Search

Background: Small-caliber plastic stents are sometimes placed across the hepaticojejunostomy in liver transplant recipients at the time of biliary reconstruction. These stents usually pass spontaneously, but they can be retained and, rarely, this may cause biliary obstruction., Objective: The purpose of this paper is twofold: to describe the appearance of biliary tract obstruction caused by retained surgical stents in pediatric liver transplants, and to report how these stents can be removed using interventional radiology techniques., Materials and Methods: Three pediatric patients presenting with biochemical and imaging evidence of biliary obstruction were encountered over a 6-month period. At percutaneous cholangiography all patients were found to have retained surgical stents which appeared to be causing biliary tract obstruction. Percutaneous snaring of the stents was undertaken., Results: All stents were successfully removed using interventional radiology techniques, and follow-up showed no evidence of recurrent obstruction., Conclusion: Surgical stents in children undergoing hepaticojejunostomy may be retained and cause biliary obstruction. Radiologists involved with imaging these patients should be aware of this potential cause of biliary obstruction. This complication is amenable to interventional radiology techniques with good long-term results. There is no easy endoscopic or surgical treatment option in these patients.

Background: Multivisceral transplantation has recently evolved to be a life-saving procedure for patients with intestinal failure and complex abdominal pathology. A composite aortic graft is always needed to restore the arterial flow to the transplanted organs. Accordingly, arterial complications can be life-threatening requiring prompt intervention. Herein, we describe innovative technical approaches in seven recipients who developed pseudo-aneurysm (PA) after transplantation., Methods: With a total of 285 composite visceral transplants, 15 (5.2%) patients experienced vascular complications. Of these, 7 were life-threatening PAs that were diagnosed 61 to 2677 days after transplantation. Due to the anatomic and technical complexity of the allograft vasculature, endovascular techniques were introduced alone (n=2) or in conjunction with surgical intervention (n=5) in an attempt to rescue patients and salvage the transplanted organs., Results: The endovascular and surgical technical approaches used for each of the 7 PA actively bleeding patients was successful in 5 (71%). Of these, 2 (40%) are alive 86 to 117 months after the intervention. The remaining 5 recipients died of recurrent hemorrhage (n=2), liver failure (n=1), and pneumonia (n=1). The cause of death was unknown in the remaining patient. Retransplantation and intra-abdominal infections were major risk factors. Candida was the most common isolated microorganism., Conclusions: Recipients of composite visceral allografts are at risk of developing life-threatening PAs, particularly in those with early posttransplantation abdominal infections. Prompt multidisciplinary diagnosis and therapeutic approaches are crucial management strategies.

Purpose: To evaluate our experience with the use of yttrium-90 ((90)Y) radioembolization in maintaining potential candidacy and, in some instances, downstaging hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that does not meet Milan criteria for liver transplantation., Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 20 consecutive patients with HCC who were listed to receive a liver transplant and were treated with (90)Y radioembolization as a sole modality for locoregional "bridge" therapy was performed. Demographics, radiographic and pathologic response, survival, and recurrences were examined., Results: Twenty-two (90)Y treatments were performed in 20 patients before transplantation. Median time from first treatment to transplantation was 3.5 months. HCC in 14 patients met the Milan criteria at the time of the first (90)Y treatment, and HCC in six did not. All cases that originally met the Milan criteria remained within the criteria before transplantation, and two of six patients whose disease did not meet the criteria (33%) had their disease successfully downstaged to meet the criteria. Overall, nine patients (45%) had complete or partial radiologic response to (90)Y radioembolization according to modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors. Complete necrosis of tumor with no evidence of viable tumor on pathologic examination was observed in five patients (36%) whose disease met the Milan criteria., Conclusions: Particularly in regions with long wait list times, (90)Y treatment is effective in maintaining tumor size in potential liver transplantation candidates with HCC. In addition, it can also be considered as a downstaging therapy in select patients before transplantation., (© SIR, 2013.)

