Liver and intestine transplantation

The most significant development in liver transplantation in the USA over the past year was the full implementation of the MELD- and PELD-based allocation policy in March 2002, which shifted emphasis from waiting time within broad medical urgency status to prioritization by risk of waiting list death. The implementation of this system has led to a decrease in pretransplant mortality without increasing post-transplant mortality, despite a higher severity of illness at the time of transplant.
The trend over the last few years of rapidly increasing numbers of adult living donor liver transplants was reversed in 2002 by a decline of more than 30% in the number of these procedures. In 2002, a greater percentage of women received livers from living donors (43%) than deceased donors (34%), possibly because of size considerations.
From 1993 to 2001, the waiting list increased more than sixfold, from 2902 patients to 18 047 patients. For the first time since 1993, the waiting list size decreased in 2002, dropping 6% to 16 974 candidates. The percentage of temporarily inactive liver candidates also increased from 2001, thus the net decrease in the active waiting list for 2002 was 12%. This may reflect a trend toward less pre-emptive listing practices under MELD.
Intestine transplantation remains a low-volume procedure limited to a few transplant centers and is still accompanied by significant pre- and post-transplantation risks. As this procedure matures, its application may increase to include recipients at an earlier stage of their disease with better likelihood of success.     

A novel preoperative trajectory evaluation method for L5-S1 transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy

Background Context

L5-S1 transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is a demanding procedure because of structures such as iliac crest, L5 transverse process, hypertrophic L5-S1 facet joint, and sacral ala. There has been no definite preoperative evaluation method to evaluate the surgical validity of L5-S1 transforaminal PELD.

The incidence of chylous ascites after liver transplantation and the proposal of a diagnostic and management protocol

Background

No protocol has been established for the diagnosis and management of chylous ascites after liver transplantation (LT). In this study, we retrospectively reviewed our cases of posttransplant chylous ascites (PTCA) and aimed to propose a diagnostic and management protocol.

The rate of hepatic artery complications is higher in pediatric liver transplant recipients with metabolic liver diseases than with biliary atresia

Background

Liver transplantation (LT) is an excellent treatment option for patients with biliary atresia (BA) who fail portoenterostomy surgery. LT is also increasingly performed in patients with metabolic liver diseases. This study compared the outcomes in pediatric patients who underwent LT for metabolic liver diseases and BA.

Timing of liver transplantation in biliary atresia-results in 71 children managed by a multidisciplinary team

Background

Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) remains the initial surgical therapy for biliary atresia (BA). Liver transplantation (LTx) is offered after a failed KP or if KP is not feasible. The timing of LTx in these children is not well established. We attempted to define factors that may help choose the optimal timing for LTx in children with BA managed by a multidisciplinary team including a pediatric surgeon, hepatologist, and liver transplant surgeon.

Methods

Records of children who underwent LTx for BA at our institution between January 1998 and December 2006 were reviewed. Clinical data such as pre-LTx pediatric end-stage liver disease (PELD) score, location of KP, and outcome were evaluated.

Results

Seventy one children underwent 77 liver transplants for BA at an average age of 25 months (range, 3-216 months). Sixty-one had a previous KP, 30 at our institution. Ten had LTx without KP. The overall patient survival was 94.4% and overall graft survival was 87% at median follow-up of 58 months (range, 6-111 months). Four patients died, 1 because of vascular thrombosis despite repeat LTx, 1 because of fungal infection after LTx, and 2 because of causes unrelated to LTx. Six children required retransplantation. Living donor liver transplantation was performed in 32 of these children with 91% patient and graft survival. Fifty-three children had a PELD score of 10 or higher with patient and graft survivals of 92% and 86%, respectively. Eighteen children had a PELD score of less than 10 with patient and graft survivals of 100%. For the 30 children who underwent KP at our institution, the median age at LTx was 9 months (range, 3-168 months), and patient and graft survival were both 93%.

Conclusions

Outcome of LTx for BA is excellent. Children with higher PELD scores (≥10) at LTx may have worse outcome. Children with a PELD score of less than 10 survived with their original grafts. In children with BA, the PELD score should be monitored and may help stratify patients for eventual LTx. When a child with BA is deemed a candidate for LTx, the PELD score should be determined. A PELD score that approaches 10 should trigger discussion of LTx and living donor liver transplantation with the family.     

