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Background/Aim: Lenvatinib is available as a molecular target agent for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we investigated the popping phenomena in patients with HCC who underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) after taking lenvatinib. Patients and Methods: Fifty-nine patients with HCC between 21-30 mm in diameter and no history of systemic treatment were enrolled in the study. The patients underwent RFA using a VIVA RFA SYSTEM with an ablation tip of 30 mm in length. For the initial lenvatinib administration, 16 patients had an adequate course of treatment and were treated with RFA as add-on therapy (combination group). The other 43 patients were treated by RFA monotherapy (monotherapy group). The popping frequency during RFA was recorded and compared. Results: Popping frequency in the combination group (RFA combined with lenvatinib) was significantly higher than that in the monotherapy group. There was no significant difference between the combination group and the monotherapy group in ablation time, maximum output level, tumour temperature after ablation, or initial resistance value. Conclusion: Popping frequency was significantly higher in the combination group. It is possible that the intra-tumour temperature increased rapidly during RFA in the combination group due to the inhibitory effect of lenvatinib on tumour angiogenesis, leading to the occurrence of popping. Further studies are needed to investigate popping after RFA, and precise protocols need to be developed.

Interventional radiology (IVR), including balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) and percutaneous transhepatic obliteration (PTO), is performed for patients with intractable hepatic encephalopathy (HE). However, information on the appropriate coil for endovascular coiling for preventing recanalization is lacking. This study aimed to compare the different types of coils for endovascular coiling used in BRTO and PTO for cases of intractable HE.This retrospective study included patients who underwent endovascular coiling with BRTO or PTO for HE caused by portosystemic shunts. The number of coils required for complete occlusion was compared among bare, fiber, and hydrogel-coated coils, and the expansion types that close the gap between and inside the hydrogel-coated coils were also compared.Of 38 patients (age range, 30-86 years), 16 and 22 underwent BRTO and PTO, respectively, using bare (19 patients), fiber (8 patients), and hydrogel-coated coils (10 patients; external expansion type, 4; internal expansion type, 6). No significant differences in the size of portosystemic shunts were observed according to the type of coil. The mean number of coils required for complete occlusion varied (bare coils, 19.32; fiber coils, 18.11; hydrogel-coated coils, 10.70). Significantly fewer coils were required for endovascular coiling with hydrogel-coated coils. In the internal expansion type, a mean of 8.5 coils was required for occlusion.In some patients who underwent portal vein embolization, complete occlusion was not achieved with the scheduled type of coil because of slight expansion of blood vessels due to coil pressure. The findings suggested that hydrogel-coated coils were effective in endovascular coiling for HE caused by a portosystemic shunt, and internal expansion-type hydrogel-coated coils may be effective for the first-line procedure.

The indications for TACE in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma have become more stringent with the development of systemic pharmacotherapy. Radical TACE is expected to be used only in situations such as for tumors with small volume which fulfill the “up-to-7”. Furthermore, a combination of molecular-targeted agents is expected to maximize the efficacy of TACE. In the intermediate stage, TACE and drug therapy play complementary roles, and it is important to select a treatment strategy that considers tumor status and hepatic reserve. However, no studies have investigated the various types of TACE in the treatment of such patients. Currently, TACE in Japan is broadly classified into conventional TACE, balloon occluded TACE (B-TACE), and drug-eluting beads TACE (DEB-TACE). This article outlines the evolution of B-TACE for hepatocellular carcinoma in the drug therapy era.

Objective Rifaximin has become available for treating hyperammonemia in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. This study analyzed the changes in the body composition and nutritional status after long-term rifaximin therapy. Methods Twenty-one patients who underwent rifaximin therapy at 1,200 mg/day for more than 24 weeks were evaluated for the changes in the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) scores for the nutritional assessment, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) scores for the liver function assessment, and skeletal muscle index (SMI) for the body composition assessment. Results There were 17 men and 4 women, with a mean age of 67.14±8.32 years. Eleven cases had a portosystemic shunt (52.3%), and 10 had hepatocellular carcinoma (47.6%). The Child-Pugh class was A in 9 cases (42.9%), B in 9 cases (42.9%), and C in 3 cases (14.2%). The blood ammonia levels in the rifaximin group improved significantly upon rifaximin therapy, from 124.76±28.68 μg/dL at baseline to 47.00±14.43 μg/dL after 2 weeks (p

