Radiomic analysis of liver grafts from brain-dead donors can predict early allograft dysfunction following transplantation: a proof-of-concept study

BackgroundSelection of liver grafts suitable for transplantation (LT) mainly depends on a surgeon's subjective assessment. This study aimed to investigate the role of radiomic analysis of donor-liver CTs after brain death (DBD) to predict the occurrence of early posttransplant allograft dysfunction (EAD).MethodsWe retrospectively extracted and analyzed the left lobe radiomic features from CT scans of DBD livers in training and validation cohorts. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of EAD.ResultsFrom 126 LTs included in the study in the training cohort, 27 (21.4%) had an EAD. For each patient, 279 radiomic features were extracted of which 5 were associated with EAD (AUC = 0.81) (95% CI 0.72–0.89). Among donor and recipient clinical characteristics, cardiac arrest, steatosis on donor's CT, cold ischemic time and age of recipient were also identified as independent risk factors for EAD. Combined radiomic signature and clinical risk factors showed a strong predictive performance for EAD with a C-index of 0.90 (95% CI 0.84–0.96). A validation cohort of 23 patients confirmed these results.ConclusionRadiomic signatures extracted from donor CT scan, independently or combined with clinical risk factors is an objective and accurate biomarker for prediction of EAD after LT.     

术前控制营养状态评分与肝细胞癌肝切除术后预后的研究进展

肝细胞癌(HCC)是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一。尽管在早期诊断和个体化治疗方面取得了进展,但经根治性切除等治疗后,HCC患者的临床预后仍不佳,复发率高。因此,在HCC患者中识别准确可靠的预后标志物是必要的。作为一种新的免疫营养生物标志物,控制营养状态(CONUT)评分已被报道用于预测癌症患者的预后。本文将对术前CONUT评分与HCC肝切除术后预后的研究进展进行综述。     

风险前瞻应对模式在肝破裂围手术期患者中的应用

目的探讨风险前瞻应对模式在肝破裂术后患者并发症预防中的应用效果。方法采用便利抽样法,于2019年1月—2020年12月选取在河南省人民医院肝胆外科收治的130例肝破裂患者作为研究对象。将2020年1—12月就诊的65例肝破裂患者作为研究组,采用风险前瞻应对模式进行干预,将2019年1—12月就诊的65例肝破裂患者作为对照组,采用常规方式进行干预。比较两组肝破裂患者手术耐受优良率、术后并发症发生情况及护理满意度。结果研究组患者手术耐受优良率为95.38%(62/65),高于对照组的80.00%(52/65),研究组患者术后并发症总发生率为7.69%(5/65),低于对照组患者的21.54%(14/65),研究组患者护理满意度为95.38%(62/56),高于对照组患者的83.08%(54/65),以上差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。结论在肝破裂围手术期开展风险前瞻应对模式不仅能够提高患者手术耐受性,降低术后并发症发生率,促进护患关系和谐发展。     

Robotic-assisted central pancreatectomy: A minimally invasive approach for benign and low-grade lesions

BackgroundCentrally located pancreatic lesions are often treated with extended pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy resulting in loss of healthy parenchyma and a high risk of diabetes and exocrine insufficiency. Robotic central pancreatectomy (RCP) is a parenchyma sparring alternative that has been shown safe and feasible [[1], [2]].MethodsIn this article, we describe our operative technique and the perioperative outcomes of a series of RCP for low-grade or benign pancreatic tumors.ResultsSix patients (5 female and 1 man) with a median age of 51.5 (44–68) years underwent a RCP for 2 serous cystadenomas, 2 mucinous cystic tumors, 1 neuroendocrine tumor, and 1 autoimmune pancreatitis. There were no conversions, intraoperative complications, or perioperative transfusions. Median operative time and was 240 (230–291) minutes and median blood loss was 100 (100–400) ml. The median hospital stay was 8 (5–27) days. There were no mortalities, reoperations, or readmissions. One patient developed a grade B pancreatic fistula which was successfully managed conservatively. All resections had free margins and the median tumor size was 2.5 (1.5–3.5) cm. After a mean follow-up of 46 months, no patients presented new-onset diabetes or exocrine insufficiency.ConclusionsRCP represents the least invasive option for both the patient and the pancreatic parenchyma. With a standardized technique, RCP results in low postoperative morbidity and excellent long-term pancreatic function. Although our results are excellent, POPF still represents the main complication of central pancreatectomy with an incidence ranging from 0 to 80% depending on multiple factors such as the surgeon, technique, and pancreatic texture.     

