Technique and preliminary results of extracorporeal liver surgery (bench procedure) and of surgery on the in situ perfused liver

The clinical experience with 11 patients undergoing ex situ operation of the liver (nine operations) or surgery on an in situ hypothermic perfused liver after vascular isolation (three operations) is described. These methods have been confined to situations and tumour stages otherwise deemed untreatable, or to situations where resection would not have been sufficiently radical. In one patient the ex situ approach avoided the need to undertake liver grafting for a benign tumour. To date, hepatocellular tumours and metastases not compromising global hepatic function or causing cholestasis are considered to be suitable conditions; cholestasis appears to be highly detrimental for the postoperative course after an ex situ procedure. Elaboration of methods for better grading of pre-existing liver damage and of its prognostic significance is essential. The assessment of the final therapeutic value of the described procedure requires further experience.     

Significance of arterial ketone body ratio measurement in human liver transplantation

Arterial ketone body ratio (KBR), which reflects the NAD+/NADH ratio of hepatic mitochondria, was measured sequentially in 39 liver transplantations. In 22 cases, KBR was increased to above 0.7 within 6 hr after reperfusion (group A). In 11 cases, restoration of KBR was delayed until the first postoperative day (group B) and in 6 cases, KBR failed to recover (group C). The patients in group A survived liver transplantation without complications. By contrast, morbidity and mortality were significantly higher in groups B and C. In 2 cases in group C, the livers were clinically diagnosed as initially nonfunctioning grafts and the patients underwent retransplantation. Another two died of hepatic failure soon after the operation. It is suggested that delayed recovery of KBR is an early indicator of metabolic overload in the liver allograft, and that a delay exceeding 24 hr may imply the need for retransplantation.     

Rapid regression of Kaposi’s sarcoma of the hard palate under therapy with boosted elvitegravir-containing fixdose antiretroviral combination therapy

Introduction

Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a rare vascular tumor that may occur in a severe, rapidly progressive form, namely in HIV/AIDS patients. HIV-associated KS mainly affects the skin and mucous membranes.

Case presentation

We report about an HIV-positive patient who presented with an exophytic growing tumor in the region of the hard palate and severe problems regarding his dental status. Histological examination revealed evidence of AIDS-related KS. Antiretroviral therapy initiation with elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine(FTC)/tenofovirdisoproxilfumarat (E/c/F/T-fix dose combination) resulted in rapid complete remission of the KS within 2 months.

Conclusion

In this case of a treatment-naive HIV-infected patient with coexisting KS, antiretroviral therapy with E/c/FTC/TDF was very well suited to achieve rapid complete remission of KS.

     

Ex situ Operation an der Leber Eine neue Möglichkeit in der Leberchirurgie

Zusammenfassung Ein Verfahren zur ex situ Operation an der Leber wird anhand einer solchen Operation bei einer 40jährigen Patientin vorgestellt. Hiermit wurden bei dieser Patientin sonst als irresektabel zu betrachtende beidseitige Lebermetastasen eines Leiomyosarkoms entfernt. Die Funktion der Leber nach Reimplantation war gut. Die Leberprotektion wurde durch eine Perfusion mit HTK-Lösung vorgenommen. Die Technik der Leberex- und -implantation lehnt sich an die Verfahren bei der Lebertransplantation an. Portales und unteres Hohlvenenblut wurden extracorporal während der insgesamt 6stündigen anhepatischen Zeit umgeleitet. Es wird angenommen, daß das hiermit beschriebene, nach Kenntnis der Autoren erstmals beim Menschen angewandte Verfahren neue Perspektiven für die Chirurgie maligner und gegebenenfalls benigner Lebertumoren, ggf. auch anderer chirurgischer Lebererkrankungen haben wird. Als eine weitere Möglichkeit wird die in situ Protektionierung der Leber mit anschließender Operation an der blutleeren Leber in situ besprochen, das Vorgehen hierbei dürfte dem der beschriebenen ex situ Technik weitgehend entsprechen.

