Liver regeneration and hemodynamics in pigs with mesocaval shunt

BACKGROUND: A surgical technique using a mesocaval shunt and downstream ligation of the superior mesenteric vein has been recently proposed to overcome the size limitations that restrict the use of partial liver grafts. We designed an experimental study in pigs to evaluate the capacities of liver regeneration and hemodynamic changes after completion of this procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Liver regeneration after left hepatectomy was compared between two groups of five pigs, with or without mesocaval shunt, sacrificed 11 to 14 days after surgery. A third group of five animals was used for hemodynamic studies. RESULTS: Liver regeneration in study animals was 45.3% of controls. This was obtained despite a reduction of the venous inflow to 15.6% of the control, resulting in a net decrease of the total blood inflow to 56% of the control, despite a compensatory increase in the arterial inflow. There was no significant difference in mitotic index, hepatocellular size, and glycogen content between study and control animals. CONCLUSION: Our experimental study confirms that the regenerative capacities of the pig liver are largely preserved despite the dramatic reduction of the venous blood inflow, reduced to its gastroduodenosplenopancreatic component. This lends further support to the hypothesis that the gastroduodenosplenopancreatic blood is enriched in hepatotrophic factors, likely to originate from the pancreas and duodenum.     

Late-onset inferior vena cava obstruction in a shunted patient--a unique cause of rebleeding in children with portal hypertension

Background

Rebleeding in the presence of an adequate patent portosystemic shunt in a patient with portal hypertension (PHT) is uncommon. Inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction as the cause of rebleeding in this situation has not been reported in the literature.

Methods

Records from a pediatric tertiary care center were reviewed over a 15-year period. Portosystemic shunt procedures for bleeding esophageal varices were done in 39 children. Patients who, after a shunt surgery for PHT, developed a rebleed because of IVC obstruction in the presence of a patent shunt were identified.

Results and Conclusions

Late IVC obstruction in the presence of a patent shunt was identified in 2 patients. The etiology included adhesions, caudate lobe hypertrophy, and macronodular cirrhosis. Diagnosis was by angiography, and treatment included angioplasty and liver transplantation. Awareness of this condition helps direct treatment appropriately in the clinical scenario of a rebleed in a shunted patient with PHT.     

Portosystemic shunt on CT during arterial portography: prevalence in patients with and without liver cirrhosis

Background To review various portosystemic shunts (PS) and to evaluate their prevalence by CT during arterial portography (CTAP) using a multidetector-row CT (MDCT). Methods CTAP of 116 patients (liver cirrhosis 70 patients, non-liver cirrhosis 46 patients) was retrospectively reviewed. CTAP was performed with the catheter placed in the superior mesenteric artery using MDCT. Axial CT images of 0.625- and 3.75- or 2.5-mm thickness were obtained. Multiplanar reformation images and maximum intensity projection images were subjected to review. Results A part of the veins in the ileocecal region drained into the right renal vein or the inferior vena cava (IVC) via the right gonadal vein in 57 patients (81%). A part of the veins of the ascending colon drained via the right renal capsular vein into the IVC in 37 patients (53%). In 46 patients without liver cirrhosis, the right gonadal and right renal capsular veins were opacified on CTAP in 22 patients (48%) and 20 patients (43%), respectively. Conclusions Portosystemic shunts in retroperitoneum were frequently recognized on CTAP images in patients with liver cirrhosis. The right gonadal vein and the right renal capsular vein were the most frequent routes of the portosystemic shunts. They may exist in physiological condition.     

Non‐transplant surgical approach to liver‐based hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia: a first report

A 55‐year‐old woman with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) underwent a left lateral liver bisegmentectomy (removal of segments 2 and 3) for hepatic‐based arteriovenous malformations. This lesion determined a progressive fatigue and invalidating effort dyspnoea. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient is currently doing well at 4 years after surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first case of hepatic‐based HHT treated with liver resection. This anecdotal report should promote the evaluation of this approach in order to define its role in the treatment of liver involvement in this rare disease.     

