Rodrigo B. Martino

Laparoscopic resection of gastric duplication: successful treatment of a rare entity.

Alimentary tract duplications are rare congenital malformations that may be found anywhere from mouth to anus. They usually share a common smooth muscle wall and blood supply with the adjacent bowel. Some duplications are asymptomatic but most cause problems in early childhood. Gastric duplications account for 2% to 7% of all gastrointestinal duplications. The management of gastric duplication is essentially surgical. The treatment of choice is the complete excision of the gastric duplication without violation of the gastric lumen whenever possible. The authors report an unusual case of gastroesophageal junction duplication completely removed by laparoscopy. To our knowledge, this is the first case of gastric duplication successfully treated by laparoscopy in English literature. Laparoscopic resection may be added to the surgical armamentarium in the treatment of alimentary tract duplications.

Unusual case of pentastomiasis mimicking liver tumor

Pentastomiasis is a rare zoonotic disease. Almost all recorded cases of human pentastomiasis had been incidental findings at autopsy. We report an unusual case of human pentastomiasis mimicking liver tumor successfully treated by liver resection. This clinical presentation is uncommon and it was probably caused by a pentastomid that exited its cyst and migrated to the liver causing an infarct that was mistaken as a primary liver tumor. Diagnosis could not be made before the surgery. This is the first reported case of human pentastomiasis in Brazil.

Factors Associated with Mortality and Graft Failure in Liver Transplants: A Hierarchical Approach

Background Liver transplantation has received increased attention in the medical field since the 1980s following the introduction of new immunosuppressants and improved surgical techniques. Currently, transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage liver disease, and it has been expanded for other indications. Liver transplantation outcomes depend on donor factors, operating conditions, and the disease stage of the recipient. A retrospective cohort was studied to identify mortality and graft failure rates and their associated factors. All adult liver transplants performed in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, between 2006 and 2012 were studied. Methods and Findings A hierarchical Poisson multiple regression model was used to analyze factors related to mortality and graft failure in liver transplants. A total of 2,666 patients, 18 years or older, (1,482 males; 1,184 females) were investigated. Outcome variables included mortality and graft failure rates, which were grouped into a single binary variable called negative outcome rate. Additionally, donor clinical, laboratory, intensive care, and organ characteristics and recipient clinical data were analyzed. The mortality rate was 16.2 per 100 person-years (py) (95% CI: 15.1–17.3), and the graft failure rate was 1.8 per 100 py (95% CI: 1.5–2.2). Thus, the negative outcome rate was 18.0 per 100 py (95% CI: 16.9–19.2). The best risk model demonstrated that recipient creatinine ≥ 2.11 mg/dl [RR = 1.80 (95% CI: 1.56–2.08)], total bilirubin ≥ 2.11 mg/dl [RR = 1.48 (95% CI: 1.27–1.72)], Na+ ≥ 141.01 mg/dl [RR = 1.70 (95% CI: 1.47–1.97)], RNI ≥ 2.71 [RR = 1.64 (95% CI: 1.41–1.90)], body surface ≥ 1.98 [RR = 0.81 (95% CI: 0.68–0.97)] and donor age ≥ 54 years [RR = 1.28 (95% CI: 1.11–1.48)], male gender [RR = 1.19(95% CI: 1.03–1.37)], dobutamine use [RR = 0.54 (95% CI: 0.36–0.82)] and intubation ≥ 6 days [RR = 1.16 (95% CI: 1.10–1.34)] affected the negative outcome rate. Conclusions The current study confirms that both donor and recipient characteristics must be considered in post-transplant outcomes and prognostic scores. Our data demonstrated that recipient characteristics have a greater impact on post-transplant outcomes than donor characteristics. This new concept makes liver transplant teams to rethink about the limits in a MELD allocation system, with many teams competing with each other. The results suggest that although we have some concerns about the donors features, the recipient factors were heaviest predictors for bad outcomes.