Objective: Lenvatinib is considered the first-line treatment for unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, in some clinical cases, discontinuation of lenvatinib is unavoidable. It is important to elucidate if transcatheter arterial infusion (TAI) with drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) is a feasible second-line treatment after discontinuing lenvatinib. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy, hepatic function and nutritional status associated with TAI with DEB-TACE for patients who previously discontinued lenvatinib. Materials and Methods: We included 35 patients who were prescribed lenvatinib for unresectable HCC between July 2018 and December 2019, of whom 12 discontinued lenvatinib during the study. The changes in the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score and the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score before and after discontinuing lenvatinib were examined. Furthermore, the tolerability and survival of patients treated using TAI with DEB-TACE as a second-line treatment were analysed. Results: The ALBI and CONUT scores were significantly worse when lenvatinib was started and stopped (p

Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi), a novel noninvasive biomarker for fibrosis, is a prognostic factor for liver disease; however, its relationship with hepatic function reserve and nutritional status remains unclear. Furthermore, the cut-off value of this marker varies with the underlying liver disease. This study aims to clarify that M2BPGi can be clinically used as a hepatic function reserve marker and nutritional index without pushing the search for alternative markers to the forefront in clinical practice as an important biomarker.Seven hundred and forty-three outpatients with chronic liver disease (CLD) were enrolled. We evaluated the relationship among M2BPGi, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score as nutritional status markers. Diagnostic performance of M2BPGi values in distinguishing different modified ALBI (mALBI) grade and CONUT score were compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.The M2BPGi level increased with ALBI and mALBI grades. The correlation coefficient (r2) between M2BPGi and ALBI grade was 0.40 (r=0.63), indicating a positive correlation between M2BPGi and ALBI grade. The cut-off for M2BPGi to predict mALBI G1 vs. G2-G3 was 1.07, G1-2a vs. G2b-3 was 1.73, and mALBI G1-2 vs. G3 was 5.83 under the ROC curves. The cut-off for M2BPGi to predict CONUT score normal vs. light-severe was 1.60, normal-light vs. moderate-severe was 1.74, and normal-moderate vs. severe was 5.83 under the ROC curves. M2BPGi correlates with ALBI grade and is useful for diagnosing ROC analysis results, especially G2 and above. M2BPGi also correlates with the CONUT score and is useful for diagnosing ROC analysis results, especially moderate or higher. These results showed similar diagnostic performance regardless of the etiology of the background liver disease.Although the predictive cut-off value varied with the type of liver disease, M2BPGi was found to be a single predict biomarker of ALBI and CONUT, and thus, is an effective indicator of CLD status. Further investigation is warranted to determine the clinical utility of this marker.

Introduction Transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) is indicated for patients in whom percutaneous liver biopsy is contraindicated, such as those with hematological diseases complicated by liver dysfunction. However, the clinical utility of TJLB in this group of patients has not been thoroughly investigated. The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of TJLB in patients with hematological diseases complicated by liver dysfunction. Methods We analyzed the data of patients who developed liver disorders during treatment for hematological diseases at our hospital and required tissue diagnosis via TJLB. The clinical features of patients were analyzed. Results Twenty-seven patients (mean age, 60.07 years; 12 men, 15 women) requiring tissue diagnoses via TJLB after developing liver disorders while undergoing treatment for hematological diseases were enrolled. One patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia was diagnosed with drug-induced liver injury; two patients with amyloidosis had nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; one patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia had a drug-induced liver injury; one patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia had liver infiltration caused by an underlying disease; three patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura had autoimmune hepatitis; four patients with malignant lymphoma had liver infiltration by the underlying disease, and one patient with multiple myeloma had liver disorder caused by disseminated intravascular coagulation. Moreover, one patient had hepatitis B reactivation, another had hepatitis E, and six patients had a drug-induced liver injury. The treatment regimen was altered in cases of liver infiltration caused by the underlying disease, and the drug was changed for patients with drug-induced liver injury. Conclusion The etiology of liver disorders in patients with hematological diseases varies widely. Therefore, histological diagnosis using TJLB is useful to determine an appropriate therapeutic strategy for underlying hematological diseases.