可视化椎间孔镜技术与纤维内窥镜下椎间盘切除术治疗腰椎侧隐窝狭窄症的近期疗效比较

目的 :比较可视化椎间孔镜技术(可视化经皮经椎间孔内窥镜下椎间盘切除术,visualization of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy,VPTED)与显微内窥镜下椎间盘切除术(microendoscopic discectomy,MED)治疗腰椎侧隐窝狭窄症的近期临床疗效。方法 :选取我院2016年3月~2017年3月收治的49例单节段腰椎侧隐窝狭窄合并腰椎间盘突出症患者,其中21例接受VPTED治疗,28例接受MED治疗,记录两组患者的手术切口长度、术中透视次数、手术时间、住院天数、住院费用;采用视觉模拟评分法(visual analogue scale/score,VAS)评估手术疗效,应用Oswestry功能指数(Oswestry disability index,ODI)评价临床疗效,末次随访行改良Mac Nab标准评估患者的疗效。结果:两组患者年龄、男女比例、随访时间、腰痛症状、肌力减退、感觉障碍及腱反射、突出节段(L3/4、L4/5、L5/S1)等一般情况无统计学差异(P0.05)。两组组内术后与术前VAS、ODI评分相比有统计学差异(P0.05),同时间点组间比较VAS、ODI评分无统计学差异(P0.05)。VPTED组手术切口长度(0.78±0.06cm)较MED组(1.95±0.12cm)小,手术时间(87.51±30.46min)较MED组(47.53±13.61min)长,透视次数(15.86±2.66)较MED组(2.18±0.38)多,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);两组住院时间及住院费用无明显差异(P0.05);末次随访改良Mac Nab标准评估疗效,VPTED组优17例,良3例,可1例,优良率为95.24%;MED组优22例,良4例,可2例,优良率为92.86%,两组优良率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 :可视化椎间孔镜技术与显微内窥镜下椎间盘切除术治疗腰椎侧隐窝狭窄症近期疗效良好,是一种安全、有效的微创手术方式。     

Liver and Intestine Transplantation in the United States, 1997–2006

Liver transplantation in 2006 generally resembled previous years, with fewer candidates waiting for deceased donor liver transplants (DDLT), continuing a trend initiated with the implementation of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD). Candidate age distribution continued to skew toward older ages with fewer children listed in 2006 than in any prior year. Total transplants increased due to more DDLT with slightly fewer living donor liver transplants (LDLT). Waiting list deaths and time to transplant continued to improve. In 2006, there also were fewer DDLT for patients with MELD <15, fewer pediatric Status 1A/B transplants and more transplants from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors. Adjusted patient and graft survival rates were similar for LDLT and DDLT. This article also contains in-depth analyses of transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recipients with HCC had lower adjusted 3-year posttransplant survival than recipients without HCC. HCC recipients who received pretransplant ablative treatments had superior adjusted 3-year posttransplant survival compared to HCC recipients who did not. Intestinal transplantation continued to slowly increase with the largest number of candidates on the waiting list since 1997. Survival rates have increased over time. Small children waiting for intestine grafts continue to have the highest waiting list mortality.     

Outcomes of liver transplantation for Alagille syndrome after Kasai portoenterostomy: Alagille Syndrome with agenesis of extrahepatic bile ducts at porta hepatis

