Serdar Kirmizi

Influence of Liver Transplantation on Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Wilson Disease.

OBJECTIVES This study sought to evaluate the effect of liver transplantation on the neuropsychological manifestations of Wilson disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nine of 42 Wilson disease patients had neuropsychological symptoms before liver transplantation. They were 7 male and 2 female subjects with a median age of 19 years (range 10 to 25). They were analyzed for their preoperative and postoperative hepatic, neurological, and psychological scores described by the Unified Wilson Disease Rating Scale after a mean 36.6 months of follow-up. RESULTS Preoperative mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease and Child-Pugh scores were 18.3 (range 15 to 26) and 8.9 (range 6 to 12), respectively. One patient had acute postoperative ischemic stroke unrelated to Wilson disease and was excluded from the statistical analysis. Preoperative and postoperative hepatic, neurological, and psychological scores of the remaining 8 patients were 7.4 ± 2.3 vs 2.4 ± 1.3 (P = .0005), 17.7 ± 11.7 vs 12.7 ± 12.5 (P = .055), and 9.0 ± 1.7 vs 7.0 ± 2.1 (P = .033). CONCLUSIONS Liver transplantation for Wilson disease can provide some improvement of the neuropsychological symptoms in addition to the hepatic recovery.

Living Donor Liver Transplantation With Vena Cava Replacement

OBJECTIVES This study sought to evaluate the indications, techniques, and results of inferior vena cava (IVC) replacement at living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed 821 LDLTs and 11 (1.3%) patients required concomitant IVC replacement. We analyzed the indications, replacement materials, and outcomes. RESULTS Right, left, and left lateral liver lobes were transplanted in 7, 2, and 2 patients, respectively. The indications for IVC replacement were thrombosis/fibrosis in 7 patients (Budd-Chiari 4, hereditary tyrosinemia 1, congenital hepatic fibrosis 1, cryptogenic 1), involvement with mass in 3 patients (Echinococcus alveolaris 2, hepatoblastoma 1) and iatrogenic narrowing at IVC in 1 patient. Cryopreserved grafts (aorta n = 5, IVC n = 4, iliac vein n = 1) or synthetic graft (n = 1) were used for replacements. In 1 patient, hepatic outflow obstruction developed at 39 days and was treated successfully by interventional radiology. There was only 1 hospital mortality (8.9%) that was unrelated to caval replacement (subarachnoid hemorrhage). Of the remaining patients, the caval grafts were patent after a mean 7.7 months of follow-up (range 1 to 17 months). CONCLUSIONS Although rare, IVC replacement can be necessary at LDLT. Budd-Chiari and E. alveolaris are the main underlying diseases for replacement requirements. Caval replacement with cryopreserved vascular grafts can provide successful short-term and long-term patency.

Portosystemic Shunt Surgery in Patients with Idiopathic Noncirrhotic Portal Hypertension.

BACKGROUND Idiopathic noncirrhotic portal hypertension (INCPH) is a rare disease characterized by increased portal venous pressure in the absence of cirrhosis and other causes of liver diseases. The aim of the present study was to present our results in using portosystemic shunt surgery in patients with INCPH. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients who had been referred to our Liver Transplantation Institute for liver transplantation and who had undergone surgery from January 2010 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with INCPH who had undergone portosystemic shunt procedure were included in the study. Age, sex, symptoms and findings, type of portosystemic shunt, and postoperative complications were assessed. RESULTS A total of 1307 patients underwent liver transplantation from January 2010 to December 2015. Eleven patients with INCPH who did not require liver transplantation were successfully operated on with a portosystemic shunt procedure. The mean follow-up was 30.1±19 months (range 7-69 months). There was no mortality in the perioperative period or during the follow-up. Two patients underwent surgery again due to intra-abdominal hemorrhage; one had bleeding from the surgical site except the portacaval anastomosis and the other had bleeding from the h-graft anastomosis. No patient developed encephalopathy and no patient presented with esophageal variceal bleeding after portosystemic shunt surgery. Shunt thrombosis occurred in 1 patient (9.9%). Only 1 patient developed ascites, which was controlled medically. CONCLUSIONS Portosystemic shunt surgery is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of patients with INCPH.

Small bowel perforation due to a migrated esophageal stent: Report of a rare case and review of the literature

Highlights • Palliation of dysphagia with esophageal stenosis via esophageal stent placement is an effective procedure.• Migration is one of the most common complication after stent placement.• The lumen of stent is often allow to the passage in the intestine, so symptoms may develop much later.• Intestinal perforation is a rare but serious complication of stent migration.

Gastric bezoar after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity: A case report

Highlights • The patients that had a bariatric surgery are candidated to bezoar formation due to their potential eating disorders and because of the gastro-enterostomy.• Gastric bezoar could be overlooked by computed tomography and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.• Continuous complaints may be a signal of a gastric pouch bezoar.