A 62-year-old man initially underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One year after the initial treatment, he developed anemia. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed irregularly elevated tumors in the lower anterior gastric body, which were diagnosed to be metastasis from HCC. Left gastric artery coil embolization was performed to prevent sustained bleeding, and his anemia partially improved. In addition to direct invasion, hematogenous metastasis to the stomach from HCC is possible and therefore should be considered during treatment. Transcatheter arterial embolization for gastric metastasis is an effective treatment method which achieves a good degree of hemostasis in patients without any surgical indications.

Blood transfusion, splenectomy, and partial splenic embolization (PSE) are generally performed for thrombocytopenia in patients with cirrhosis. Recently, thrombopoietin (TPO) agonists have become available, and investigations of patients who would benefit from them are necessary. Therefore, it is important to understand the fluctuations in cytokine levels associated with PSE. Therefore, fluctuations in platelet-associated immunoglobulin G (PAIgG), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and TPO levels with PSE were analyzed in this study. The study included 110 patients with liver cirrhosis and thrombocytopenia, with the aim of improving platelet counts. Fluctuations in PAIgG, IL-6, and TPO levels were investigated. The average splenic embolization ratio was 58.0% in patients with PSE. The platelet count rose significantly from 6.95 [5.40, 8.60] × 104/mL to 14.05 [10.43, 18.05] × 104/mL (P .01), IL-6 rose significantly from 3.56 [2.53, 7.33] pg/mL to 18.90 [9.17, 32.95] pg/mL (P .01), TPO rose significantly from 0.82 [0.52, 1.21] fmol/mL to 1.58 [0.97, 2.26] fmol/mL (P .01), and PAIgG decreased significantly from 64.20 [38.33, 118.75] ng/107 cells to 37.50 [22.25, 70.00] ng/107 cells (P .01). On multivariate analysis of factors related to the rate of platelet increase with PSE, primary biliary cholangitis (B = 0.475, P .01), splenic embolization ratio (B = 0.75, P .01), IL-6 change ratio (B = 0.019, P .01), and PAIgG change ratio (B = -0.325, P .01) were significant. When attempting to improve thrombocytopenia with PSE, adequate splenic embolization needs to be obtained together with improvements in IL-6, PAIgG, and TPO levels. With unsatisfactory improvement in thrombocytopenia, TPO agonist administration was considered.

Background/Aim: Tumor biopsy are needed frequency for accurate diagnosis. However, percutaneous liver tumor biopsy presents a risk of complications such as bleeding and tumor seeding. We investigated the feasibility of liver tumor biopsy, followed by cauterization with expandable radiofrequency ablation. Patients and Methods: Tumor biopsies using a co-access needle were performed in 102 patients. Expandable radiofrequency ablation was used to ensure cauterization and hemostasis of the puncture route. We evaluated the clinical background and complications. Results: The average (±standard deviation) tumor diameter was 56.87±39.45 mm. Pathological diagnosis was possible in all cases. In 20 patients, the postoperative pathological diagnosis differed from the preoperative diagnosis. No significant anemia progression was observed in any patients after biopsy, and no peritoneal seeding was observed during a mean follow-up observation period of 18.5 months. Conclusion: Liver tumor biopsy, followed by cauterization with expandable radiofrequency ablation via a co-access needle, is safe and useful for obtaining reliable diagnoses.

The current study aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of self-expandable metallic stent placement among patients with extracolonic malignancy and those with colorectal cancer. Patient information, technical and clinical success rates and complication rates were compared between patients with colorectal cancer and extracolonic malignancy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the time elapsed before the onset of complications. Risk factors for re-obstruction in patients with self-expandable metallic stents were evaluated by multivariate analysis. A total of 68 patients who underwent self-expandable metallic stent placement at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital between January 2012 and September 2019 were included. The clinical success rate was significantly different between the colorectal cancer (96.6%) and extracolonic malignancy (66.7%) groups (P=0.01). The incidence of complications was significantly higher in the extracolonic malignancy group (66.7%) than in the colorectal cancer group (25.4%; P=0.02). Additionally, the time elapsed before the onset of complications was shorter in the extracolonic malignancy group than in the colorectal cancer group (P=0.0008). Risk factors for re-obstruction were higher in the extracolonic malignancy group [odds ratio, 7.76 (1.02-57.2)] than in the palliative stent placement group [odds ratio, 5.45 (1.01-29.5); P=0.04]. In extracolonic malignancy, self-expandable metallic stent placement was associated with lower clinical success rates and increased risk of complications. The time elapsed before the onset of complications was short, and extracolonic malignancy was a risk factor for re-obstruction, suggesting that the placement of self-expandable metallic stents for malignant colorectal obstruction in extracolonic malignancy is not optimal.

