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Objective The objective of this study was to compare posttransplant outcomes in patients undergoing bridging locoregional therapy (LRT) with Y-90 transarterial radioembolization (TARE) based protocol compared with transarterial chemoembolization based protocol for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prior liver transplantation (LT). Materials and methods Patients listed for LT with HCC within the Milan criteria at our center who had bridging LRT were treated according to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) based protocol from May 2012 to April 2014 and a TARE based protocol from October 2014 to December 2017. Early posttransplant survival and tumor recurrence were compared between the groups. Tumor response to LRT, microvascular invasion (mVI), and the rate of delisting was also evaluated. Results One hundred three patients who were listed for LT with HCC within the Milan criteria received LRT. LT was performed in 65 patients, 28 treated with TARE protocol and 37 on TACE protocol. There were no statistical differences in baseline pretransplant characteristics and tumor recurrence. There was a trend toward improved 3-year survival in the TARE group (92.9% vs. 75.7%; P=0.052). The mVI was seen in 1/28 (3.6%) explants in the TARE group compared with 10/37 (27%) in the TACE group (P=0.013). The TARE group also required fewer LRT treatments (1.46 vs. 2.43; P=0.001) despite no difference in time on the transplant list. Conclusions Despite requiring fewer LRT treatments, there was significantly less mVI in the explants of patients treated with TARE protocol LRT as a bridge to LT as well as a trend toward improved 3-year survival. Therefore, TARE may be associated with improved tumor control and reduced post-LT recurrence.

Incidentally discovered hepatocellular carcinomas (iHCC) are tumors which are discovered on the explanted liver which were not present on imaging prior to transplant. The natural history, histopathologic characteristics and prognosis of iHCC are not clearly defined. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to compare the characteristics of iHCC and established HCC within Milan criteria (eHCC) in patients who underwent liver transplantation at our center between 2000 and 2010. Results: During the study period a total of 975 adult patients were transplanted in our center; 124 (12.7%) patients had eHCC and 26 (2.6%) patients had iHCC. A larger number of patients with iHCC (73.1%) had ascites when compared to eHCC (41.3%) (p = 0.035). Patients with iHCC had a higher mean bilirubin (p 0.001) and mean INR (p = 0.05) than patients with eHCC. Around 70% of patients with iHCC had a Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score greater than 15 at the time of listing while only 25% of patients with eHCC had a MELD greater than 15 at listing (p 0.001).The mean alphafetoprotein (AFP) in patients with iHCC was significantly lower (11.6 ± 16.5) than the patients with eHCC (564.9 ± 2180; p = 0.024). In patients with iHCC, 30.8% had a multiple tumors and 23% had bilobar involvement. The average number of tumors was 1.6 and the cumulative tumor size was 2.1 cm (SD 1.4). The cumulative tumor size in iHCC was significantly smaller than in eHCC (mean 3.9 cm) (p = 0.035). American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) T1 tumor stage was found in 58% of patients with iHCC and 48.4% of patients with eHCC (p = 0.829).The median survival was 9.47 years for iHCC (95% CI 7.0 - 11.9) and 8.7 years (95% CI 6.1 - 11.4) for eHCC (p = 0.328). While none of the patients with iHCC had recurrence of HCC, the incidence of recurrence in patients with eHCC was 6.4%. Conclusion: iHCC occurred in patients with more advanced liver disease than eHCC. AFP was usually not elevated in patients with iHCC. The cumulative tumor size of iHCC was smaller than eHCC but around a third of iHCC were multifocal, supporting the theory of multicentric hepatic carcinogenesis. Survival of patients with iHCC was similar to patients with eHCC and recurrence was not noted in patients with iHCC.

Aim The goal of this study is to evaluate whether an elevated neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at the time of diagnosis predicts survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation (LT). We hypothesize that the NLR is predictive of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with HCC who undergo LT. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of adult patients undergoing LT for HCC between 2000 and 2008 at our institution. We define an elevated NLR as a ratio of 5 or greater. Results We included 160 patients who underwent LT for HCC in the time period, of whom 28 had an elevated NLR. Seventeen subjects experienced recurrent HCC during the study period. The cumulative survival among subjects with an elevated NLR was significantly lower than among subjects with a normal NLR. On univariate analysis, several factors (including an elevated NLR) predicted decreased OS and RFS. However, after multivariate analysis, only three factors (including elevated NLR) remained significant as predictors of OS. Additionally, multivariate analysis revealed that an elevated NLR was the only significant independent predictor of RFS. Conclusion Preoperative NLR is a powerful independent predictor of OS and RFS in patients undergoing LT for HCC. Measurement of NLR could serve as a useful and easily obtained adjunct to the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and Milan criteria when evaluating this patient population and determining which patients will gain the most survival benefit from transplantation.

