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Background: In 2002, the American Joint Committee on Cancer and the International Union Against Cancer redefined the T-classification for hepatocellular carcinoma, shifting the cutoff value for tumor size from 2 to 5 cm and giving more emphasis to vascular invasion., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 223 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma observed between 1990 and 2002. One hundred twelve were resected and considered for retrospective analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on several clinicopathologic variables. After classification according to each staging system, the long-term survival of different stages was compared. The prognostic value of each staging system was further evaluated by entering each stage, in turn, into the Cox regression model with other clinicopathologic variables. The median follow-up was 19 months., Results: On multivariate analysis, the viral etiology of cirrhosis and the presence of multiple nodules were independent prognostic factors. When the new staging system was entered into the multivariate analysis, it was the only independent factor (P = .02). When stratified according to the old tumor-node-metastasis system, there were no significant differences in the survival between stage I and II (P = .14) or between stage IIIA and IVA (P = .33); only the survival of stage II and IIIA was different (P < .01). When stratified according to the new tumor-node-metastasis system, there were significant differences between stage I and II (71.7% vs. 54.7%; P = .02)., Conclusions: The new staging system is a more reliable and objective method for T classification. It is easy to use in clinical practice and is better at stratifying curatively resected patients with respect to prognosis.

Background: Adult isolated small bowel transplantation is considered the standard treatment for patients with life-threatening parenteral nutrition-related complications. Here, we report a 3-year experience in a single European centre between December 2000 and December 2003., Aims: To evaluate and discuss pre-transplant and post-transplant factors that influenced survival rates in our series., Patients: Fourteen patients, with a mean parenteral nutrition course of 27 months, were transplanted. In eight cases they had not experienced any major complication from parenteral nutrition., Methods: We described pre-transplant evaluation and inclusion criteria, surgical technique and clinical management after transplant. Immunosuppressive therapy was based on induction drugs and Tacrolimus. We reported survival rates, major complications and rejection events., Results: One-year actuarial survival rate was of 92.3% with a mean 21-month follow-up (range 3-36 months). We had no intraoperative deaths. One patient (7.2%) died of sepsis following cytomegalovirus enteritis. One patient underwent graftectomy (7.2%) for intractable severe acute rejection. One-year actuarial graft survival rate of 85.1%. One patient (7.2%) affected by post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease is alive and disease-free after 8 months., Conclusion: We believe candidate selection, induction therapy, donor selection and short ischemia time play an important role in survival after small bowel transplantation.

Aim: Isolated small bowel transplantation is becoming the treatment of choice for adult patients with serious parenteral nutrition (PN) related complications: we report our three-year experience (December 2000-December 2003) from a single Italian center (Modena-Italy), with one of the larger European series., Methods: We transplanted 14 patients, with a previous mean PN course of 27 months and a mean 21-month post-transplantation follow-up (range 3-36 months), obtaining a one-year actuarial survival rate of 92.3% with no intraoperative deaths., Results: We lost 1 patient (7.2%), died for post-transplantation overwhelming sepsis following Cytomegalovirus (CMV) enteritis. Thirteen patients are alive, with one-year actuarial graft survival rate of 85.1%: 1 patient underwent graft removal (7.2%) for intractable severe acute rejection. Our immunosuppressive regimen was based on tacrolimus and 3 induction protocols: daclizumab (8 patients) with steroids, alemtuzumab (4 patients) and thymoglobulin (2 patients) without steroids. In 9 cases, we added sirolimus. Nine recipients experienced 22 episodes of acute cellular rejection (ACR), treated successfully in all cases but one. One patient (7.2%) was treated successfully for Post Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disease (PTLD) and is disease-free after 8 months., Conclusions: Small bowel transplantation can achieve optimal results depending on appropriate immunosuppressive management and candidate selection, added to shorter ischemia time and careful donor and graft selection.

Postoperative inferior vena cava obstruction is an uncommon complication after liver transplantation. Outflow obstruction, if not rapidly corrected, can lead to graft failure and the patient's death. We report a case in which Doppler ultrasound showed the thrombus inside the vessel, excluding extrahepatic causes of venous outflow obstruction, and permitted early surgical correction of the complication without graft loss.

Technical aspects in living-related liver transplantation are still under debate: the main pitfall is the arterial reconstruction due to the small diameter and the discrepancy between stumps, with a subsequent increased risk of arterial thrombosis. The gold standard is the microsurgical technique, that reports the lowest risk of thrombosis, but it is a time consuming procedure requiring a long training. Our method of choice reconstructing hepatic artery in right lobe is the use of the cystic artery as a branch patch with the recipient hepatic artery by loop magnification, saving time and with a low incidence of hepatic artery thrombosis.

Even when considering the possibility of organ rejection and the complications of immunosuppression, the risks associated with total parenteral nutrition therapy are life-threatening. Therefore, for patients with end-stage bowel disease small bowel transplantation (SBTx) is the only therapeutic option. The preferred method to procure these organs is debated, especially when, graft retrieval is associated with concurrent abdominal organ procurement of the pancreas, which shares part of the vascular inflow and outflow with the small bowel. While many surgeons procure the graft using the en bloc method, dissecting tissue at the back table, our preference is to use an in vivo technique, which results in shorter cold ischemia times and less bleeding during reperfusion of the pancreas/small bowel as well as decreased ascites production during the postoperative period and less edema and capsular bleeding of the pancreatic grafts. This article presents an analysis of 19 multiorgan cadaveric procurements using the in vivo technique with a focus on the quality of pancreas/small bowel postreperfusion properties during the first 5 to 6 postoperative months.