AIMS Thrombocytopenia is often associated with chronic liver disease. Lusutrombopag is a small molecule thrombopoietin receptor agonist designed to temporarily increase the platelet count in patients with chronic liver disease for whom elective invasive procedures are planned. In the present study, the efficacy and safety of repeated use of lusutrombopag prior to radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma were examined. METHODS Eight patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had a platelet count

// Toru Ishikawa 1 , Michitaka Imai 1 , Masayoshi Ko 1 , Hiroki Sato 1 , Yujiro Nozawa 1 , Tomoe Sano 1 , Akito Iwanaga 1 , Keiichi Seki 1 , Terasu Honma 1 and Toshiaki Yoshida 1 1 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Saiseikai Niigata Daini Hospital, Niigata 950-1104, Japan Correspondence to: Toru Ishikawa, email: toruishi@ngt.saiseikai.or.jp Keywords: liver cirrhosis, branched-chain amino acid, branched-chain amino acid-to-tyrosine ratio, event-free survival Received: January 31, 2017 Accepted: May 29, 2017 Published: June 12, 2017 ABSTRACT This study evaluated whether the branched-chain amino acid-to-tyrosine ratio (BTR) is a prognostic predictive factor in patients with liver cirrhosis by determining the relationship of the BTR with event-free survival in a retrospective, observational cohort study. The medical records of patients with liver cirrhosis who visited our institution from February 2000 to May 2012 were examined. Events due to liver cirrhosis were defined as death, worsening of esophageal and/or gastric varices, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver failure. The primary endpoint was the period from the date of BTR measurement until the first onset of these events. Event-free survival was compared between patients with BTR ≥ 4 and BTR < 4. Relationships between the BTR and other factors predicting prognosis were also examined. Event-free survival was evaluated in patients with and without branched-chain amino acid supplementation using propensity score matching. Significantly longer event-free survival was found in liver cirrhosis patients with BTR ≥ 4 ( n = 425) compared with those with BTR < 4 ( n = 105), and the BTR was associated with liver cirrhosis events. The BTR showed significant relationships with other predictive factors evaluated. In subcohorts matched by propensity score, branched-chain amino acid supplementation significantly improved event-free survival in patients with BTR

Percutaneous transhepatic obliteration (PTO) and percutaneous transhepatic sclerotherapy (PTS) are widely performed as an emergency measure in cases of variceal hemorrhage and intractable hepatic encephalopathy. The PTO/PTS technique is capable of directly blocking the blood supply in cases in which balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) is not effective, or in cases with complicated collateral flow. Although PTO/PTS is not currently the first choice due to the invasiveness of transhepatic puncture, this procedure can modify the blood flow in an antegrade manner. The present study examined the changes in hepatic function reserve following PTO/PTS for intractable hepatic encephalopathy and/or gastric varices. In total, the study included 37 patients (mean age, 61.75±12.77 years; age range, 32–88 years; male to female ratio, 23:14) with a variety of gastrorenal shunts, or B-RTO-intractable hepatic encephalopathy and gastric varices without gastrorenal shunts. The patients underwent PTO/PTS by embolizing a microcoil or injection of a sclerosing agent (5% ethanolamine oleate iopamidol). Alterations in hepatic function reserve prior to and following the procedure were compared. The patients were treated for hepatic encephalopathy in 11 patients, gastric varices in 19 patients, and both conditions in 7 patients. The results indicated that the blood ammonia level improved from 135.76±75.23 mg/dl to 88.00±42.16 and 61.81±33.75 mg/dl at 3 and 6 months after therapy, respectively. In addition, the Child-Pugh score improved from 8.48±2.01 prior to therapy to 7.70±1.84 and 7.22±2.01 at 3 and 6 months after the procedure, respectively. Although there was a concern that PTO/PTS may cause complications due to an increase in portal venous pressure (PVP) arising from shunt occlusion, no severe complications were observed. In conclusion, for patients with various gastrorenal shunts or those with B-RTO-intractable hepatic encephalopathy and gastric varices without gastrorenal shunts, PTO/PTS can improve the antegrade blood flow to the liver, as demonstrated by improvement in the hepatic function reserve.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the standard therapy for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification intermediate stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, other transcatheter methods, such as transcatheter arterial infusion (TAI), also play an important role in the treatment of advanced HCC. Although it has been reported that TAI with a high concentration of a fine-powder formulation of cisplatin (DDP-H) reduced intrahepatic recurrence and improved survival, the combined use of TAI with DDP-H and TACE has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate which TACE chemotherapeutic agent in combination with DDP-H TAI contributes more to improved survival in BCLC-B HCC. Survival was analyzed in 55 patients who underwent DDP-H TAI and TACE for BCLC-B HCC. The patients were classified into two groups; Epirubicin was used as the TACE agent in 29 patients, whereas miriplatin was used in 26 patients. The cumulative survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 66.4 and 36.0% in the epirubicin and 95.8 and 61.30% in the miriplatin group, respectively. Survival time was significantly prolonged in the miriplatin group compared with that in the epirubicin group. Multivariate analysis identified Child-Pugh classification and up-to-seven criteria as factors affecting survival. In addition, the selection of miriplatin as the TACE chemoagent was the treatment factor that most significantly affected survival. Thus, double-platinum therapy with DDP-H TAI and miriplatin TACE may be a useful treatment strategy for improving survival in BCLC-B HCC patients.

