collaterals to the uterus were suspected on aortography performed after embolization, selective angiography was performed. Risk factors for IMA collaterals to the uterus were analyzed, including the presence of adenomyosis, baseline uterine volume, or prior pelvic surgery. RESULTS Collaterals to the uterus were found from the ovarian artery (n = 21; 3.8%), IMA (n = 7; 1.3%), round ligament artery (n = 1; 0.2%), and internal pudendal artery (n = 1; 0.2%). IMA collaterals were found in seven patients. Of 185 patients, 6 (3.2%) had adenomyosis, with or without fibroids, which was significantly more frequent than the 1 (0.27%) of 374 patients who had fibroids only (P = .006). On multiple logistic regression analysis, the presence of adenomyosis (odds ratio, 19.556; P = .0168) and uterine volume (odds ratio, 1.003; P = .0069) were independent factors for the presence of IMA collaterals. Of the seven patients with IMA collaterals, embolization was not attempted in six, resulting in clinical failure in four. One patient who underwent IMA embolization with coils experienced clinical improvement. CONCLUSIONS The IMA was the second most common (1.3%) source of collaterals to the uterus. IMA collaterals were more frequent in patients with adenomyosis than in patients with fibroids only, resulting in high frequency of treatment failure.

The Effect of Uterine Artery Embolization on Premenstrual Symptoms in Patients with Symptomatic Fibroids or Adenomyosis

PURPOSE To evaluate whether uterine artery embolization (UAE) can reduce the premenstrual symptoms in women undergoing UAE for fibroid tumors or adenomyosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Among 141 women who underwent UAE for symptomatic fibroid tumors or adenomyosis at a single institution between March 2011 and February 2013, 54 premenstrual symptoms in 39 patients were prospectively analyzed. Premenstrual symptoms were rated by the patient on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 representing no symptom and 10 representing the baseline severity. The change in premenstrual symptom score was calculated by subtracting the baseline score from the post-UAE score. At 3-6 months after UAE, each woman also completed a symptom severity questionnaire to assess the severity of menstrual bleeding to compare the changes in premenstrual symptoms scores between women with and without menorrhagia. RESULTS Back pain, headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms (eg, constipation, indigestion, lower abdominal pain) were significantly improved after UAE (P < .05). Muscle pain, fatigue, nervousness, breast tenderness, and systemic edema were also improved, but not significantly so. The mean premenstrual symptom score change in patients with menorrhagia was significantly greater than in those without menorrhagia (-6.4 vs -3.7; P = .044).There was no correlation between the degree of menorrhagia score change and the degree of premenstrual symptom score change (P = .186). CONCLUSIONS UAE could be a method to alleviate some premenstrual symptoms in patients with uterine fibroid tumors or adenomyosis.

Renal artery embolization using a new liquid embolic material obtained by partial hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate (Embol): initial experience in six patients.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of a new liquid embolic material, Embol, in embolization of the renal artery. Materials and Methods Embol is a new embolic material obtained by partial hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate mixed in absolute ethanol and Iopromide 370 and manufactured by Schering Korea, Kyonggido, Korea. Six patients who underwent embolization of the renal artery using Embol were evaluated. Four were male and two were female and their ages ranged from 11 to 70 (mean, 53) years. Clinical and radiologic diagnoses referred for renal artery embolization were renal cell carcinoma (n = 3), renal angiomyolipoma (n = 2) and pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery (n = 1). After selective renal angiography, Embol was injected through various catheters, either with or without a balloon occlusion catheter. Changes in symptoms and blood chemistry which may have been related to renal artery embolization with Embol were analyzed. Results The six patients showed immediate total occlusion of their renal vascular lesions. One of the three in whom renal cell carcinoma was embolized with Embol underwent radical nephrectomy, and the specimen thus obtained revealed 40% tumor necrosis. In the two patients with angiomyolipomas, the tumors decreased in size and abdominal pain subsided. Bleeding from pseudoaneurysm of the renal artery was successfully controlled. Four patients showed symptoms of post-embolization syndrome, and one of these also showed increased levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. One patient experienced transient hypertension. Conclusion Embol is easy to use, its radiopacity is adequate and it is a safe and effective embolic material which provides immediate and total occlusion of renal vascular lesions.

Uterine artery embolization for symptomatic fibroids in postmenopausal women

PURPOSE The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of uterine artery embolization (UAE) for symptomatic fibroids in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS Among 900 cases who underwent UAE between 2007 and 2013, a total of 9 postmenopausal women with symptomatic fibroids (n=6) and fibroid with adenomyosis (n=3) were included in this retrospective study. Ages ranged from 49 to 55years (median of 52). The embolic agent was nonspherical polyvinyl alcohol particles. We evaluated 18 uterine arteries in nine patients and compared the size of the uterine artery relative to inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) in preprocedural magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed before and 3months after UAE. Predominant fibroid and uterine volumes were calculated from MR images. RESULTS Urinary frequency was the most common symptom, observed in seven patients (77.8%). Of two patients (22.2%) with vaginal bleeding from submucosal myomas, one patient had been on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). One patient underwent UAE due to growing leiomyoma after HRT. All of the 18 uterine arteries were bigger than the corresponding IMAs in MR angiography. Contrast-enhanced MRI revealed complete necrosis of the predominant fibroid in all patients. Eight (88.9%) of the nine participants demonstrated resolution of symptoms. The mean predominant fibroid and uterine volume reduction rates were 39.7% and 36.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS In postmenopausal women, UAE was effective to treat symptomatic fibroids, and it could be considered as an alternative treatment to hysterectomy.

Transcaval Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt: Preliminary Clinical Results

Objective To determine the feasibility of transcaval transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation in patients with unusual anatomy between the hepatic veins and portal bifurcation, and inaccessible or inadequate hepatic veins. Materials and Methods Transcaval TIPS, performed in six patients, was indicated by active variceal bleeding (n=2), recurrent variceal bleeding (n=2), intractable ascites (n=1), and as a bridge to liver transplantation (n=1). The main reasons for transcaval rather than classic TIPS were the presence of an unusually acute angle between the hepatic veins and the level of the portal bifurcation (n=3), hepatic venous occlusion (n=2), and inadequate small hepatic veins (n=1). Results Technical and functional success was achieved in all patients. The entry site into liver parenchyma from the inferior vena cava was within 2 cm of the atriocaval junction. Procedure-related complications included the death of one patient due to hemoperitoneum despite the absence of contrast media spillage at tractography, and another suffered reversible hepatic encephalopathy. Conclusion In patients with unusual anatomy between the hepatic veins and portal bifurcation, and inaccessible or inadequate hepatic veins, transcaval TIPS creation is feasible.