Adoption of MELD score increases the number of liver transplant

Background Liver transplantation is performed at large transplant centers worldwide as a therapeutic intervention for patients with end-stage liver diseases. Aim To analyze the outcomes and incidence of liver transplantation performed at the University of São Paulo and to compare those with the State of São Paulo before and after adoption of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Method Evaluation of the number of liver transplantations before and after adoption of the MELD score. Mean values and standard deviations were used to analyze normally distributed variables. The incidence results were compared with those of the State of São Paulo. Results There was a high prevalence of male patients, with a predominance of middle-aged. The main indication for liver transplantation was hepatitis C cirrhosis. The mean and median survival rates and overall survival over ten and five years were similar between the groups (p>0.05). The MELD score increased over the course of the study period for patients who underwent liver transplantation (p>0.05). There were an increased number of liver transplants after adoption of the MELD score at this institution and in the State of São Paulo (p<0.001). Conclusion The adoption of the MELD score led to increase the number of liver transplants performed in São Paulo.

Pentoxifylline improves liver regeneration through down- regulation of TNF-α synthesis and TGF-β1 gene expression

AIM To investigate the mechanism of pentoxifylline (PTX) improvement in liver regeneration. RESULTS Rats were randomized into 4 groups: Control rats; Sham - sham-operation rats; Saline - 70% hepatectomy plus saline solution; PTX - 70% hepatectomy plus PTX. At 2 and 6 h after hepatectomy, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin-6 (IL-6) serum and hepatic tissue levels were determined. Tumor growth factor (TGF)-β1 gene expression in liver tissue was evaluated 24 h after hepatectomy by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis. Proliferation was analyzed by mitotic index and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining 48 h after hepatectomy. RESULTS TNF-α and IL-6 serum levels increased at 2 and 6 h after hepatectomy. At 2 h after hepatectomy serum PTX was reduced but not hepatic levels of TNF-α and IL-6. A decrease in liver TGF-β1 gene expression and an increase in mitotic index and PCNA after hepatectomy were observed in the PTX treatment group in comparison to the saline group. CONCLUSION PTX improves liver regeneration by a mechanism related to down regulation of TNF-α production and TGF-β1 gene expression.

Trombose de veia porta no transplante hepático

BACKGROUND: Portal vein thrombosis was considered a contraindication for liver transplantation in the past because of the high morbidity and mortality rates. Many advances made the results better. AIM: Review the advances and surgical strategies for liver transplantation in presence of portal vein thrombosis. METHOD: Survey of publications in Medline, Scielo and Lilacs databases. Headings crossed: portal vein thrombosis, liver transplantation, vascular complications, jump graft, graft failure, multivisceral transplant. Data analyzed were epidemiology, risk factors, classification, diagnosis, surgical strategies and outcomes. CONCLUSION: Portal vein thrombosis is not a contraindication for liver transplantation anymore. There are many strategies to perform the liver transplantation in this condition, depending on portal vein thrombosis grade. Regardless higher morbidity and re-trhombosis rates, the outcomes of liver transplantation in portal vein thrombosis are similar to series without portal vein thrombosis.

Reconstrução arterial no transplante hepático: a melhor reconstrução para variação da artéria hepática direita

INTRODUCTION: Variations on the anatomy of the hepatic artery are common, with incidence of 20-50%. In liver transplantation, back-table reconstruction is often necessary for an easier and prompt arterial anastomosis and so, the use of arterial patches has been related to lower the incidence of complications. However, when a right hepatic artery variation from the superior mesenteric artery is present, the reconstruction occasionally produces twisting and flow problems. METHODS: Is described a surgical alternative for right hepatic artery variation reconstruction using a Carrel-patch from the superior mesenteric artery. The patch is anastomosed with the splenic artery stump to allow vertical orientation and improve blood flow. RESULTS: Among 120 liver transplants, four consecutive cases of right hepatic artery variation were reconstructed using this technique. All of them showed good flow and patency in postoperative period. CONCLUSION: The proposed technique proved to be an interesting alternative for the reconstruction of right hepatic artery variation in liver transplantation.