BackgroundAlagille syndrome (ALGS) is an autosomal dominant disorder, characterized by a paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts, resulting in significant cholestasis, and peculiar extrahepatic features. Some ALGS patients show a considerable overlap with biliary atresia (BA), and they can undergo Kasai procedure. The purpose of this study is to show the manifestations of BA overlapped ALGS cases in our institution, and to compare the outcomes of ALGS patients following liver transplantation (LT) between those who previously underwent Kasai surgery (ALGS-Kasai group) and those who did not (ALGS-non-Kasai group).MethodsMedical records of ALGS patients who underwent LT in Kyoto University Hospital, Japan from January 1992 to March 2018 were analyzed. ALGS diagnosis was determined according to physical, radiologic, and histopathological findings.ResultsThirty-one patients were ascertained (ALGS-Kasai: 4 males and 5 females vs. ALGS-non-Kasai: 14 males and 8 females, p = 0.43). Of 31 ALGS patients, 96.8% of children had pulmonary artery stenosis, 54.8% showed facial features, 29% revealed skeletal anomalies and 9.7% demonstrated ocular anomalies. The age at LT was significantly younger in ALGS-Kasai than ALGS-non-Kasai group (1.47 [interquartile range (IQR), 0.75–1.92] vs. 5.1 [IQR, 1.4–9.29] years; p = 0.038). Overall patient survival did not significantly differ between ALGS-Kasai (88.9%) and ALGS-non-Kasai patients (86.4%) (p = 0.84). Furthermore, the 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year patient survival rates for ALGS-Kasai group were 100%, 88.9%, and 88.9%, respectively, whereas those for ALGS-non-Kasai group were 90.9%, 90.9%, and 86.4%, respectively, with p-values of 0.36, 0.90, and 0.84, respectively.ConclusionsBA overlapped ALGS cases had neonatal progressive cholestasis which prompted Kasai procedure, and early liver dysfunction after Kasai led to performing LT. The ALGS-Kasai patients undergo LT at earlier ages than the ALGS-non-Kasai patients, however, overall patients' survival rates are similar between groups. Overall ALGS patients' survival rate after LT is considered high.Levels of EvidenceLevel III; Case–control study or Retrospective comparative study.     

经皮内镜腰神经根减压术后疼痛症状改善进展的研究

目的观察评估经皮脊柱内镜腰神经根减压术(PELD)术后腰腿疼痛症状的早期改善进展。 方法对解放军总医院2015年1月至2016年1月连续93例中84例PELD治疗腰背痛及神经根性疼痛症状的患者,前瞻性记录术后12周(各1周1次)的腰背痛视觉模拟评分(VAS)和下肢痛VAS,观察评估两种疼痛症状的改善进展并比较两者的改善度,用术后12周时腰背痛及下肢痛VAS、功能障碍指数评分(ODI)和改良MacNab疗效评定标准评价手术疗效。 结果腰背痛症状术后VAS评分相邻两周间比较,差异无统计学意义(P> 0.05);下肢痛症状术后VAS评分的术后2周与术后1周比较[(2.96 ± 1.97)分 vs (2.10 ± 1.29)分]、术后4周与术后3周比较[(2.04 ± 1.62)分 vs (2.46 ± 1.97)分],差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);余下相邻两周间比较,差异无统计学意义(P > 0.05);下肢痛术后12周VAS改善度与腰背痛VAS改善度比较[(6.64 ± 1.47)分 vs (3.36 ± 1.38)分],差异有统计学意义(P < 0.05);术后12周时ODI、腰背痛VAS、下肢痛VAS均较术前显著降低[(12.82 ± 6.39)分 vs (53.64 ± 11.73)分、(1.16 ± 1.06)分 vs (4.52 ± 0.65)分、(1.29 ± 1.30)分 vs (7.93 ± 0.81)分],改良MacNab疗效评定标准评价优良率为86%。 结论PELD术后早期12周,腰背痛的症状改善平稳,下肢痛的症状改善在术后2周、术后3周出现波动,下肢痛症状比腰背痛症状改善更快,手术疗效显著。     

Impact of liver transplantation on rate-corrected QT interval and myocardial function in children with chronic liver disease*

Prolonged QTc interval (>440 ms) is a common abnormality in adult patients with CLD and has been reported to predict patient survival. In this study, 88 children who underwent evaluation for LT, including a 12-lead electrocardiogram and echocardiogram included to determine the frequency of QTc prolongation and related factors in children with CLD and the effect of LT on these factors. Sixty-nine healthy, age- and sex-matched children served as controls. QTc interval was prolonged in 40 CLD patients (45.4%). It was found to be related to PELD score and presence of portal hypertension. Mean QTc was higher in patients who died prior to LT than in the survivors without LT. Mortality risk was increased 3.66-fold in patients with prolonged QTc (p = 0.001, 95% CI: 2-7.2). Cox regression analysis showed that only PELD score was an independent predictor of survival (p = 0.001, beta = -0.41, 95% CI: 5.58-1.82). Five of 48 transplanted children died within three months post-transplant; QTc was not related to post-transplant survival (p = 0.27). QTc normalized in 63.8% patients after LT. After LT, LAD, LVEF, and LVPWT decreased. In conclusion, QTc prolongation is common in children with CLD and associated with high mortality. It may be useful for assessment of the severity of CLD and for the timing for transplantation.