When performing partial splenic arterial embolization (PSE), it can be difficult to determine the embolization ratio based on 2-dimensional digital subtraction angiography (DSA) image diagnosis alone. Therefore, at our department, we conduct computed tomography (CT) imaging intraoperatively and postoperatively to determine whether the planned embolization has been achieved. In recent years, developments in interventional radiology devices have enabled diagnostic imaging using cone beam CT. Here, we investigated whether the embolization ratio could be predicted from volume measurement with cone beam CT in PSE. We investigated correlations between volume measurement with conventional CT angiography (CTA) and volume measurement with cone beam CTA in 11 cases that underwent PSE with cone beam CT guidance (Allura Clarity FD20; Phillips, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) between December 2013 and May 2018. The mean subject age was 65.0 ± 5.8 years (6 men, 5 women). The subjects had underlying liver disorders of hepatitis C virus infection (4 cases), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (4 cases), and alcohol-related disease (3 cases). A positive correlation was noted between conventional CTA and cone beam CTA, with infarction rates of 61.28 ± 9.31% and 64.04 ± 9.24%, respectively. The correlation coefficient between the 2 variables was .772. Because blood washout occurs rapidly in the spleen, contrast medium had to be continuously injected during imaging to enable dual-phase imaging with cone beam CT. However, we successfully performed imaging up to the second phase and volume measurement for the embolization ratio by inserting a catheter into the splenic artery and confirming the cone beam CT arrival time from the DSA images. The results were almost identical to those obtained from volume measurement with conventional CT based on CTA imaging. Thus, our results suggest that the splenic embolization ratio measurement obtained via cone beam CTA can be used to assess PSE treatment endpoints.

A 76-year-old female was referred to our hospital because of liver dysfunction. Abdominal contrasted computed tomography (CT) revealed a tumor of 7.5cm in the hepatic hilar area. Based on the biopsy, the tumor was diagnosed by as combined hepatocellular-cholangiocellular carcinoma (with stem-cell features). The tumor was considered unresectable;hence, the patient underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). However, a CT scan revealed the treatment to be ineffective. Subsequently, systemic gemcitabine (GEM) chemotherapy was administered and tumor shrinkage was observed with reperfusion of the umbilical portion of the left portal vein. The patient's condition is currently stable 17 months after diagnosis, with no tumor regrowth on account of repeated TACE and GEM therapy. The present case of unresectable combined hepatocellular-cholangiocellular carcinoma was successfully treated using TACE and systemic GEM chemotherapy.

Background and aim Awareness of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has gradually increased in Japan, therefore the characteristics of this disease in the Japanese patient population need to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the features of EoE in the Japanese population. Methods During a 2-year period, all gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed with maximum attention being paid to identify EoE through endoscopic findings. Clinical features and findings were analyzed among this population. Results Among a total of 8589 patients (general gastrointestinal endoscopy, performed for evaluation of symptoms or disease follow-up: 3669; medical check-up endoscopy, routinely performed in asymptomatic patients: 4920), 17 patients (0.20%) were diagnosed with esophageal eosinophilia (mean age ± standard deviation: 44±11.9 years; 1 female). Only 6 patients with esophageal eosinophilia were diagnosed by general gastrointestinal endoscopy; among them, 3 patients had dysphagia and 3 were asymptomatic. The remaining 11 patients were diagnosed by medical check-up endoscopy. All patients were treated with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI); 5 were diagnosed with EoE and 12 with PPI responsive esophageal eosinophilia. Chronological endoscopy analysis showed that EoE findings could be observed for a mean of 6.1 years prior to diagnosis, and the disease did not significantly progress in severity. Conclusions Most Japanese patients with EoE have mild and slowly progressing disease, which can be diagnosed when close attention is paid to the endoscopic findings. Medical check-up endoscopy in Japan could be a great opportunity for the early diagnosis of EoE.

