Does caval reconstruction technique affect early graft function after liver transplantation? A preliminary analysis

Background

In the past decades, the inferior vena cava (IVC) reconstruction technique has undergone several evolutions, such as biopump, piggyback technique (PB), and laterolateral approach (LLPB). Several advantages are reported comparing the PB technique to biopump use. However, comparison between PB and LLPB has not been as well investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the results in terms of immediate graft function and intermediate graft survival among 3 subgroups characterized by distinct caval reconstruction techniques.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 200 consecutive adult patients who underwent liver transplantation from January 2001 to December 2009. The patients were stratified according to 3 caval reconstructive techniques: biopump (n = 135), PB (n = 32) and LLPB (n = 33).

Results

The LLPB group showed the shortest cold and warm ischemia times and the best immediate postoperative graft function. Survival analysis revealed LLPB patients to present the best 1-year graft survival rates: namely, 90.9% versus 75.0% and 74.1% among the PB and biopump groups, respectively (log-rank tests: LLPB vs biopump: P = .03; LLPB vs PB: P = .05). In our experience, LLPB showed the best graft survivals with an evident reduction in both cold and warm ischemia times. However, it is hard to obtain an irrefutable conclusion owing to the retrospective nature of this study, the small sample, and the different periods in which the groups were transplanted.

Conclusions

LLPB technique was a safe procedure that minimized the sequelal of ischemia-reperfusion damage. This technique yielded results superior to venovenous bypass. No definitive conclusions can to be obtained in this study comparing classic PB or LLPB.     

Does graft hemodynamics affect the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplantation?

Although experimental studies have reported that hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury promotes tumor growth and metastases, the impact of graft hemodynamics on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver transplantation (LT) is unclear. To investigate the association between graft hemodynamics and HCC recurrence after LT, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 279 patients who underwent LT for HCC. Graft hemodynamics including portal vein flow (PVF), hepatic artery flow (HAF), and total hepatic flow (THF) was analyzed as a predictor of HCC recurrence, using competing risk regression analyses. The cutoff values of PVF, HAF, and THF were set at the lower quartile of distribution. A cumulative recurrence curve demonstrated that low THF (<1511 mL/min, P = .005) was significantly associated with increased recurrence, whereas neither low PVF (<1230 mL/min, P = .150) nor low HAF (<164 mL/min, P = .110) was significant. On multivariate analysis, outside Milan criteria (sub-hazard ratio [SHR] = 3.742; P < .001), microvascular invasion (SHR = 3.698; P < .001), and low THF (SHR = 2.359; P = .010) were independently associated with increased HCC recurrence. In conclusion, our findings suggest that graft hemodynamics may play an important role in HCC recurrence after LT.     

Does surgical technique influence outcomes after simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation?

Since 1995, many centers have switched from bladder to enteric drainage of the exocrine secretions in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation (SKPT). Enteric exocrine drainage may be performed with either systemic (systemic-enteric [S-E]) or portal (portal-enteric [P-E]) venous delivery of insulin. Controversy exists regarding the optimal surgical technique. From March 1999 to May 2001, a total of 297 SKPT patients were enrolled into a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, comparative trial of two daclizumab dosing strategies versus no-antibody induction in combination with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids in SKPT recipients. Surgical techniques were center specific. A total of 171 patients (58%) underwent SKPT with S-E drainage, 96 (32%) with P-E drainage, and 30 (10%) with systemic-bladder (S-B) drainage. The two groups randomized to daclizumab induction were similar with regard to surgical technique (64% S-E, 25% P-E, 11% S-B drainage). Demographic and transplant characteristics and immunosuppression were similar among the three groups, except that more patients with P-E drainage did not receive antibody induction. At 6 months, no differences were seen in patient and graft survival rates, surgical complications including pancreas thrombosis, rates of rejection or infection, readmissions, and kidney and pancreas allograft function among the three different surgical techniques. The 6-month results of this multicenter study suggest no significant differences in outcomes in SKPT recipients according to surgical technique.     

Does urinalysis predict acute renal failure after heart surgery?