Extradural giant multiloculated arachnoid cyst causing spinal cord compression in a child

BACKGROUND: Spinal extradural arachnoid cysts are rare expanding lesions in the spinal canal. Enlargement may cause progressive signs and symptoms caused by spinal cord compression. They are associated with trauma, surgery, arachnoiditis, and neural tube defects. Most nontraumatic spinal extradural arachnoid cysts are thought to be congenital. DESIGN: Case report and literature review. FINDINGS: A 9-year-old boy with mild paraparesis was found to have an extradural multiloculated arachnoid cyst with fibrous septa at T4-L3 levels and anterior compression and displacement of the spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS: Definitive treatment of arachnoid cyst entails radical cyst removal and dura cleft repair. Formation of a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid fistula may require external lumbar drainage.     

Application of endovascular stapler in living-donor liver transplantation

We used an endovascular stapler in recipients of living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Hepatic veins were transected in 10 recent LDLTs (6 right-lobe and 4 left-lobe grafts), and the portocaval shunt was transected in 5 of these 10 LDLTs. Median operative time with the vascular stapler was 861 minutes (range 675 to 932), whereas the median time to liver explantation was 292 minutes (range 200 to 461) (both with P < or = .05 vs vascular stapler use). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of an endovascular stapler device in LDLT.     

临床药师参与骨科老年患者慢性支气管炎合并肺内感染的治疗

目的:推动临床药师参与临床药物治疗工作,提高其在药物治疗方案设计和调整中的能力方法:回顾性分析我院临床药师参与1例骨科慢性支气管炎合并肺内感染老年女性患者药物治疗方案调整的经过。结果与结论:药物治疗方案经临床药师进行5次调整,取得了满意的效果。临床药师有能力参与患者的药物治疗方案设计和调整。     

脑室镜引导下脑室—腹腔分流术临床应用

目的探讨脑室镜引导下脑室腹腔分流术临床应用效果。方法选择52例脑积水患者,随机分为两组。实验组在脑室镜引导下行脑室-腹腔分流术;对照组常规行侧脑室-腹腔分流术。对两组的主要术后并发症:术后感染、分流管堵塞、脑室损伤的发生率进行比较,并进行统计学分析,P<0.05差异有显著性。结果实验组术后感染1例,分流管堵塞1例,无脑室损伤病例;对照组术后感染3例,分流管堵塞5例,脑室损伤1例。结论脑室镜辅助下脑室—腹腔分流术在减少分流管堵塞的发生率上有明显优势,相比较传统方法而言,并发症少,术后疗效更佳。     

经颈静脉肝内门体分流术治疗肝硬化门脉高压症的效果分析

目的探讨经颈静脉肝内门体分流术(TIPS)治疗肝硬化门脉高压症的临床效果。方法追踪随访在我院因静脉曲张破裂出血而接受TIPS治疗的肝硬化门脉高压症患者42例,观察治疗效果。结果42例患者均成功实施TIPS。所有患者随访12～24个月,其中腹水消退总有效率为83.33%,术后24小时止血率为88.10%,肝性脑病发生率为7.14%,再出血复发率为9.52%。多普勒超声示支架狭窄或闭塞发生率为11.90%。治疗后患者门静脉主干以及脾静脉内径、门脉主干压、门脉血流速度均较治疗前改善,两者比较差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后患者ALT、AST、ALB及TBIL与治疗前比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论TIPS治疗肝硬化门脉高压症效果确切,安全可靠,值得应用。     

Radioisotope shuntograms at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Introduction Nuclear medicine shuntograms using the radiotracer technetium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid have been used for many years as an additional method to assess shunt patency and performance.Methods The medical records of all children who had shuntograms performed at the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario between January 13, 2000, and January 10, 2003, were retrospectively reviewed. There was a total of 68 procedures in 56 patients with an average age of 9 years 3 months. During the same period there were 123 shunt revisions.Results Forty-two shuntograms were reported as normal. Of these, ten were identified to be false negative. Two children with fractured shunts had shuntograms performed in order to assess for cerebrospinal fluid flow patency; the shuntograms were identified to be normal, confirming shunt dependence, and the shunt replaced. Twenty-six shuntograms were reported as abnormal in 24 patients; 17 went on to have surgery and the shunt malfunction was confirmed. Seven patients did not require surgery: five were declared shunt independent, two patients clinically improved after severe constipation was treated.Conclusions Approximately one fourth of all shuntograms reported as normal are not (false-negative rate=25%). Review of five other major studies between 1980 and 2003 have reported false-negative rates between 2 and 36%, which may be explained by variations in shuntogram protocols. A standardized method is proposed.