We describe a 52-year-old male who underwent endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage for acute cholangitis associated with common bile duct stones. Endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation was performed, and the stones were removed using a balloon catheter. Simultaneously, we initiated edoxaban for portal vein thrombosis. Approximately one month later, he visited our hospital complaining of tarry stools and dizziness. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a pseudoaneurysm in the hepatic artery (A7), and he was diagnosed with hemobilia from bile duct perforation associated with the hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm. We performed an emergent transcatheter arterial embolization. Notably, re-bleeding has not occurred to date. Hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysms can occur after acute cholangitis;therefore, careful follow-up is essential.

The optimum retreatment strategy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients who failed directly-acting antiviral agents (DAA)-based therapy is unknown. We herein report the outcomes of an HCV genotype (GT) 2a-infected patient with virologic failure following treatment with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin (SOF+RBV) who was successfully retreated with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir plus ribavirin (OBV/PTV/r+RBV).

Thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic hepatitis C negatively impacts interferon (IFN)-based treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of telaprevir (TVR)-based triple therapy including IFN for patients who have undergone partial splenic arterial embolization (PSE). Ten patients with thrombocytopenia who were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b received 12 weeks of TVR in combination with 24 weeks of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)α2b and ribavirin following PSE. A sustained virological response (SVR) was seen in 9 of the 10 patients who could be assessed. Early relapse was seen in 1 patient who had the IL-28B minor allele and a null response to pretreatment. The α-fetoprotein levels of the patients decreased from 17.94±7.30 ng/ml prior to PSE to 4.33±2.41 ng/ml at 6 months after triple therapy (P=0.08). Furthermore, serum albumin levels improved significantly from 3.68±0.49 g/dl pre-PSE to 4.13±0.34 g/dl at 12 months after triple therapy (P=0.043). PSE contributed to the treatment success of triple therapy, particularly for patients who were either treatment-naive, had a history of relapse or the IL28B major allele. This strategy can reduce carcinogenesis and improve hepatic function reserve.

For refractory chronic hepatitis C, interferon (IFN)-based triple-agent combination therapy with second-generation direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has been established as the standard treatment method. The rate of decrease in the viral load and the negative conversion of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the early phase following treatment initiation are considered important factors for predicting the therapeutic outcome. In the present study, the Roche Cobas AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan (CAP/CTM) HCV v2.0 assay and the AccuGENE m-HCV RNA quantitative assay [Abbott RealTime HCV (ART) assay] were analyzed for their clinical efficacy and ability to predict therapeutic outcomes in the early phase in patients with relapse following IFN-based second-generation DAA therapy. Of the 56 patients who received IFN-based second-generation DAA therapy since December 2013, 6 achieved an end-of-treatment response (ETR), but subsequently experienced relapse. In these 6 patients, fluctuations in viral loads in the early phase detected by the CAP/CTM and ART assays were compared. At 4 weeks after treatment initiation, 4 of the 6 patients were diagnosed as negative by the CAP/CTM assay, whereas 2 of these 4 patients were not identified as negative by the ART assay. Of the 2 patients, one was signal-positive with an HCV RNA load

Treatment support is anticipated to improve the results of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment in cases in which visualization of tumors using the conventional B-mode is unclear. In the present study, the effectiveness of treatment support for RFA reducing the local recurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that are located directly adjacent to the diaphragm, and which are difficult to visualize with B-mode ultrasound imaging, was investigated. A total of 103 HCC tumors measuring