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Ex situ operation of the liver — a new possibility in liver surgery

Summary A method for an ex situ operation of the liver is presented with the example of such an operation in a 40-year-old patient. With this operation bilateral liver metastases of a leiomyosarcoma — which were otherwise regarded as irresectable - were resected. Function of the liver after reimplantation was good. Liver protection was performed by perfusion with cardioplegic HTK-solution (Bretschneider). The techniques of liver ex- and implantation are based on the methods of liver transplantation. Extracorporal femoro-porto-axillary bypass for decompression of the inferior caval vein and portal vein was used throughout the anhepatic period of 6 h. It is supposed that the method described here - which according to the authors' knowledge has been performed for the first time in a patient - will open up new perspectives for the surgery of malignant and occasionally of benign tumors, if necessary also for other surgical liver diseases. As an additional possibility, in situ protection of the liver with consecutive operation of the bloodless liver in situ isdiscussed.Thisprocedurewill correspond for the most part to the ex situ technique described here.

Mit Unterstützung durch die DFG     

Radical resection and liver grafting as the two main components of surgical strategy in the treatment of proximal bile duct cancer

In the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the proximal bile duct, our current strategy is to resect the tumor radically and to offer patients with unresectable tumors the chance of hepatic transplantation, if extrahepatic tumor growth is exluded. Tumor resection is performed by resection of the hilum alone or combined with partial hepatectomy. The latter procedure enables radical treatment of more advanced tumor stages and, eventually, a higher degree of radically is achieved, and is recommended. This concept is based on our experience with 108 patients with proximal bile duct carcinoma operated on between February, 1975 and October, 1986. In 10 patients, no therapeutic or palliative surgical procedure could be performed during laparotomy because of advanced tumor stage. In 30 patients, various drainage procedures were performed. Fifty-two patients underwent resection: 25 underwent resection of the hilum only, and 27 underwent resection of the hilum combined with partial liver resection. Twenty-eight of these resections were classified as curative and 24 as palliative. Sixteen patients with unresectable tumors had hepatic transplantation. In 7 of these patients, extrahepatic tumor growth was already present at the time of liver transplantation. Median survival times were: laparotomy only, 1 month; drainage procedures, 5 months; total resection, 15 months; curative resection, 23 months; palliative resection, 7 months; liver grafting, 16 months. Seven patients are alive up to 21 months posttransplantation. On the basis of favorable results in our more recent group of patients, liver grafting as the ultimate chance for tumor removal in patients otherwise treatable only by palliative drainage procedures may be justified.

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Resumen Nuestra estrategia actual en el tratamiento del adenocarcinoma de la porción proximal del canal biliar es la resección radical del tumor y, para los pacientes con tumores no resecables, la posibilidad de trasplante hepático si se ha demostrado que no hay crecimiento tumoral extrahepático. La resección tumoral es realizada mediante la resección del hilio solamente o combinada con hepatectomía parcial. Este Último procedimiento, que hace posible el tratamiento radical de los estados tumorales más avanzados y que eventualmente logra un mayor grado de radicalidad, es el recomendado. El concepto se fundamenta en la experiencia con 108 pacientes con carcinoma del canal biliar proximal operados entre febrero de 1975 y octubre de 1986.En 10 pacientes no fue posible realizar procedimiento alguno de tipo terapéutico o paliativo durante la laparotomía debido al avanzado estado del tumor. Diversos procedimientos de drenaje fueron ejecutados en 30 pacientes. Cincuenta y dos pacientes fueron sometidos a resección, 25 con resección del hilio solamente, 27 con resección combinada con resección parcial del hígado; 28 de las resecciones fueron clasificadas como curativas y 24 como paliativas; 16 pacientes con tumores no resecables reciberion trasplante hepático, y en 7 de ellos había crecimiento tumoral extrahepático en el momento del trasplante hepático.Las supervivencias medias fueron: laparotomía, 1 mes; procedimientos de drenaje, 5 meses; resección total, 15 meses; resección curativa, 23 meses; resección paliativa, 7 meses; trasplante hepático, 16 meses. Siete pacientes se hallan vivos a los 21 meses posttrasplante. Con base en los resultados favorables en el grupo más reciente de nuestros pacientes, el trasplante de hígado como la Última posibilidad de remoción del tumor en pacientes que no podrían ser tratados sino mediante procedimientos paliativos de drenaje, puede estar justificado.

