Treatment of early stage chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Introduction: Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) with direct acting antivirals (DAAs) is able to achieve the cure of infection in almost the totality of patients, independently of the characteristics of the individual and the virus, using short treatment schedules, and without the need of ribavirin. The high cost of DAAs is the main limiting factor for universal treatment of HCV. However, there is a strong evidence that treatment of infection at the early stage of disease may be the most rewarding approach.

Areas covered: This review evaluates the aspects underlying the benefit of treating chronic HCV infection at the early stage of disease. It outlines the considerations that have to be taken into account when planning treatment in patients with HCV and minimal liver disease, assessing the positive reflex of viral eradication on several HCV-associated extra-hepatic conditions such as the risk of lymphoma, insulin-resistance and glycaemic control, and renal function. Lastly, it also covers the improvement of patients’ quality of life and the pharmaco-economic aspects associated with early treatment.

Expert commentary: Treatment of patients with HCV and minimal liver disease is associated with a beneficial, pleiotropic effect of viral eradication that goes beyond the simplistic consideration of the improvement in liver disease-related outcomes.     

Coagulation profile and platelet function in patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction and non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Coagulation disorders commonly develop in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. They have also been reported in patients with non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF) and extra-hepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO); the two conditions with portal hypertension and near-normal liver functions. The spectrum and prevalence of coagulation abnormalities and their association with the pathogenesis of these diseases and with hypersplenism was prospectively studied. METHODS: Eighteen EHPVO patients that included an equal number of NCPF patients and 20 healthy controls were prospectively studied. The coagulation parameters assessed included: international normalized ratio, partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen and fibrinogen degradation products. Platelet aggregation and malondialdehyde levels were measured. RESULTS: Both EHPVO (83%) and NCPF (78%) patients had a significantly prolonged international normalized ratio and a decrease in fibrinogen and platelet aggregation. The EHPVO patients had a significant prolongation in partial thromboplastin time (67% patients), with increased levels of fibrinogen degradation product levels occurring in all patients; these were normal in NCPF patients. Platelet malondialdehyde levels were normal in both groups. Hypersplenism was present in four EHPVO and seven NCPF patients. It did not significantly influence the coagulation profile in either NCPF or EHPVO patients. CONCLUSIONS: Coagulation anomalies are common and significant in both NCPF and EHPVO patients, suggestive of a mild disseminated intravascular coagulation disorder. These imbalances could be caused by chronic subclinical endotoxemia and cytokine activation after the initial portal thromboembolic event. The persistence of these abnormalities in adolescent patients indicates an ongoing coagulation derangement.     

电子胆管镜治疗肝胆管手术后残留结石临床分析

目的:探讨电子胆管镜在肝胆管术后残留结石治疗中的临床应用效果.方法:回顾性分析2008年6月～2010年6月我院应用电子胆管镜治疗术后胆管残余结石167例,采用“循洞而进,见石即取,先易后难,化整为散”的原则进行操作.结果:98例1次取净全部结石,31例2次取净结石,38例3次以上取石.4例未完全取净,结石取净率达97.0％.术后出现发热37例,腹泻21例,T管放置不到位7例,胆管出血7例,窦道破裂致胆汁腹膜炎1例.结论:电子胆管镜治疗肝胆管术后残留结石,可明显降低残石率及再手术率.     

Model independent derivation of general equations for the “first-pass” effect and extra-hepatic drug elimination

Summary A general expression for the ratio of areas below the blood concentration-time curves after intravenous and oral drug administration is derived. This derivation does not require the assumption of a specific compartmental model to describe drug distribution within the body. Similarly an expression for the amount of drug metabolised in the liver is derived. The latter expression is used to estimate the extent of extra-hepatic drug elimination from the body.     

带胆囊动脉的胆囊瓣修复胆管狭窄

目的　探讨用带胆囊动脉的胆囊瓣修复胆管狭窄的手术方法。方法　利用带胆囊动脉的胆囊瓣修制成半管状、管状的胆囊瓣修复胆管狭窄。结果　修复 11例胆道狭窄中 ,2例并发胆瘘 ,经 2～ 3周后治愈 ,其余均获得满意效果。结论　本术式基本保持正常的肝内、外胆管结构及正常的胆道环境 ,具有抗胆汁返流和逆行感染等优点 ,是一种较为理想的术式。     