AIM Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is frequently complicated with cirrhosis, and it is not unusual for treatment options to be limited as a result of pancytopenia due to hypersplenism. Partial splenic embolization (PSE) has been performed for thrombocytopenia resulting from hypersplenism. We studied the efficacy in terms of hepatic functional reserve and safety in patients who underwent concurrent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with PSE for HCC. METHODS The study population consisted of 101 HCC patients with thrombocytopenia. Fifty-three patients were treated with concurrent TACE/PSE (PSE group), and the remaining 48 TACE patients without PSE (non-PSE group) were investigated hepatic functional reserve. RESULTS Platelet counts were significantly higher in the PSE group after 2 weeks, 2 months and 6 months after TACE than the non-PSE group. Child-Pugh score significantly deteriorated from 7.13 ± 1.16 to 7.60 ± 1.20 at 2 weeks, to 7.71 ± 1.25 at 2 months, and 7.71 ± 1.35 at 6 weeks after TACE in the non-PSE group. Hence, it worsened from 7.04 ± 1.05 to 7.21 ± 0.99 at 2 weeks temporally, but improved to 7.00 ± 1.17 after 2 months and 6.70 ± 1.16 at 6 weeks after TACE in the PSE group. CONCLUSION Thrombocytopenia has been improved and treatment continued using concurrent PSE. In addition, hepatic functional reserve could be maintained even after treatment for HCC. Concurrent TACE and PSE for HCC with thrombocytopenia can be expected to help maintain hepatic reserve, and may contribute to improving the prognosis of HCC.

OBJECTIVE Postsplenectomy sepsis (PSS) and overwhelming postsplenectomy infection (OPSI) following splenectomy or the development of hyposplenism are associated with a high mortality rate. The presence of Howell-Jolly bodies (HJBs) in peripheral erythrocytes is attracting attention as a parameter of hyposplenism. To date, whether HJBs appear following partial splenic embolization (PSE) has not been investigated. Therefore, we examined the prevalence of HJBs in patients who have undergone PSE. METHODS Whether HJBs were present in 95 patients who underwent PSE between November 2007 and August 2012 was assessed. RESULTS No serious complications occurred due to PSE; however, 17 of the 95 patients (17.89%) exhibited HJBs during the follow-up. The residual spleen volume and splenic infarction rate did not differ significantly compared to those observed in the HJB-negative group. CONCLUSION With the recent increase in the use of autoanalyzers, the opportunities to perform microscopic examinations have been decreasing. Therefore, the presence of HJBs, which can only be confirmed visually, may be overlooked, and the clinical significance of these bodies tends to be disregarded. However, the presence of HJBs is associated with a risk of PSS and OPSI due to hyposplenism. Because HJBs are common in the peripheral erythrocytes of patients who have undergone PSE, irrespective of the residual spleen volume or splenic infarction rate, the presence or absence of HJBs should be assessed visually. In HJB-positive patients, preventing serious infections, for example, by administering the pneumococcal vaccine, is important.

Aim We recently reported that endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) might suppress biliary bacterial contamination better than endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) in patients with small bile duct stones (diameter ≤8 mm). In the present study, we evaluated immediate and long-term outcomes of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation with regard to stone size. Methods We allocated 474 patients alternately to the two procedures. The patients were classified according to stone diameter (≤8 mm or >8 mm) and outcomes (i.e. complete stone removal, early complications, and late complications) were compared. The predictive risk factors for late complications were also investigated. Results In patients with small stones, complete stone removal rate and early complication rate were similar between the two procedures; the incidence of pancreatitis was higher after EPBD, although the difference was not significant. Late complication rate and stone recurrence rate were significantly lower after EPBD than after EST (5.3% vs 17.3%, P = 0.009; 4.4% vs 12.7%; P = 0.048, respectively). In patients with large stones who underwent EPBD complete stone removal rate and late complication rate were lower, but the incidence of pancreatitis was higher. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis showed that the increased risk of bactobilia following EPBD for large stones or EST, and the gallbladder with stones in situ were independent risk factors for late complications. Conclusions EPBD produced significantly better long-term outcomes than EST in patients with small bile duct stones.

