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Background/Aims: Measurement of urinary sulfated bile acid (USBA) level is a simple urine test that reflects the degree of cholestasis in newborns. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical significances of this test for liver diseases in adults. Methodology: We examined the relationship between USBA level in a urine sample by enzymatic assay and clinical parameters and postoperative complications in 27 patients with hepatobiliary diseases who underwent surgical procedures between 2002 and 2007. Results: Mean USBA in all patients before surgery was 39.8 ± 64.0 μmol/L (median value was 6.6). USBA level was increased in patients with cholestasis. USBA level was significantly correlated with serum total bile acid, total bilirubin level and serum hyaluronic acid level (r=0.850, 0.602 and 0.504, respectively) (p, Hepato-Gastroenterology, 56(90), pp.299-302; 2009

Background/Aims: We preliminarily examined the characteristics of patients who underwent laparoscopic assisted hepatic resection (LAPH) to clarify its advantages and limitations of this procedure. Methodology: We examined the demographics, surgical records and outcome in 9 patients undergoing LAPH between 2001 and 2007 by comparing results in 15 patients (control group) who did not undergo laparoscopy before 2000. Results: By comparing the control group, patient demographics were not different. Four patients underwent left lateral sectionectomy and others underwent partial hepatectomy. One patient needed combined resection of abdominal wall and left lateral sector because of direct invasion from a liver tumor. There was no remarkable morbidity or mortality in all patients. Mean operation time in the LAPH group was significantly longer than that in the control group (356+/-68 vs. 276+A59 minutes) (p=O.015), particularly in patients undergoing partial resection. Blood loss was not different between groups. Days of use of pain reliever and hospital stay in the LAPH group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (pO.OOl). These tendencies were similar in each operative procedure. Conclusions: LAPH can be safely performed even in patients with chronic liver injury and recovery of patients from operation was faster than that by conventional hepatectomy., Hepato-Gastroenterology, 56(90), pp.447-451; 2009

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A new prognostic staging system, the SLiDe (S, stage; Li, liver damage; De, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin) score was recently proposed. We examined 207 HCC patients following hepatic resection to determine the usefulness of this staging system for HCC patients after surgery. METHODOLOGY: Disease-free and overall survival rates were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between groups were tested for significance using the log-rank test. RESULTS: Regarding disease-free survival, there were no significant differences in survival between SLiDe score 0 vs 1, between score 2 vs 3, and between score 4 vs 5. There were significant differences between 0-1 vs 2-3 (p < 0.01) and between 2-3 vs 4-5 (p < 0.01). Regarding overall survival, there were no significant differences in survival between score 0 vs 1, between score 2 vs 3, and between score 4 vs 5. There were significant differences between 0-1 vs 2-3 (p < 0.05) and between 2-3 vs 4-5 (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The SLiDe score, a staging system that combines tumor factors, a tumor marker and hepatic function, might be a better predictor of prognosis in HCC patients who have undergone hepatic resection., Hepato-gastroenterology, 56(93), pp.1137-1140; 2009