Acute renal failure (ARF) usually develops in 5% to 30% of patients undergoing heart surgery and is associated with a more complicated clinical evolution course and with an excessive mortality of up to 80%. The objective of this study was to verify the frequency of ARF in postoperative coronary artery bypass surgery with and without cardiopulmonary bypass, by the evaluation of renal function markers' performance [plasma creatinine, plasma urea, urinalysis, fractional excretion of sodium, creatinine clearance and Alpha-glutathione S-transferase (alpha-GST)], besides to verify possible relations between clinical variables involved in postoperative heart surgery and the occurrence of renal insufficiency.     

Does duration of donor brain injury affect outcome after orthotopic pediatric heart transplantation?

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that duration of donor brain injury and death would have an adverse effect on recipient rejection and mortality in pediatric heart transplantation. METHODS: Ninety-three cardiac transplants were performed at our center from July 1, 1997, through June 30, 2003. The primary study end points were the number of rejection episodes and the time to first rejection. Secondary outcomes were early and late mortality. RESULTS: Among 88 recipients of 93 cardiac allografts, 5 (6%) and 1 (1%) received second and third allografts, respectively. Overall patient mortality (3 early and 2 late) was 6% (5/88), and overall graft loss was 6% (6/93). Median time from donor brain injury to declaration of brain death (brain injury interval), time from brain death to donor cardiectomy (brain death interval), and graft ischemia time were 38, 24, and 3.3 hours, respectively. Cox regression analysis (adjusting for United Network for Organ Sharing status, ventilator dependence, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and ventricular-assist device status, diagnosis of congenital heart disease, sex and cytomegalovirus mismatches, and type of immunosuppression) demonstrated that recipients of donor hearts with relatively long periods from brain injury to death declaration or from death to organ removal had significantly improved rejection-free survival (hazard ratios 0.3, P = .01, and 0.5, P = .05, for brain injury and brain death times, respectively). Prolonged donor heart ischemia did not impact rejection rate. Increasing brain injury interval, brain death interval, and graft ischemia time had no significant effect on mortality. CONCLUSION: Longer brain injury and death intervals correlated with improved freedom from rejection but had no effect on mortality.     

Does arterialisation time influence biliary tract complications after orthotopic liver transplantation?

Background

In the cardiac death donor era, many reports deal with biliary tract complications and concerns about ischemic reperfusion injury owing to the exclusive arterial vascularization of the biliary tree, the warm ischemia time has been implicated as responsible for biliary lesions during organ procurement. We defined the arterialization time as the second warm ischemia time. Our purpose was to study the correlation between the arterialization time during liver implantation and the appearance of biliary lesions.

Methods

We retrospectively collected data from the last 5-years of orthotopic liver transplantation: namely, indications, cold perfusion fluid, cold ischemia time, operative procedure times, and acute rejection events. We excluded split-liver transplantations, retransplantations, pediatric patients, transplantations for cholestatic disease, cases where hepatic artery thrombosis happened before biliary complications, or patients with posttransplant cytomegalovirus infection. We defined 2 groups: A) without biliary complications; and B) with biliary complications. We compared the mean arterialization time using Student t test to define whether the warm ischemic time during implantation was responsible for biliary tract complications. A P value of <.05 was considered to be significant.

Results

Between 2004 and the end of 2008, we grafted 402 patients among whom 243 met the inclusion criteria: 198 in group A and 45 in group B. Only the cold ischemia time was significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .039).

Conclusion

After the anhepatic time, the surgeon may take time for the arterial anastomosis without fearing increased biliary damage.     

Isoniazid-related fulminant hepatic failure in a child: assessment of the native liver’s early regeneration after auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation

We report the first case of auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation (APOLT) in a patient with isoniazid (INH)-related fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) with the aim to determine the ability of the native liver (NL) to recover after this particular toxic event. A 10-year-old boy with INH-related FHF underwent APOLT after left hepatectomy on the NL. Neurological status and liver function rapidly improved, but, on postoperative day 22, urgent re-transplantation was needed for graft–hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) and the NLs incapacity to sustain adequate liver function. Histological examination of the NL showed signs evident of its regeneration, however. In conclusion, though we faced the clinical failure of the NL functionally to sustain the patient in the presence of the graft HAT 3, weeks after APOLT, such a failure may be interpreted as time related. In fact, the histological picture in this particular case may suggest the potential for NL recovery after INH-related FHF.     