Clamping of the portal triad accomplishes complete inflow occlusion. This maneuver is commonly used during liver surgery to minimize blood loss but is not widely used in living donors undergoing resection for liver transplantation. We compared outcomes in living donors who underwent resection with and without inflow occlusion. We reviewed data on 2 nonsimultaneous living liver donor cohorts. The first 20 donors (group 1) underwent resection without inflow occlusion. In the next 15 donors (group 2), inflow occlusion was used during parenchymal transection, using cycles of 10-15 minutes occlusion and 6 minutes reperfusion. In donors, we recorded type of resection; ischemia times; blood loss; transfusions; peak ALT, AST, bilirubin, and INR in the first 5 days; hospital length of stay (LOS), and major complications. In recipients, we recorded peak ALT. In group 1, 19 of 20 donors underwent right hepatectomy. In group 2, 8 donors underwent right hepatectomy, and 7 donors had left lobectomies. Total ischemic time ranged from 16-49 minutes (mean, 31 +/- 9 minutes). In group 1, two donors received a total of 5 U of allogeneic blood. In group 2, no donor required transfusion. Mean peak ALT was significantly higher in group 1 (521 +/- 336 U/L) than group 2 (322 +/- 162 U/L; P = 0.03). Mean INR was significantly higher in group 1 (1.8 +/- 0.2) vs. group 2 (1.5 +/- 0.2; P = 0.001). There were 4 major complications in group 1 (incisional hernia, transient liver failure, biliary stricture, and biliary leak) and no major intraoperative or postoperative complications in group 2. Mean LOS was significantly longer in group 1 (7.9 +/- 2.9 days) than group 2 (6.2 +/- 1.1 days; P = 0.04). Mean peak ALT in recipients trended lower in group 2. In conclusion, inflow occlusion was associated with reduced blood loss and less ischemic injury to hepatic remnants in the donors and the grafts in the recipients. These benefits were associated with a diminished incidence of major complications and shorter LOS. Inflow occlusion should be an essential part of living donor hepatectomy.

To evaluate the short and long term outcome of liver resections for hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients. A retrospective analysis was performed on 106 consecutive cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma resected between June 1974 and September 2002 at the Department of Surgery "Pietro Valdoni" - University of Rome "La Sapienza" and at the Liver and Multivisceral Transplant Unit of the University of Modena. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on several clinicopathological variables to analyze factors affecting the long-term outcome and intrahepatic recurrence. Overall mortality and morbidity were 10.7% and 26% respectively. These rates significantly decreased in the last years: from 1997 to 2002 no hospital mortality has been recorded. After a median follow-up of 19 months (interquartile range: 10-36), tumour recurrence appeared in 25 patients (23,5%). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 86,6%, 70,3%, and 60,6%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 86,3%, 58,1%, and 40,7%. On univariate analysis, viral ethiology of cirrhosis (p=0.03), presence of multiple nodules (p=0.02) and vascular invasion (p=0.05) were found to be related to a worse long-term survival. At the multivariate analysis only the viral ethiology of cirrhosis and the presence of multiple nodules were confirmed as indipendent prognostic factors. Early results after hepatic resection for HCC can be improved by using a limited surgical approach. The viral ethiology of cirrhosis, the presence of multiple nodules and vascular invasion negatively affected recurrence rate and long-term survival.

A case of adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas in a patient with situs viscerum inversus totalis, an association described for the third time in literature, is reported. The possible coexistence of malformations of transposed organs and the specular anatomosurgical situation requires particular attention in the diagnosis and preoperative evaluation as well as a careful reorientation of the surgical perspective and a correct surgical conduct.

This retrospective, case-controlled study compared the outcome of 17 OLTs (group A) using livers donated by subjects over 70 years of age with 17 OLTs (group B) with livers from donors under 40. Clinical data were used form the period 1996-1998. The following variables were considered in the analysis: donor clinical and laboratory parameters, cold ischemic periods, intra-operative blood and plasma replacement, 30-day mortality rate, incidence of primary graft dysfunction, acute rejection and arterial complication and long term survival. The main post-operative parameters were also included. Liver biopsy, performed in 9/17 of group A, revealed minimal steatosis. There were 2 post-operative deaths in group A and 1 in group B (p = NS). Two arterial complications were observed in group A (p = NS) and only one patient required retransplantation (p = NS). The only other difference found among clinical variables was the amount of total bilirubin at post-operative days 8 and 10, aPTT at days 6 and 13 and albumin at days 5 and 6. A two-year follow-up showed survival rates to be 88.2% and 94.1% for groups A and B, respectively (p = NS). Candidates over 70 years of age should be excluded as liver donors. In such cases, greater care needs to be placed on pathological vascular conditions related to advanced stage atherosclerosis such as calcified plaques on the hepatic artery, a possible factor in severe postoperative complications.