Giant Meckel’s diverticulum torsion that mimics adnexal pathology

Highlights • Meckel’s diverticulum is a real diverticulum.• It is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract.• Rarely clinical manifestation of this diverticulum is difficult to distinguish from adnexal diseases.• Meckel’s diverticulitis should be kept in mind for cases that start with pelvic pain.

Histopathological Examination of Explanted Liver After Transplantation in Patients With Cryptogenic Cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVES Cryptogenic cirrhosis is a common indication for liver transplantation. Diagnosis is made after exclusion of other causes of cirrhosis. In this study, the aim was to evaluate patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis after histopathological examination of explanted liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective histopathological chart review of 117 patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis who had liver transplantation between November 2009 and June 2014 was performed. Age, sex, operative features, survival rates, and preoperative and postoperative diagnosis were evaluated. RESULTS During the study period, 123 liver transplantations were performed for these 117 patients. Deceased donor liver transplantations were performed in 23 (18.7%) of the cases. Retransplantations were performed in 5 patients. Median age was 48 years, and female-to-male ratio was 41:76. Hepatosteatosis were observed in 29 patients. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis were observed in 20 (12%) and 9 (7.7%) of these patients, respectively. Autoimmune hepatitis was observed in 2 patients. The definitive cause of cirrhosis was unclear in 68 (58%) of the patients. Incidental malignant and premalignant lesions were observed in 15 patients. CONCLUSIONS Histopathological examination of the explanted liver after liver transplantation in those patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis may significantly help to diagnose the cause of cirrhosis, such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or autoimmune hepatitis, with using the scoring system developed by the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Workgroup. In addition, incidental malignant or premalignant lesions may be observed.

Management of Acute Sleeve Gastrectomy Leaks by Conversion to Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: a Small Case Series

Management of early sleeve gastrectomy leak remains challenging. The recommended approach is endoscopic stenting and abdominal drainage. Conversion to a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a common procedure used for late fistulas with distal obstruction. Here, we have presented three cases of early staple line leaks treated by conversion to RYGB. These patients had uncontrolled abdominal infections despite intensive medical treatments, and surgery was elected for abdominal drainage as well as to control the source of sepsis. All the patients were discharged without problems, and successful weight loss processes continued. Conversion to RYGB of a sleeve gastrectomy leak in an acute setting can be a feasible method in the case of inevitable surgical drainage for abdominal sepsis.

Having a Healthy Birth With a 100-Year-Old Liver.

In March 2008, a 19-year-old woman required emergency liver transplantation due to acute-on-chronic liver failure. No living donor candidate was available. A marginal deceased liver that had been rejected by all the other centers was offered. The liver belonged to a 93-year-old woman and contained a hydatid cyst. Because of low donation rates in our country, we chose to accept the 93-year-old liver. The postoperative early and late courses were fortunately uneventful. Five years after transplantation, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy female baby. Today, the ages of the baby, mother, and the transplanted liver are 1, 26, and 100 years, respectively. A nonagenarian liver with hydatid disease was able to sustain its viability in a younger woman after transplant and also helped her bring in a new life into the world.

Comparison of Harmonic scalpel and Ligasure devices in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Introduction Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is one of the most preferred bariatric procedures in the world for surgical treatment of morbid obesity. The Harmonic scalpel (HS) and LigaSure (LS) are the most commonly used devices in laparoscopic surgery. As far as we know, there is no comparative study of the two energy devices in LRYGB for morbid obesity. Aim To compare the intraoperative performances of the two energy devices in LRYGB for morbid obesity. Material and methods The HS and LS were used in 43 and 42 cases, respectively. The patient demographics of both groups were comparable. The duration of the procedures (gastric pouch creation time and total operation time), quantity of bleeding (during gastric pouch creation and total quantities of bleeding) and the number of pneumoperitoneum desufflations due to smoking that impaired sight fields were recorded prospectively. Results Gastric pouch creation time (HS: 22.5 ±9.5 vs. LS: 19.5 ±9.7 min, p = 0.15), bleeding during gastric pouch preparation (HS: 15.3 ±30.5 vs. LS: 17.5 ±31.3 ml, p = 0.74), total operation time (HS: 183.2 ±47 vs. LS: 165.3 ±37.1 min, p = 0.06) and total bleeding (HS: 110 ±195.5 vs. LS: 102.5 ±70 ml, p = 0.81) were similar in the two groups. Only the mean number of pneumoperitoneum desufflations due to smoking was lower in the HS group (HS: 0.28 ±0.49 vs. LS: 0.57 ±0.78, p = 0.04). Conclusions The HS and LS performed similarly in LRYGB, with fewer desufflations from smoking in the HS group.