R. Gómez Sanz

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION FOR ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS HYDATID DISEASE

The authors report their experience with 6 patients requiring liver transplantation who suffered with liver infestation by Echinococcus granulosus. One patient presented with acute Budd-Chiari syndrome because obstruction of hepatic veins was produced during the first operation; the other 5 patients received liver transplants for terminal chronic liver disease (2 secondary sclerosing cholangitis, 2 secondary biliary cirrhosis, and 1 postnecrotic cirrhosis of the liver). All the patients had been operated previously on for hydatidosis and were at the end of liver functional disorder. Some of the patients had undergone many operations, making the transplantation procedure even more difficult. One patient required a second transplant for primary graft failure; he died 40 days later from cerebrovascular accident. Another patient died 7 months after transplant from pulmonary embolism. The other 4 patients are alive and in optimal condition 37–65 months after transplantation. Hepatic hydatidosis—in principle, a benign disease—can cause hepatic complications that eventually require liver transplantation. The transplantation procedure is more difficult than usual in these cases. Although postoperative complications are frequent, most patients achieve prolonged survival and a good quality of life.

Advantages of the piggy back technique on intraoperative transfusion, fluid compsumption, and vasoactive drugs requirements in liver transplantation: a comparative study

INTRODUCTION The piggyback technique was first described in adult liver transplantation in 1989, although it has been used in conjunction with venous bypass, with cross-clamping the vena cava, or both. In this study, the inferior vena cava was not occluded at any time during the liver transplant. OBJECTIVE We compared the use of intraoperative blood products, fluid requirements, and vasoactive drugs among patients managed with bypass, without bypass, and with the piggyback technique. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between May 1986 and October 2002, 875 liver transplants included 50 patients divided into three groups (cases considered to be the preliminary series on each group): group A/piggyback (17 patients:34%), group B/ bypass (16 patients: 32%), and group C/no bypass (17 patients:34%). There were no differences in mean age, gender, UNOS or Child-Pugh score, and indications for liver transplantation. RESULTS Mean follow up was 134.63+/-32.19 months. At the end of the study, 91.3% of the patients are alive with no operative mortality. There were no differences in postoperative complications, postreperfusion syndrome rate, and postoperative renal failure. However, the number of packed red blood cell units consumed intraoperatively (12+/-7.43 vs 18.03+/-11.46 vs 17.59 +/- 23.8; P =.043), the need for intraoperative crystaloids (3.1 L+/-1.6 vs 6.8+/-4.8 vs 9.1 L+/-3.6; P=.001) and the requirement for vasoactive drugs (18% vs 38% vs 24%; P=.043) was notably lower in group A vs group B vs group C. Operative time was longer in group A (121.54+/-37.77 vs 78.73+/-11.89 vs 87.07+/-14.33 minutes). CONCLUSIONS The piggyback technique requires a longer operative time but offers the advantages of reducing the red blood cell requirements and preventing severe hemodynamic instability by virtue of reducing the need for vasoactive drugs and for a larger volume of intraoperative fluids.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: our experience from 1986.

Abstract Currently liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for early hepatocellular carcinoma and end-stage liver disease. We analyzed our experience to identify factors that could be used to select patients who will benefit from liver transplantation. Patients and methods From April 1986 to December 2001, 71 (8.7%) of 816 LT performed in our institution, were for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. In 25 patients the tumor was observed incidental by (35.2%). All patients had liver cirrhosis, most due to hepatitis C related (35) or alcoholic (14) diseases. Before liver transplantation, chemoembolization was performed in 18 patients (25.4%). Results Bilateral involvement was present in seven patients. Eight patients showed macroscopic vascular invasion, and eight others showed satellite nodules. Most patients were stage TNM II (29) and IVa (16). Overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival were 79.3%, 61%, and 50.3% with recurrence-free survivals of 74.6%, 57.5%, and 49%, respectively. With a mean follow-up of 42 months, 12 patients (19%) developed recurrence and 29 patients died (only 11 due to recurrence). Stage TNM IVa, macrocopic vascular invasion, and the presence of satellite nodules significantly affected overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates and histologic differentiation and bilateral involvement only recurrence-free survival. Patients with solitary tumors less than 5 cm or no more than three nodules smaller than 3 cm showed better recurrence-free survival and lower recurrence rates. Discussion In our experience, liver transplantation proffers good recurrence-free survival and low recurrence rates among patients with limited tumor extension. The most important prognostic factor was macroscopic vascular invasion.

Simultaneous liver-kidney transplant for combined renal and hepatic end-stage disease.

INTRODUCTION After the first combined liver-kidney transplantation (CLKT) reported by Margreiter in 1984, it became clear that renal failure was no longer an absolute contraindication. OBJECTIVE Our goal was to assess our results with combined liver-kidney transplant. Among 875 liver transplants performed between May 1986 and October 2002, there were 17 cases (1.96%) of combined liver-kidney transplant. RESULTS With a mean follow-up of 42.2+/-29 months (range, 1-90), six patients had died (mortality: 37.5%). There were four (25%) operative in-hospital deaths, and two late mortality cases (beyond the month 6 after hospital discharge). The causes were sepsis (four cases, three postoperative and one in later follow-up), refractory heart failure (one postoperative), and recurrent liver disease (HCV-induced severe recurrence) during follow-up one). Actuarial survival (calculated for those who survived the postoperative period) was 80%, 71%, and 60% at 12, 36, and 60 months. Actuarial mean survival time was 60 months (95%IC:47-78). Neither the sex, the UNOS status, the etiology of liver disease, the etiology of renal failure, the type of hepatectomy (piggy back vs others) or the type of immunosuppression (P=.83) were related to long-term survival according to the log-rank test. A control group of 48 patients was constructed with subjects who underwent liver transplantation immediately before or after the combined transplant. A total (two cases after the CLKT and one case prior to). There were no differences in survival. CONCLUSION Combined liver-kidney transplant represents a proper therapeutic option for patients with simultaneously failing organs based on long- and short-term outcomes.

Results of surgery for cancer of the rectum with sphincter conservation: a randomized study on instrumental versus manual anastomosis

We present results obtained in a group of patients included in a randomized study from 1979 to 1985 for evaluation of mechanical anastomosis after anterior resection for cancer of the rectum; 113 patients were operated on, 58 with manual and 55 with instrumental anastomosis. There was no significant difference in morbidity or mortality between the groups. The incidence of anastomotic fistulas (clinical and subclinical) was similar (12% vs. 15%), although a large number of tumors in the lower third of rectum was treated by manual anastomosis. Concerning late complications, more stenoses, although mainly asymptomatic, were detected after instrumental anastomosis (15% vs. 6%). The incidence of local recurrence within 3 years was quite similar in the 2 groups (about 15%), and usually occurred in patients who already had generalized disease.

Case Report: Spontaneous Regression of a Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Spontane ous regression of hepatoce llular carcinoma (HCC) is an extraordinarily unusual phenomenon that has been reported on nine occasions in the English-language medical literature (1± 9). The case we report here is differentiated from the others by the fact that our patient had undergone resection of the HCC (right hepatectomy), the diagnosis of which was con® rmed in the removed tissue specimen; regression occurred after recurrence of the HCC, as proved by biopsy. The recurrent HCC regressed in the absence of speci® c therapy. We do not know what cause s the spontaneous regression of HCC, although immunologic or genetic phenomena that have yet to be fully unde rstood may be implicated (9).

Esophageal resection by cervico-abdominal approach without thoracotomy.

The authors report their experience with transhiatal esophageal resection accumulated during the period between January 1978 and March 1990. Indications for the procedure included cancer of the gastric cardia (26.3%), cancer of the hypopharynx (3.8%), cancer of the esophagus (59.2%), and benign esophageal disease (9.8%). Esophageal substitution was performed using a tubulized stomach (63.6%), ileo-cecocoloplasty (28.5%), left colon (7.6%), and jejunum (0.3%). The majority of patients with neoplastic disease were found to be in an advanced stage (67.3% of esophageal cancer patients and 69.7% of cancer of the cardia patients with stage III disease). The mean intra-operative volume of blood transfused varied between 533 and 1,220 ml. Sixteen patients required hospitalization in the intensive care unit. The mean length of post-operative hospitalization varied between 16.8 and 20.6 days. Operative complications included hemorrhage (0.3%) and tracheal injury (0.6%). Operative (30 day) mortality was 5.8%. Causes of death included respiratory insufficiency (35.2%), pulmonary sepsis (23.5%), abdominal sepsis (17.8%), and others (undefined, 23.5%). The 5 year survival was 48.5% for cancer of the gastric cardia, 57.1% for cancer of the hypopharynx and 11.8% for esophageal cancer.