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Résumé Pour traiter le cancer de la partie supérieure de l'arbre biliaire la stratégie actuelle des auteurs est de procéder à l'exérèse radicale de la tumeur ou de pratiquer une transplantation lorsque la tumeur ne peut Être réséquée dès lors qu'il n'y a pas d'extension extra-hépatique du processus tumoral. L'exérèse de la tumeur est effectuée par résection isolée du hile biliaire ou résection associée de la lésion et d'un segment du foie; cette dernière méthode qui s'applique aux cancers plus étendus est recommandée car plus radicale. Leur conception repose sur leur expérience concernant 108 cas opérés de février 1975 à octobre 1986.Chez 10 malades aucune intervention radicale ou palliative ne put Être pratiquée en raison du stade avancé de la tumeur. Chez 30 patients: différentes opérations de drainage furent pratiquées. En revanche, 52 sujets subirent une exérèse: 25 une résection biliaire, 27 une résection du hile associée à une hépatectomie partielle; 28 de ces résections étant considérées comme opération palliative, 24 comme palliative. Seize malades qui présentaient une lésion inacessible à l'exérèse ont été traités par une transplantation hépatique mais 7 d'entre eux accusèrent ultérieurement une extension extra-hépatique du processus tumoral.Les temps de survie furent de 1 mois après laparotomie, 5 mois après intervention de drainage, 15 mois après résection, 23 mois après opération dite curative, 7 mois après opération dite palliative, 21 mois après transplantation chez 7 malades. En raison des résultats favorables chez les derniers malades, la transplantation hépatique constitue pour les auteurs l'ultime chance de traitement radical des patients qui relèveraient autrement d'une opération palliative de drainage du fait de l'importance de la tumeur.

     

Variant of Group B Lacking the B Antigen on the Red Cells

Abstract. A group B variant, lacking B antigen on the red cells, but secreting small amounts of B substance in the saliva is described. Family investigation showed both parents and three sibs to be normal B. Among six children no normal or abnormal B occurred. It is discussed whether the B variant is due to mutation of the B gene or to the effect of a recessive suppressor gene.     

Bile duct injury as a part of diagnostic criteria for liver allograft rejection

The decisive criterium of acute liver allograft rejection was found to be the presence of the diagnostic triad of acute rejection; ie, the presence of portal inflammatory mixed infiltrates, venous endothelialitis (both portal and central), and bile duct injury. On the basis of the presence of each of the components of the diagnostic triad, criteria for the diagnosis of different degrees of acute rejection were developed, particularly focusing attention on a detailed analysis of bile duct injury. Bile duct injury was shown to be an essential part of the histopathologic changes in all grades of acute rejection in the liver allograft, the grade of severity of bile duct injury correlating to a certain extent with the grade of severity of acute rejection. Our analyses have made it evident that bile duct injury, which most probably occurs earlier in the process of acute rejection than endothelialitis, is a more sensitive parameter than endothelialitis in the diagnosis of acute rejection. Furthermore, our analyses have revealed that bile duct injury in acute rejection is likely to be an irreversible process, depending on the number of episodes of acute rejection that previously occurred. On the other hand, it has become clear from our results that bile duct injury must not be considered to be an absolute histopathologic marker of acute rejection; however, it does have to be judged synoptically in connection with the other components of the diagnostic triad and the changes that the triad cause in the hepatic parenchyma. Additional analyses of the grade of severity of cholostases have shown that the cholostases are, to a certain degree, an accompanying phenomenon of the histopathologic changes characterizing acute rejection rather than a histopathologic change that is as significant as the presence of the components of the diagnostic triad.