腹腔镜胆总管探查胆道一期缝合与“T”管引流的临床疗效分析

目的：探讨肝外胆管结石患者经腹腔镜胆总管切开探查取石行一期缝合与“T”管引流2种术式的临床疗效。方法回顾性分析2011年2月-2013年2月新疆医科大学第一附属医院肝脏腹腔镜外科50例肝外胆管结石患者行腹腔镜胆总管探查取石术的临床资料,分为两组：一期缝合组（primary suture ,PS）21例,“T”管引流组（T-tube drainage,TD）29例,比较两组患者手术时间、术中出血量、住院费用、术后肛门排气时间、术后下床活动时间、术后补液量、术后带管时间、术后住院时间及术后并发症（胆漏、胆管狭窄、消化不良、腹腔感染、胆管炎、残余结石）发生情况。结果两组患者手术均成功,治愈后出院,无死亡病例。PS 组术后出现2例胆漏、1例胆总管残余结石及2例术后消化不良,TD 组术后出现3例胆漏、1例胆总管残余结石及3例术后消化不良,两组均无胆总管狭窄、胆管炎及腹腔感染者。PS 组术后带管时间、术后肛门排气时间、住院费用、术后住院时间、术后下床活动时间、术后补液量少于 TD 组,两组差异有统计学意义（P ＜0．05）;两组手术时间、术中出血量、术后并发症发生情况差异无统计学意义（P ＞0．05）。结论在严格掌握手术适应证的条件下,熟练的腹腔镜操作技术的支持下和腹腔镜胆总管探查取石一期缝合术较“T”管引流术效果更好,具有明显优势。     

50例经皮经肝硬质胆道镜气压弹道碎石治疗肝内外胆管结石临床分析

目的：研究经皮经肝硬质胆道镜气压弹道碎石治疗肝内外胆管结石的疗效及可行性。方法将我院收治的50例肝内外胆管结石患者作为研究对象,在其成功接受皮肝穿刺胆道造影术后,直接扩张胆道并留置斑马导丝和塑料鞘;根据结石质地、大小,应用硬质胆道镜直接取石或经镜子内腔行气压弹导碎石后取石。结果50例患者均一期手术能取净结石,平均手术时间（102.7±29.7）min,术中平均出血量（20.5±10.0）mL,术后3例发生胆管出血,经介入栓塞治疗后痊愈出院,无胆道感染、胆漏、腹膜炎病例,并发症发生率为6％。结论经皮经肝硬质胆道镜气压弹道碎石损伤小,术中出血量少,疗效肯定,是肝内外胆管结石特别是合并上消化道狭窄、巨大胆总管结石及不能耐受手术等患者治疗的理想手术方法。     

肝外合成凝血相关蛋白在肝衰竭和肝硬化中的变化特点

目的研究北京航空总医院肝外组织合成的凝血相关蛋白在肝病发展趋势中的变化及其与出凝血的关系,寻找肝病早期敏感指标。方法凝血因子Ⅷ(FⅧ)活性测定采用凝固法;组织因子途径抑制物(TFPI)、血栓调节蛋白(TM)、血管性血友病因子(vWF)及组织因子(TF)水平测定采用酶联免疫吸附试验。结果 (1)TFPI:Ag检测值慢性乙型肝炎组239.3±206.4,肝硬化组315.0±258.6,肝衰竭组319.5±298.1,均高于健康对照组的104.0±87.1,差异有统计学意义(F=5.453,P0.05));(2)vWF:Ag检测值慢性乙型肝炎组70.3±29.5,肝硬化组105.5±57.9,肝衰竭组179.3±61.7,均高于健康对照组的21.9±7.2,差异有统计学意义(F=20.104,P0.05);(3)TF检测值慢性乙型肝炎组86.0±85.7,肝硬化组234.2±202.9,肝衰竭组344.7±214.6,均高于健康对照组的12.9±8.1,差异有统计学意义(F=8.619,P0.05);(4)FⅧ:C检测值慢性乙型肝炎组157.2±53.4,肝硬化组206.9±86.9,肝衰竭组335.7±117.7,均高于健康对照组的105.5±46.2,差异有统计学意义(F=13.418,P0.05)。结论肝外合成的凝血相关蛋白均与病情的发展呈负相关,即随着病情的加重而升高,提示血管壁的损伤与病情严重程度一致;5种蛋白可作为监测血管损伤的较为敏感指标。     

Extrahepatic large hepatocellular carcinoma with peritoneal dissemination: multimodal treatment, including four surgical operations

We report a patient with extrahepatically growing large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with dis-seminated intraabdominal tumor and spontaneous tumor bleeding who was treated with four operations, transcatheter arterial embolization, systemic chemotherapy, and hyperthermia. It took 12 months for the multimodal treatment to normalize the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, and remission continued for 6 months. We performed the fourth surgical treatment for a recurrent abdominal tumor involving the small intestine and mesentery, but the patient died 26 months after the first admission. Multimodal treatment, including repeat surgical treatments, for such advanced HCC should be encouraged, to prolong life and to maintain quality of life. Received for publication on Dec. 10, 1999; accepted on April 2, 2000