Sorafenib is currently the only approved systemic therapy shown to have efficacy in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies suggest that hepatitis C (HCV)-related HCC patients derive more clinical benefit from sorafenib than other subgroups, but the mechanism for this effect is unknown. In vitro data suggest that sorafenib may exert anti-viral properties, and thus our aim in this study was to evaluate potential anti-viral activity of sorafenib in patients with HCV-related HCC.To evaluate potential anti-viral activity of sorafenib in patients with HCV-related HCC.We prospectively enrolled patients with HCV-related HCC treated with sorafenib for up to 6 months. Baseline clinical, viral and oncologic data were collected. Patients' HCV viral loads were obtained at various time points, and compared with their baseline viral levels. No patients received any known anti-viral therapy during this time.Thirty-three patients were identified with baseline and subsequent HCV levels available for analysis. Six patients completed 6 months of full dose sorafenib, and comparisons of their HCV viral loads showed no significant change at week 24 (difference of means = 0.3500, CI: -0.1799-0.8799, P = 0.150), or the interim time points. Similarly, the HCV viral loads of all patients who received sorafenib and the viral loads of those patients who had tumour response to sorafenib showed no significant changes at any time point.Despite preclinical data and previous subgroup analyses suggesting that sorafenib has an anti-viral effect against HCV, this study suggests that sorafenib lacks significant anti-viral activity in HCV patients with HCC.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects approximately 3% of the world’s population, with cirrhosis caused by chronic HCV the most frequent indication for liver transplantation (LT) in the United States and Europe. 1 Between 1999 and 2007, 37% to 41% of all recipients of LT in the United States had chronic HCV. 2 However, survival of LT recipients with chronic HCV remains lower than that of recipients without HCV. This decreased survival is related to the near-universal recurrence of HCV after transplantation as well as the accelerated course of recurrent HCV after LT. 3 Between 25% and 30% of LT recipients with HCV develop graft cirrhosis, with a median time to recurrent cirrhosis of 8 to 10 years. 4,5 The clinical outcomes of these patients, and the likelihood of graft cirrhosis, are affected by multiple factors, including donor demographics, recipient virological status, posttransplant immunosuppression, and antiviral therapy. This article reviews the natural history and management of HCV following LT.

Bouveret's syndrome is defined as gastric outlet obstruction caused by duodenal impaction of a large gallstone which passes into the duodenal bulb through a cholecystogastric or cholecystoduodenal fistula. Initial attempts at endoscopic retrieval with or without mechanical or extracorporeal lithotripsy should be performed as first-line treatment, though success rates with endoscopic treatment are variable. We describe a case of Bouveret's Syndrome in an elderly patient that was successfully treated with endoscopic extraction combined with mechanical lithotripsy, and review the literature on this uncommon condition.

A high index of suspicion is critical in the prevention of serious complications of gonorrheal infection. This article reviews published information regarding the pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of gonorrhea. MEDLINE was used to search the literature for articles and studies that have a bearing on these issues. Keywords used were disseminated gonococcal infection; septic arthritis; gonorrhea and pregnancy; and gonorrhea and pathophysiology. We conclude that disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) should be in the differential diagnosis of any sexually active patient who presents with arthritis, dermatitis, and/or tenosynovitis. Although the incidence of DGI has declined in recent years, it still is the most common cause of newly diagnosed arthritis requiring hospitalization. Careful culturing of every site that could be infected is imperative to aid in diagnosis and treatment. Prompt therapy with appropriate antibiotics such as ceftriaxone will prevent the more serious complications of DGI.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy in developing countries and its incidence is on the rise in the developing world. The epidemiology of this cancer is unique since its risk factors, including hepatitis C and B, have been clearly established. The current trends in the shifting incidence of HCC in different regions of the world can be explained partly by the changing prevalence of hepatitis. Early detection offers the only hope for curative treatment for patients with HCC, hence effective screening strategies for high-risk patients is of utmost importance. Liver transplantation and surgical resection remains the cornerstone of curative treatment. But major advances in locoregional therapies and molecular-targeted therapies for the treatment of advanced HCC have occurred recently. In this review, current trends in the worldwide epidemiology, surveillance, diagnosis, standard treatments, and the emerging therapies for HCC are discussed.

The goal of this study is to evaluate whether an elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at the time of diagnosis predicts survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation (LT). We hypothesize that the NLR is predictive of overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with HCC who undergo LT.This is a retrospective analysis of adult patients undergoing LT for HCC between 2000 and 2008 at our institution. We define an elevated NLR as a ratio of 5 or greater.We included 160 patients who underwent LT for HCC in the time period, of whom 28 had an elevated NLR. Seventeen subjects experienced recurrent HCC during the study period. The cumulative survival among subjects with an elevated NLR was significantly lower than among subjects with a normal NLR. On univariate analysis, several factors (including an elevated NLR) predicted decreased OS and RFS. However, after multivariate analysis, only three factors (including elevated NLR) remained significant as predictors of OS. Additionally, multivariate analysis revealed that an elevated NLR was the only significant independent predictor of RFS.Preoperative NLR is a powerful independent predictor of OS and RFS in patients undergoing LT for HCC. Measurement of NLR could serve as a useful and easily obtained adjunct to the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and Milan criteria when evaluating this patient population and determining which patients will gain the most survival benefit from transplantation.