Does anaesthetic technique affect the outcome after transurethral resection of the prostate?

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the choice of anaesthetic (spinal or general) has any influence on outcomes after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of 261 patients undergoing TURP between October 1995 and July 1998 were selected for a matched-cohort study. There were 87 complete datasets for cases performed under general anaesthesia and each was matched to two patients (174) from those undergoing spinal anaesthesia. The cohorts were matched by age, physical status score and date of operation. The primary outcome measures were length of stay in the recovery room and satisfaction with postoperative analgesia. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in major outcomes. There was a higher incidence of some minor adverse events in the group having general anaesthesia. Back pain was more common after spinal anaesthesia. CONCLUSION: Spinal anaesthesia was not associated with an improved outcome after TURP. The choice of anaesthesia should be made by the patient, surgeon and anaesthetist on the basis of the known risks of particular adverse events.     

Auxiliary liver transplantation in acute liver failure in the rat – an illustrated description of a new surgical approach

INTRODUCTION: To investigate auxiliary liver transplantation successfully in rats suffering from acute liver failure, we developed a new surgical approach. METHODS: A 70% hepatectomized liver graft was implanted into the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The donor portal vein was anastomosed with the recipient's right renal artery using the splint technique. The donor infrahepatic vena cava was attached onto the recipient vena cava end to side. The bile duct was implanted into the duodenum.     

Is a mandatory intensive care unit stay needed after liver transplantation? Feasibility of fast-tracking to the surgical ward after liver transplantation

The continuation of hemodynamic, respiratory, and metabolic support for a variable period after liver transplantation (LT) in the intensive care unit (ICU) is considered routine by many transplant programs. However, some LT recipients may be liberated from mechanical ventilation shortly after the discontinuation of anesthesia. These patients might be appropriately discharged from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) to the surgical ward and bypass the ICU entirely. In 2002, our program started a fast-tracking program: select LT recipients are transferred from the operating room to the PACU for recovery and tracheal extubation with a subsequent transfer to the ward, and the ICU stay is completely eliminated. Between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2007, 1045 patients underwent LT at our transplant program; 175 patients were excluded from the study. Five hundred twenty-three of the remaining 870 patients (60.10%) were fast-tracked to the surgical ward, and 347 (39.90%) were admitted to the ICU after LT. The failure rate after fast-tracking to the surgical ward was 1.90%. The groups were significantly different with respect to the recipient age, the raw Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score at the time of LT, the recipient body mass index (BMI), the retransplantation status, the operative time, the warm ischemia time, and the intraoperative transfusion requirements. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the raw MELD score at the time of LT, the operative time, the intraoperative transfusion requirements, the recipient age, the recipient BMI, and the absence of hepatocellular cancer/cholangiocarcinoma were significant predictors of ICU admission. In conclusion, we are reporting the largest single-center experience demonstrating the feasibility of bypassing an ICU stay after LT.     

Domino liver transplantation with double piggyback: is this the best technique? A case report

Sequential or domino liver transplantation is a well-established procedure for patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP). Donation for domino liver transplantation imposed the resection of the inferior vena cava along with the liver, requiring complete suprarenal vena cava clamping and usually the use of venovenous bypass. We describe a successful case in which it was possible to perform the FAP hepatectomy by the piggyback technique.     

Does the surgical technique for management of the distal ureter influence the outcome after nephroureterectomy?

Study Type – Therapy (case series)
Level of Evidence 4 What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? The resection of the distal ureter and its orifice is an oncological principle during radical nephroureterectomy which is based on the fact that it represents a part of the urinary tract exposed to a considerable risk of recurrence. After removal of the proximal part it is hardly possible to image or approach it by endoscopy during follow‐up. Recent publications on survival after nephroureterectomy do not allow the conclusion that removal of distal ureter and bladder cuff are useless. Several techniques of distal ureter removal have been described but they are not equivalent in term of oncological safety. ? The standard treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UUT‐UCs) must obey oncological principles, which consist of a complete en bloc resection of the kidney and the ureter, as well as excision of a bladder cuff to avoid tumour seeding. ? The open technique is the ‘gold standard’ of treatment to which all other techniques developed are necessarily compared, and various surgical procedures have been described. ? The laparoscopic stapling technique maintains a closed system but risks leaving behind the ureteric and bladder cuff segments. ? Transvesical laparoscopic detachment and ligation is a valid approach from an oncological stance but is technically difficult. The major inconvenience of the transurethral resection of the ureteric orifice and intussusception techniques is the potential for tumour seeding. ? Management of the distal ureter via the robot‐assisted laparoscopic method is technically feasible, but outcomes from these procedures are still preliminary. ? Therefore, prospective comparative studies with more thorough explorations of these techniques are needed to solve the dilemma of the management of the distal ureter during nephroureterectomy. However, bladder cuff excision should remain the standard of care irrespective of the stage of the disease.     

Does immigration background influence outcomes after renal transplantation?

Migration implies differences in lifestyle, dietary and health behavior practice, and adherence, all of which are relevant factors in terms of disease outcome. However, renal transplantation in immigrant groups has been rarely studied in Europe. We have investigated the effect of immigration on outcomes in all children who underwent renal transplantation (RTx) at the Medical University of Vienna. From 1978 to 2007, 196 children underwent 236 RTx. In comparison to native recipients, immigrant recipients (31 boys, 17 girls) tended to be younger and male, with a higher rate of congenital renal diseases. The percentage of adolescent immigrant recipients tended to be lower, and living donation tended to be higher. In both the immigrant and native groups, RTx outcomes at 1, 5, and 10 years, including acute rejection rate (34 vs. 44, 55 vs. 62, 74 vs. 78%, respectively) and patient (98 vs. 92, 88 vs. 91, 80 vs. 82%, respectively) and graft survival (83 vs. 82, 79 vs. 65, 66 vs. 51%, respectively) were similar. All outcomes improved over time. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that outcomes in RTx are equivalent in immigrants and native recipients. Potential barriers to success among the Austrian immigrant recipient population may have been overcome by protective factors. These results should serve as a catalyst to retrieve data from larger databases to verify these single-center results.     

Auxiliary liver transplantation for management of acute liver failure in children – Systematic review

IntroductionLiver transplantation (LT) remains the standard of care in the treatment of acute pediatric liver failure (PALF) for the replacement of a severely damaged native liver in patients who are unlikely to recover. However, this is burdened by the consequences of long-term immunosuppression.Auxiliary partial liver orthotopic transplantation (APOLT) has emerged as a possible improved approach, by providing a graft that assures liver function until the regeneration of the native liver occurs, and then allows for possible progression to immunosuppression withdrawal.No previous systematic review has assessed APOLT for PALF. The aim of this work is to provide information on survival, postoperative complications, and withdrawal of immunosuppression after APOLT for PALF.MethodsThe study was carried out according to the recommendations of the preferred report items for systematic reviews and meta-analyzes (PRISMA). We searched several electronic databases until October 31st, 2020, using the search terms “acute liver failure”, “auxiliary liver transplant” and the MESH term “liver failure, acute”. All types of clinical publications that presented results on APOLT for PALF, in English or Portuguese, and restricted to humans and for children under 18 years old were included. The following exclusion criteria were applied: “follow-up time <6 months”, “does not report complications” and “does not report immunosuppression regimen (double vs triple)”. Demographic data, clinical characteristics at the time of surgery and postoperative results were analyzed.ResultsA total of 14 references (including 45 patients) were selected, including 3 case series (6–20 patients) and 11 case reports.Of the 45 subjects, 33 (73.3%) were male and 12 (26.7%) female. In most cases (n = 30; 66.7%), the cause of PALF was undetermined. All patients underwent APOLT. Their median age was 9 (range 0.6–17) years. In the postoperative period, the immunosuppression regimen was double in 34 (75.6%) and triple in 11 (24.4%) individuals. The main postoperative complications were rejection and infection. Over a follow-up period of 6 months to 14 years, 10 (22.2%) patients died. The main cause of death was sepsis (70%). Six (13.3%) patients were retransplanted. Of the survivors (n = 35), 68.6% achieved complete withdrawal from the immunosuppression regimen.ConclusionBased on current published evidence, APOLT for the treatment of PALF is a safe option, with an acceptable rate of complications and mortality. It has the great advantage of providing an immunosuppression-free life in the majority (68.6%) of survivors.