Purpose: To identify the diagnostic value of ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in diagnosing biliary strictures after liver transplantation., Materials and Methods: Sixty patients with clinically suspected biliary strictures after liver transplantation were retrospectively evaluated. All patients underwent US and MRCP before the standard of reference (SOR) procedure: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. Radiological images were analyzed for biliary dilatation and strictures., Results: By SOR, biliary dilatation was present in 55 patients, stricture in 53 (44 anastomotic, 4 intrahepatic, 5 both), and dilatation and/or stricture in 58. Dilatation was diagnosed by US and MRCP in 39 and 45, respectively (sensitivity 71% vs. 82%, p=0.18). Stricture was diagnosed by US and MRCP in 0 and 42, respectively (sensitivity 0% vs. 79%, p<0.0001). False positive stricture was diagnosed by MRCP in 2. Dilatation and/or stricture was diagnosed by US in 39 and MRCP in 50 (sensitivity 67% vs. 86%, p=0.01); however, using both techniques, sensitivity increased to 95%., Conclusions: MRCP is superior to US for diagnosing biliary strictures after liver transplantation primarily because MRCP can detect stricture. The combination of US and MRCP seems superior to either method alone. Our data suggest that in patients with normal US and MRCP, direct cholangiography could be avoided., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the major cause of liver disease in haemophilia. Few data exist on the proportion with liver fibrosis in this group after long-term HCV and HIV co-infection. We conducted a cross-sectional multi-centre study to determine the impact of HIV on the prevalence and risk factors for fibrosis in haemophilic men with chronic hepatitis C. Biopsies were independently scored by Ishak, Metavir and Knodell systems. Variables were tested for associations with fibrosis using logistic regression and receiver operating curves (ROC). Of 220 biopsied HCV(+) men, 23.6% had Metavir ≥ F3 fibrosis, with higher mean Metavir fibrosis scores among HIV/HCV co-infected than HCV mono-infected, 1.6 vs. 1.3 (P = 0.044). Variables significantly associated with fibrosis included AST, ALT, APRI score (AST/ULN × 100/platelet × 10(9) /L), alpha-fetoprotein (all P < 0.0001), platelets (P = 0.0003) and ferritin (P = 0.0008). In multiple logistic regression of serum markers, alpha-fetoprotein, APRI and ALT were significantly associated with ≥ F3 fibrosis [AUROC = 0.77 (95% CI 0.69, 0.86)]. Alpha-fetoprotein, APRI and ferritin were significant in HIV(-) [AUROC = 0.82 (95% CI 0.72, 0.92)], and alpha-fetoprotein and platelets in HIV(+) [AUROC = 0.77 (95% CI 0.65, 0.88]. In a multivariable model of demographic and clinical variables, transformed (natural logarithm) of alpha-fetoprotein (P = 0.0003), age (P = 0.006) and HCV treatment (P = 0.027) were significantly associated with fibrosis. Nearly one-fourth of haemophilic men have Metavir ≥ 3 fibrosis. The odds for developing fibrosis are increased in those with elevated alpha-fetoprotein, increasing age and past HCV treatment., (© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Symptomatic focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver can usually be treated safely with liver resection. However, in those patients in whom resection is not possible because of the location or size of the tumor or other patient factors, selective arterial embolization should be considered. Herein, the authors describe the use of arterial embolization to treat three women with symptomatic FNH and provide a review of the literature.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the size responses and vascular responses to three different sizes of Embosphere (EMBS) embolization particles used for chemo-embolization in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Forty-seven patients with biopsy proven HCC treated with TACE using EMBS (Biosphere Medical, Rockland, MA, USA) were included in this study. EMBS are non-resorbable tris-acryl gelatin defined-size microspheres. Sixteen patients were treated with 40-120 micron (40-microm), 13 patients with 100-300 (100-microm), and 18 patients with 300-500 (300-microm) EMBS particles. We measured the two-dimensional area and vascularity of the tumor index lesion on initial and subsequent CTs after treatment. Lesions were classified into four grades based on the degree of vascularity measured in 25% increments. Size of tumor after one treatment decreased by an average (avg) of 18% for 40-120-microm particles, 38% for 100-300-microm particles, and 17% for 300-500-microm particles. After three treatments, size decreased by an avg of 46% for 40-120-microm particles, 76% for 100-300-microm particles, and 46% for 300-500-microm particles. Vascularity decrease was also measured after the first and third treatments, and defined as a decrease of one or more grades in tumor vascularity. Results were as follows (% of patients with decrease). For 40-120-microm particles: 1 and 3 treatments, 53% and 88% of patients. For 100-300-microm particles: 1 and 3 treatments, 60% and 88% of patients. For 300-500-microm particles: 1 and 3 treatments, 50% and 57% of patients. It was concluded the 100-300-microm EMBS particles produce slightly higher responses.

Liver transplantation has made many advances since its inception in the early 1970s. Despite volumes of basic science and clinical research related to liver transplantation, biliary complications continue to present the interventional radiologist with challenging cases in all transplant centers. Biliary complications can range from minor complications such as contained bile leaks to severe complications such as biliary necrosis resulting from hepatic artery thrombosis. Minor complications may require minimal or no intervention, whereas the more severe complications can require urgent surgery. To treat biliary complications such as anastomotic strictures, nonanastomotic strictures, biliary leaks, sludge or biliary necrosis, an accurate diagnosis must first be obtained. One must also be aware of how these complications can impair both allograft and transplant patient survival. With this information one can then plan a treatment knowing the potential success rates of specific treatments. Using proper technique with this information at hand can greatly increase the success rate in treating the spectrum of biliary complications. Interventional radiology serves a critical role in diagnosis and treatment of these liver transplant biliary complications and is important to the success of all transplant programs.

Background: Survival for patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma is reported to range from only 5-8 months without treatment. Systemic chemotherapy has not been shown to significantly improve survival, but newer regimens involving gemcitabine have shown increased response rates. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been shown to prolong survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, but experience using TACE in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma is limited. We report our experience treating cholangiocarcinoma with TACE using chemotherapeutic regimens based on the well-tolerated drug gemcitabine., Methods: Forty-two patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma were treated with one or more cycles of gemcitabine-based TACE at our institution. Chemotherapy regimens used for TACE included: gemcitabine only (n=18), gemcitabine followed by cisplatin (n=2), gemcitabine followed by oxaliplatin (n=4), gemcitabine and cisplatin in combination (n=14), and gemcitabine and cisplatin followed by oxaliplatin (n=4)., Results: Patients were 59 years of age (range 36-86) and received a median of 3.5 TACE treatments (range 1-16). Thirty-seven patients (88%) had central cholangiocarcinoma, and five (12%) had peripheral tumors. Nineteen patients (45%) had extrahepatic disease. Grade 3 adverse events (AEs) after TACE treatments were seen in five patients, whereas grade 4 AEs occurred in two patients. No patients died within 30 days of TACE. Median survival from time of first treatment was 9.1 months overall. Results did not vary by patient age, sex, size of largest initial tumor, or by the presence of extra-hepatic disease. Treatment with gemcitabine-cisplatin combination TACE resulted in significantly longer survival (13.8 months) compared to TACE with gemcitabine alone (6.3 months)., Conclusions: Our report represents the largest series to date regarding hepatic-artery-directed therapy for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma and provides evidence in favor of TACE as a promising treatment modality in unresectable cholangiocarcinoma. Our results suggest that gemcitabine-based TACE is well tolerated and confers better survival when given in combination therapy (with cisplatin or oxaliplatin) for patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma.