Is Liver Biopsy Necessary in the Evaluation of a Living Donor for Liver Transplantation?

BackgroundThe role of liver biopsy in the evaluation of a candidate for living liver donation is controversial. Some authors suggest doing it routinely, but others do it only in selected cases. The aim of this work was to evaluate the usefulness of protocol liver biopsy in the evaluation of candidates for living liver donation.MethodsNinety potential candidates for living liver donation were evaluated. In 46 cases donation was contraindicated without the need of liver biopsy. In the remaining 44 candidates, liver biopsy was done on a protocol basis. The usefulness of protocol biopsy was compared with the use of biopsy according to the recommendations of the Vancouver Forum.ResultsFifteen of the 44 biopsies were indicated according to the recommendations of the Vancouver Forum. Twelve of them were normal, and 3 had liver steatosis or steatohepatitis. Of the 29 biopsies done per protocol, 28 were normal and 1 showed liver steatosis. Donation was contraindicated according to liver biopsy findings in 3 of the 15 patients with liver biopsy done according to the Vancouver Forum recommendations and in none of the 29 patients with biopsy done per protocol (P = .034).ConclusionsProtocol liver biopsy has a limited utility in the evaluation of the candidates for living liver donation.     

Sleep Apnea: Is Routine Preoperative Screening Necessary?

Background

Because perioperative complications of unrecognized obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be severe, many bariatric surgery programs routinely screen all patients. However, many obese non-bariatric surgery patients do not get screened. We wanted to evaluate the need for routine preoperative OSA screening.

Methods

Morbidly obese patients with a body mass index (BMI)?>?40 kg/m² undergoing bariatric surgery—all screened for OSA—were compared to morbidly obese orthopedic lower extremity total joint replacements (TJR) patients—not screened for OSA. Cardio-pulmonary complications were recorded.

Results

Eight hundred eighty-two morbidly obese patients undergoing either bariatric (n?=?467) or orthopedic TJR surgery (n?=?415) were compared. As a result of screening, 119 bariatric surgery patients (25.5 %) were newly diagnosed with OSA, bringing the incidence to 42.8 % (200/467). Orthopedic surgery group had 72 of 415 (17.3 %) patients with pre-existing OSA. The unscreened orthopedic patients had a 6.7 % (23/343) cardiopulmonary complications rate compared to 2.6 % (7/267) for screened bariatric surgery patients. This difference was not statistically significant when adjusted for age and comorbidity (p?=?0.3383).

Conclusion

Sleep apnea screening prior to bariatric surgery identifies an additional 25 % of patients as having OSA. In this study, unscreened morbidly obese patients did not have an increased incidence of cardiopulmonary complications after surgery compared to screened patients. Prospective randomized studies should be conducted to definitively assess utility and cost effectiveness of routine OSA screening of all morbidly obese patients undergoing surgery. Preoperative OSA screening may be safely omitted when randomizing patients for such a trial.     

Is Duct to Duct biliary Anastomosis the Rule in Orthotopic Liver Transplantation?

Biliary complications after Liver Transplantation continue to be the major cause of morbidity in 11–25 % of patients. Biliary complications in patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at our institute between March 2007 and June 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. 32 patients underwent Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation (DDLT) and in 12 patients Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT) was done. No patients were lost to follow up. Follow up ranged between 4 and 44 months. During the study period, 44 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. Patients were divided into two groups: Biliary Complications group (BC) n = 5 and Non Biliary Complications group (NBC) n = 39. Biliary complications occurred in 15.9 % of patients. Bile leaks accounted for majority of biliary complications. Fifteen variables were analyzed as possible risk factors for biliary complications. Of these, split grafts, duct to duct biliary anastomosis and total blood loss were statistically significant (P < 0.05) for biliary complications. Endoscopic treatment was successful in managing biliary complications in 75 % of patients. Biliary complications are the most common major complications in orthotopic liver transplantation. Significant risk factors are split liver grafts and duct to duct biliary anastomosis. Increased blood loss is a predictor for post operative biliary complications. These complications should be managed by endoscopic interventions. Surgery is indicated following failure of endoscopic interventions.     

Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Mild to Moderate Pediatric Trauma: Are We Overusing It?

Computed tomography (CT) is used liberally in the evaluation of pediatric trauma, even of low or moderate severity, because clinical examination of pediatric patients is considered unreliable. Appropriate utilization of valuable resources is essential in a cost-conscious medical era. The objective of this study is to determine if children with mild to moderate trauma are evaluated by more CT scans than adults with injuries of similar severity. Altogether, 108 pediatric patients less than 7 years old were matched according to mechanism of injury, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and the six individual body-region Abbreviated Injury Scores with adult patients admitted over the same 2-year period. All these patients had mild or moderate injuries (mean ISS 3.3 +/- 3.4). Pediatric patients had significantly more CT scans than adults, mostly because of a more liberal use of abdominal CT. CT scans of multiple body areas on the same patient were used more frequently in children but failed to identify more injuries compared to adults. None of the pediatric patients required an operation for abnormalities identified by CT. No differences were observed in morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay, or length of intensive care unit stay for the two groups. It was concluded that a liberal policy of CT scanning for pediatric patients with a low ISS leads to increased resource consumption with no obvious diagnostic or treatment benefit.     

Double Arterial Anastomosis in Liver Transplantation: Is Two Better than One?

Arterial revascularization during liver transplantation is normally achieved by anastomosing the graft hepatic artery to the largest artery available at the recipient pedicle—either the common hepatic artery (CHA) or an accessory right hepatic artery (RHA) originating from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). When a small caliber RHA is present, the artery is ligated and a single anastomosis with the CHA is performed. In the absence of a vascular reconstruction of the graft, the gastroduodenal artery is usually ligated as well. In this article, we describe a new type of arterial anastomosis in the case of a small accessory RHA and/or severe graft hepatic artery atherosclerosis that is commonly seen in elderly donors. To our knowledge, these are the first cases reported in the literature. This technique can be easily performed without increasing the arterial revascularization time or increasing the risk of complications associated with arteriosclerotic arteries. A 12-month follow-up revealed excellent function of the liver grafts.     

Is Liver Transplantation Without Abdominal Drainage Safe?

This observational, analytical cohort consisted of 35 consecutive liver transplant (OLT) patients with no intra-abdominal drain and a control cohort of 35 subjects operated immediately before the former who had placement of an intra-abdominal drain. We sought to assess the impact of abdominal drainage on the diagnosis and prevention of early postoperative complications: hemoperitoneum, reinterventions, biliary leaks, or percutaneous drainage. We assessed variables related to the recipient (age, indication, pretransplant ascites, body mass index, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and rejection), the donor (age, steatosis, ischemia time) and intra- and postoperative factors (surgery time, blood product use, and coagulopathy). The end point was defined as the need for a reintervention, paracentesis, appearance, and drainage of collections as well as lengths of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays. The postoperative ICU and in-hospital stays were similar between groups (3.7 vs 3.9 days and 12 vs 14 days, respectively). Two patients in the group with drainage were reoperated due to hemoperitoneum, whereas we did not reoperate any patients in the group without drainage. No patient from either group developed a biliary fistula or required drainage of an intra-abdominal collections. The need for paracentesis was greater among the group without drainage (23% vs 5.7%; P < .04) and among those with a prior history of severe ascites. Patients with drainage displayed a greater incidence of perihepatic hematomas by ultrasound (53% vs 21%; P < .08) and required more postoperative blood products, especially platelets (P > .04) and plasma (P < .01).

Conclusion

OLT without intra-abdominal drainage is safe, not increasing morbidity. It seems likely that drainage may be responsible for intra-abdominal hematomas and greater consumption of blood products.     

Liver Transplantation in Neurological Wilson's Disease: Is There Indication? A Case Report

Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by copper overload. In this disease, inadequate hepatic excretion leads to copper accumulation in the liver, brain, kidney, and cornea. Severe neurological symptoms can develop in patients with WD, often in the absence of relevant liver damage: it is unclear whether liver transplantation (LT) could reverse neurological symptoms, and at present LT is not recommended in this setting. We report a case of regression of neurological symptoms in a patient affected by WD with prevalent neurological involvement. A 19-year-old man with disabling neuropsychiatric symptoms from WD that included frontal ataxia, akinesia, dystonia, tremors, and behavioral disorders in the presence of preserved liver function (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score = 7; Child-Turcotte-Pugh score = A5) underwent LT in November 2009. At the time of LT, encephalic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated diffuse neurodegenerative alterations involving subtentorial and supratentorial structures; bilateral Kayser-Fleischer ring was present. Four years after LT, laboratory tests show normalized copper metabolism and excellent liver function test results. Encephalic MRI shows a substantial improvement of already-known signal alterations at nuclei thalamus and putamen, mesencephalon, and pons. Kayser-Fleischer ring disappeared from the right eye, but a little remnant is still visible in the left eye. At neurological examination, all of the previous symptoms and signs are no longer present and behavioral disorders are no longer present; psychosocial functions are completely restored. The present case provides some evidence that LT may be a valid therapeutic option for WD patients with marked neurological impairment, particularly in those no longer responsive to chelation therapy.     

Intraoperative Heparinization During Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation: Is It Really Necessary?

Introduction

The use of intraoperative sodium heparin during simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) remains as a routine practice in some referral centers to minimize pancreatic graft thrombosis rate. One of its disadvantages is the theoretical increased risk of postoperative bleeding. In our center, we have abandoned its use since 2011.

Is There Still a Need for Living-related Liver Transplantation in Children?

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the value of split-liver transplantation (SLT) and living-related liver transplantation (LRT). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The concept of SLT results from the development of reduced-size transplantation. A further development of SLT, the in situ split technique, is derived from LRT, which itself marks the optimized outcome in terms of postoperative graft function and survival. The combination of SLT and LRT has abolished deaths on the waiting list, thus raising the question whether living donor liver transplantation is still necessary. METHODS: Outcomes and postoperative liver function of 43 primary LRT patients were compared with those of 49 primary SLT patients (14 ex situ, 35 in situ) with known graft weight performed between April 1996 and December 2000. Survival rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 35 months, actual patient survival rates were 82% in the SLT group and 88% in the LRT group. Actual graft survival rates were 76% and 81%, respectively. The incidence of primary nonfunction was 12% in the SLT group and 2.3% in the LRT group. Liver function parameters (prothrombin time, factor V, bilirubin clearance) and surgical complication rates did not differ significantly. In the SLT group, mean cold ischemic time was longer than in the LRT group. Serum values of alanine aminotransferase during the first postoperative week were significantly higher in the SLT group. In the LRT group, there were more grafts with signs of fatty degeneration than in the SLT group. CONCLUSIONS: The short- and long-term outcomes after LRT and SLT did not differ significantly. To avoid the risk for the donor in LRT, SLT represents the first-line therapy in pediatric liver transplantation in countries where cadaveric organs are available. LRT provides a solution for urgent cases in which a cadaveric graft cannot be found in time or if the choice of the optimal time point for transplantation is vital.     

Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Before Liver Transplantation: Dropout or Liver Transplantation?

Background

Tumor progression before liver transplantation (OLT) is the main cause of dropout from the waiting list (WL) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to show a correlation between adopted dropout criteria and dropout/intention-to-treat survival rates of WL HCC patients.

Methods

The study period was 2000 to 2007. The dropout criteria were macroscopic vascular invasion, metastases, or a poorly differentiated tumor. Adult patients with benign chronic liver disease enlisted for primary OLT in the same period represented the control group.

Results

Dropout probability of study (n = 128) versus control group (n = 377) subjects was similar: namely, 12% at 1 year in both groups (P = NS). Intention-to-treat survival curve of the HCC group overlapped that of the benign group (5-year survival rates were 73% and 71%, respectively; P = NS). At the time of listing, 103 study group patients were within the Milan criteria (MC): among these patients, 29 (28%) showed tumor progression beyond MC before OLT. Simulating the dropout of these 29 patients at the time of diagnosis of tumor progression, we compared the dropout probability of the 103 patients within MC with that of the control group. As a result, the 1- and 2-year dropout rates became 37% and 53%, respectively, in the study group, which were significantly higher than those in the controls (P < .01).

Conclusion

HCC patients on the WL showed a significantly greater dropout rate than subjects with benign cirrhosis when too restrictive radiologic dropout criteria were used. The adoption of criteria more related to biological aggressiveness of a tumor decreased the dropout risk for HCC patients without impairing their intention-to-treat survival rates.     

Is it Possible to Avoid Liver Biopsy in Living Donors for Liver Transplantation by Using Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography?

PurposeThe present study aims to evaluate the correlation of two-dimensional shear wave elastography results with histopathological findings performed simultaneously with liver biopsy (LB) in healthy liver transplant donors.MethodsA total of 53 living donors, 35 male and 18 female, were included in this prospective, observational, single-center study. Patients with abnormal liver function tests were not included in our study. Hepatosteatosis, fibrosis, and inflammation were evaluated with the Fatty Liver Inhibition of Progression and Steatosis, Activity, and Fibrosis algorithm of donor LB.ResultsThe mean age of the donors was 33.04 ± 9.07 years and the mean body mass index was 23.41 ± 6.23 kg/m². The mean elastography kilo pascal (kPA) value of all donors was determined as 6.03 ± 2.32 kPa. The mean LB activity scores of the donors were found to be 1.64 ± 1.18 and ranged from 0 to 5. There was no significant correlation between elastography kPa value and pathologic activity score, steatosis score, balloon degeneration, and inflammation grade fibrosis scores (P > .05).ConclusionShear wave elastography measurements showed that the predictive power of pathologic findings in donor LB was not sufficient.     

Renal Support During Liver Transplantation: When to Consider It?

Patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation constitute a difficult-to-treat population. They often have multiorgan dysfunction: acute kidney injury, severe water–electrolyte and acid–base imbalances, systemic inflammatory responses, thrombocytopenia, as well as abnormalities of coagulation and fibrinolysis. All of these disorders may be further exacerbated by the surgical procedure, which is lengthy and technically complex, requiring massive blood product and other fluid infusions with a high risk to develop severe lactic acidosis, hyperkalemia, or cerebral edema. These considerations provide a rationale to institute intraoperative renal replacement therapy (ioRRT), at least for the most critically ill, namely, patients with kidney dysfunction, or those in whom one anticipates intraoperative clinical and technical problems. This article discusses the most common indications and strategies for ioRRT, examining their advantages and disadvantages as well as current experiences.     

Renal Transplantation in Patients With “Valve Bladder”: Is Bladder Augmentation Necessary?

Introduction

Posterior urethral valve is a common cause of renal failure in children. This disorder often results in small bladder and low compliance, which frequently requires bladder augmentation. Herein, we report our experience in 5 children with “valve bladder” who underwent renal transplantation without preliminary bladder enlargement.

Materials and Methods

Thirteen children with valve bladder undergoing renal transplantation were considered candidates for bladder augmentation. All had oligoanuria at transplantation. In 8 children, bladder augmentation was performed before renal transplantation; in the remaining 5, the decision was postponed until after transplantation. These children underwent transplantation with a ureteral reimplant, and a suprapubic catheter was in place for 2 months. Periodically, renal function, bladder capacity, and compliance were assessed, and renal ultrasonography was performed.

Results

At 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-month follow-up, the 5 children who did not undergo bladder augmentation demonstrated normal renal function, with improved bladder capacity and absence of hydronephrosis. No significant difference was evident between the 2 groups (augmented vs nonaugmented) insofar as renal function, bladder capacity, or hydronephrosis. After transplantation, bladder augmentation was not deemed necessary in any of the 5 children because of complete restoration of clinical and urodynamic parameters.

Conclusion

Renal transplantation can be performed safely without preemptive bladder augmentation. Ureteral reimplantation is recommended, even in patients with small valve bladders. The decision about the need for bladder augmentation should be made only after normal diuresis is restored.