The aim of the present study was to determine predictors of a sustained virological response (SVR) with a regimen of double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) combined with interferon-β plus ribavirin (IFN-β/RBV) induction therapy prior to pegylated (PEG-IFN/RBV) standard of care (SOC) therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C who had experienced SOC treatment failure. Predictors of a SVR were analyzed in chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1b hepatitis C virus (HCV), who had a high viral load. The patients had been unresponsive to previous IFN therapy and underwent induction therapy with IFN-β/RBV plus DFPP, which was performed five times during the same period, followed by PEG-IFN/RBV. In total, 10 patients received the combination DFPP plus IFN-β/RBV induction therapy prior to PEG-IFN/RBV therapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Two weeks after treatment initiation, a decrease in the HCV RNA levels of ≥2 log IU/ml occurred in 9/10 patients (90%), while a decrease of ≥4 log IU/ml was observed in 4/10 patients (40%). The HCV RNA levels at week 2 after treatment initiation in the SVR and non-SVR patients decreased by 5.0±0.8 and 2.9±1.1 log IU/ml, respectively. Despite no response to previous IFN therapy, three of the 10 patients (30%) experienced a SVR. The results indicated that a rapid virological response ensued following IFN-β/RBV induction and DFPP supplementary therapy. Although the level of interleukin-28B is an important predictor of a SVR, a decrease in the HCV RNA volume of ≥4 log IU/ml at week 2 after the initial treatment is also an important predictor. Therefore, rapid virological reduction using DFPP, in addition to IFN-β/RBV induction therapy, is an important predictor of a SVR.

The Child-Pugh classification system is the most widely used system for assessing hepatic functional reserve in HCC treatment. In the Child-Pugh classification system, serum albumin levels are used to accurately assess the status of protein metabolism and nutrition. To date, a lack of attention has been given to amino acid metabolism. In the present study, we investigated whether the branched-chain amino acids to tyrosine ratio (BTR) as an indicator of amino acid metabolism can serve as both a prognostic factor for early HCC and a predictive factor for recurrence.We conducted a cohort study of 50 patients with stage I/II HCC enrolled between May 2002 and December 2010. It was investigated whether BTR can serve as both a prognostic factor and a predictive factor for HCC recurrence.Overall survival rates were significantly higher in patients with high baseline BTR than in those with low BTR. Multivariate analysis showed that both BTR and serum albumin were prognostic factors, and that BTR was the best predictive factor for recurrence.BTR was a prognostic factor for early HCC and the most predictive factor for intrahepatic distant recurrence and contributing factors for survival.

AIM: To determine whether fluid injection during radiofrequency ablation (RFA) can increase the coagulation area. METHODS: Bovine liver (1-2 kg) was placed on an aluminum tray with a return electrode affixed to the base, and the liver was punctured by an expandable electrode. During RFA, 5% glucose; 50% glucose; or saline fluid was infused continuously at a rate of 1.0 mL/min through the infusion line connected to the infusion port. The area and volume of the thermocoagulated region of bovine liver were determined after RFA. The Joule heat generated was determined from the temporal change in output during the RFA experiment. RESULTS: No liquid infusion was 17.3 ± 1.6 mL, similar to the volume of a 3-cm diameter sphere (14.1 mL). Mean thermocoagulated volume was significantly larger with continuous infusion of saline (29.3 ± 3.3 mL) than with 5% glucose (21.4 ± 2.2 mL), 50% glucose (16.5 ± 0.9 mL) or no liquid infusion (17.3 ± 1.6 mL). The ablated volume for RFA with saline was approximately 1.7-times greater than for RFA with no liquid infusion, representing a significant difference between these two conditions. Total Joule heat generated during RFA was highest with saline, and lowest with 50% glucose. CONCLUSION: RFA with continuous saline infusion achieves a large ablation zone, and may help inhibit local recurrence by obtaining sufficient ablation margins. RFA during continuous saline infusion can extend ablation margins, and may be prevent local recurrence.

We report the case of a 73-year-old woman having diffuse large B-cell primary gastric lymphoma with a cirrhotic liver caused by hepatitis C virus infection. She visited our hospital with symptoms of nausea and vomiting, which appeared to be caused by stenosis due to the tumor. Metastatic tumors were seen in the gastric and jugular lymph nodes. The clinical stage was IVB with a high risk of poor prognosis according to the international index. Because of poor hepatic reserve function, standard chemotherapy could not be administered. To maintain her quality of life, palliative involved-field radiotherapy was performed. The symptoms and tumor markers significantly improved, and computed tomography and endoscopy indicated the disappearance of the primary gastric tumor. Two months after radiotherapy and her return home, she died of pneumonia. Autopsy showed neither lymphoma cells nor stenosis of gastric lesion. The significant anti-tumor effect on primary tumor in our case suggests that the involved-field radiotherapy, although palliative, can be a therapeutic option for primary gastric lymphoma patients with various complications.