Oncologic benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and curative surgery with selective lateral pelvic lymph node dissection: An international retrospective cohort study

IntroductionIntensive local treatment comprising total mesorectal excision (TME) with selective lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPND) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) has received attention among clinicians treating rectal cancer. It remains unclear whether adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) after intensive local treatment is beneficial for these patients. We evaluated the oncologic benefit of ACT for patients with LARC who received intensive local treatment.Materials and methodsThis international multicentre retrospective cohort study included 737 patients treated in Japan and Korea between 2010 and 2017. The effectiveness of ACT on recurrence-free survival (RFS) was evaluated using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, with subgroup analyses to identify subpopulations potentially benefiting from ACT.ResultsThe median follow-up was 49 months; the 5-year RFS and local recurrence rates for the entire cohort were 72.1% and 4.9%, respectively; 514 patients (69.7%) received adjuvant chemotherapy, without an oncologic benefit (hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79–1.68) demonstrated in the multivariable Cox regression analysis. In subgroup analyses, the distributions of the 95% CI in patients aged ≥70 years and those with ypStage 0 tended to place a disproportionate emphasis that favoured the non-ACT treatment strategy.ConclusionDespite achieving good local control with intensive local treatment strategy, the effectiveness of ACT for the LARC patients with CRT followed by TME with selective LPND was not proved. Elderly patients and those with ypStage0 may not receive benefit from ACT after CRT and TME ± LPND.     

The largest western experience on salvage hepatectomy for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: propensity score-matched analysis on behalf of He.RC.O.Le.Study Group

BackgroundWe aimed to evaluate, in a large Western cohort, perioperative and long-term oncological outcomes of salvage hepatectomy (SH) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) after primary hepatectomy (PH) or locoregional treatments.MethodsData were collected from the Hepatocarcinoma Recurrence on the Liver Study Group (He.RC.O.Le.S.) Italian Registry. After 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis (PSM), two groups were compared: the PH group (patients submitted to resection for a first HCC) and the SH group (patients resected for intrahepatic rHCC after previous HCC-related treatments).Results2689 patients were enrolled. PH included 2339 patients, SH 350. After PSM, 263 patients were selected in each group with major resected nodule median size, intraoperative blood loss and minimally invasive approach significantly lower in the SH group. Long-term outcomes were compared, with no difference in OS and DFS. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed only microvascular invasion as an independent prognostic factor for OS.ConclusionSH proved to be equivalent to PH in terms of safety, feasibility and long-term outcomes, consistent with data gathered from East Asia. In the awaiting of reliable treatment-allocating algorithms for rHCC, SH appears to be a suitable alternative in patients fit for surgery, regardless of the previous therapeutic modality implemented.     

Theoretical Investigation of Chitosan-Assisted Controlled Release of Digestive System Antitumor Drug Fluorouracil

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) has been applied to treat pancreatic cancer, which is one of the most common types of digestive system tumors. However, due to poor tumor selectivity, 5-FU's therapeutic effect has certain limitations. 5-FU's activity and selectivity against tumor cells can be improved by chitosan assisted drug delivery systems. Understanding the atomic interaction mechanism between chitosan and 5-FU is important. In this work, the interactions between 5-FU and different types of chitosan were systematically investigated by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Based on the radial distribution function and the free energy calculation, our results demonstrate that the functional groups of chitosan could greatly regulate the interaction behavior between chitosan and 5-FU. Moreover, 5-FU could gradually release from chitosan at a more acidic pH (tumor tissues) environment. These results revealed the underlying atomic interaction mechanism between 5-FU and chitosan at various pH levels, and may be helpful in the design of chitosan-based drug delivery systems.