Living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular cancer: An (almost) exclusive Eastern procedure?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most prevalent cancer and it is linked with chronic liver disease. Liver transplantation (LT) is the best curative treatment modality, since it can cure simultaneously the underlying liver disease and HCC. Milan criteria (MC) are the benchmark for selecting patients with HCC for LT, achieving up to 91% 1-year survival post transplantation. However, when considering intention-to-treat (ITT) rates are substantially lower, mainly due dropout. Additionally, Milan criteria (MC) are too restrictive and more inclusive criteria have been reported with good outcomes. Mainly, in Eastern countries, deceased donors are scarce, therefore Asian centers have developed living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to a state-of-art status. There are many eastern centers reporting huge numbers of LDLT with outstanding results. Regarding HCC patients, they have reported many criteria including more advanced tumors achieving reasonable outcomes. Western countries have well-established deceased-donor liver transplantation (DDLT) programs. However, organ shortage and restrictive criteria for listing patients with HCC endorses LDLT as a good option to offer curative treatment to more HCC patients. However, there are some controversial reports claiming higher rates of HCC recurrence after LDLT than DDLT. An extensive review included 30 studies with cohorts of HCC patients who underwent LDLT in both East and West countries. We reported also the results of our Institution, in Brazil, where it was performed the first LDLT. This review also addresses the eligibility criteria for transplanting patients with HCC developed in Western and Eastern countries.

Resection for intrahepatic cholangiocellular cancer: new advances

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most prevalent primary liver neoplasm after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), corresponding to 10% to 15% of cases. Pathologies that cause chronic biliary inflammation and bile stasis are known predisposing factors for development of ICC. The incidence and cancer-related mortality of ICC is increasing worldwide. Most patients remain asymptomatic until advance stage, commonly presenting with a liver mass incidentally diagnosed. The only potentially curative treatment available for ICC is surgical resection. The prognosis is dismal for unresectable cases. The principle of the surgical approach is a margin negative hepatic resection with preservation of adequate liver remnant. Regional lymphadenectomy is recommended at time of hepatectomy due to the massive impact on outcomes caused by lymph node (LN) metastasis. Multicentric disease, tumor size, margin status and tumor differentiation are also important prognostic factors. Staging laparoscopy is warranted in high-risk patients to avoid unnecessary laparotomy. Exceedingly complex surgical procedures, such as major vascular, extrahepatic bile ducts and visceral resections, ex vivo hepatectomy and autotransplantation, should be implemented in properly selected patients to achieve negative margins. Neoadjuvant therapy may be used in initially unresectable lesions in order to downstage and allow resection. Despite optimal surgical management, recurrence is frustratingly high. Adjuvant chemotherapy with radiation associated with locoregional treatments should be considered in cases with unfavorable prognostic factors. Selected patients may undergo re-resection of tumor recurrence. Despite the historically poor outcomes of liver transplantation for ICC, highly selected patients with unresectable disease, especially those with adequate response to neoadjuvant therapy, may be offered transplant. In this article, we reviewed the current literature in order to highlight the most recent advances and recommendations for the surgical treatment of this aggressive malignancy.

Liver transplantation for fulminant hepatitis due to yellow fever

A previously healthy 27-year-old female had 3 days of fever (40°C), headache, and myalgia. She had not been previously vaccinated for YF. Initial workup revealed 2,150 leukocytes/mm3 , 83,000 platelets/mm3 , AST 8462U/L and ALT 5249U/L (Figure 1). She was icteric with a heart rate of 60 bpm. The following day, a generalized seizure led to intubation, and renal failure led to hemodialysis. Transcranial doppler ultrasound showed signs of intracranial hypertension, cranial CT scan showed diffuse hypoattenuation and loss of grey-white differentiation; abdominal doppler ultrasound, and echocardiogram were normal. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.