The impact of a discrepancy between actual and preferred living arrangements on life satisfaction among the elderly in China.

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Guan, Jinqun; Li, Hui; Sun, Hong; Wang, Ting; Wu, Weiping

2015-09-01

To explore the effects of a discrepancy between actual and preferred living arrangements on the relationship between living arrangements and life satisfaction among the elderly in China. Secondary analysis of the 2005 dataset of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey was performed. A binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between life satisfaction and living arrangements. Among those with concordant actual and preferred living arrangements, living in a nursing home increased the likelihood of life satisfaction, whereas living alone and living with a spouse decreased the likelihood of life satisfaction compared to living with the next generation and a spouse. Among those with discordant living arrangements, there were no differences in life satisfaction between the various living arrangements, except that living with a spouse increased life satisfaction compared to living with the next generation and a spouse. A discrepancy between actual and preferred living arrangements modifies the relationship between life satisfaction and actual living arrangement. Living in a nursing home is a good option for Chinese elder care only if the older individual emotionally accepts it. Living alone or with a spouse is not a good arrangement for elder care, even though it is often preferred by the elderly. Those with discordant living arrangements are more satisfied living with their spouses.

Late-onset acute rejection after living donor liver transplantation

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Nobuhisa Akamatsu; Yasuhiko Sugawara; Sumihito Tamura; Junichi Keneko; Yuichi Matsui; Kiyoshi Hasegawa; Masatoshi Makuuchi

2006-01-01

AIM: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of late-onset acute rejection (LAR) and to clarify the effectiveness of our immunosuppressive regime consisting of life-long administration of tacrolimus and steroids.METHODS: Adult living donor liver transplantation recipients (n = 204) who survived more than 6 mo after living donor liver transplantation were enrolled.Immunosuppression was achieved using tacrolimus and methylprednisolone. When adverse effects of tacrolimus were detected, the patient was switched to cyclosporine. Six months after transplantation,tacrolimus or cyclosporine was carefully maintained at a therapeutic level. The methylprednisolone dosage was maintained at 0.05 mg/kg per day by oral administration.Acute rejections that occurred more than 6 mo after the operation were defined as late-onset. The median followup period was 34 mo.RESULTS: LAR was observed in 15 cases (7%) and no chronic rejection was observed. The incidence of hyperlipidemia, chronic renal failure, new-onset posttransplantation diabetes, and deep fungal infection were 13%, 2%, 24%, and 17%, respectively. Conversion from tacrolimus to cyclosporine was required in 38 patients (19%). Multivariate analysis revealed that a cyclosporinebased regimen was significantly associated with LAR.CONCLUSION: Both LAR and drug-induced adverse events happen at a low incidence, supporting the safety and efficacy of the present immunosuppression regimen for living donor liver transplantation.

Live Donor Liver Transplantation Without Blood Products

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Jabbour, Nicolas; Gagandeep, Singh; Mateo, Rodrigo; Sher, Linda; Strum, Earl; Donovan, John; Kahn, Jeffrey; Peyre, Christian G.; Henderson, Randy; Fong, Tse-Ling; Selby, Rick; Genyk, Yuri

2004-01-01

Objective: Developing strategies for transfusion-free live donor liver transplantation in Jehovah's Witness patients. Summary Background Data: Liver transplantation is the standard of care for patients with end-stage liver disease. A disproportionate increase in transplant candidates and an allocation policy restructuring, favoring patients with advanced disease, have led to longer waiting time and increased medical acuity for transplant recipients. Consequently, Jehovah's Witness patients, who refuse blood product transfusion, are usually excluded from liver transplantation. We combined blood augmentation and conservation practices with live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to accomplish successful LDLT in Jehovah's Witness patients without blood products. Our algorithm provides broad possibilities for blood conservation for all surgical patients. Methods: From September 1998 until June 2001, 38 LDLTs were performed at Keck USC School of Medicine: 8 in Jehovah's Witness patients (transfusion-free group) and 30 in non-Jehovah's Witness patients (transfusion-eligible group). All transfusion-free patients underwent preoperative blood augmentation with erythropoietin, intraoperative cell salvage, and acute normovolemic hemodilution. These techniques were used in only 7%, 80%, and 10%, respectively, in transfusion-eligible patients. Perioperative clinical data and outcomes were retrospectively reviewed. Data from both groups were statistically analyzed. Results: Preoperative liver disease severity was similar in both groups; however, transfusion-free patients had significantly higher hematocrit levels following erythropoietin augmentation. Operative time, blood loss, and postoperative hematocrits were similar in both groups. No blood products were used in transfusion-free patients while 80% of transfusion-eligible patients received a median of 4.5+/− 3.5 units of packed red cell. ICU and total hospital stay were similar in both groups. The survival rate was 100% in

The impact of a discrepancy between actual and preferred living arrangements on life satisfaction among the elderly in China

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Jinqun Guan

2015-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To explore the effects of a discrepancy between actual and preferred living arrangements on the relationship between living arrangements and life satisfaction among the elderly in China. METHODS: Secondary analysis of the 2005 dataset of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey was performed. A binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between life satisfaction and living arrangements. RESULTS: Among those with concordant actual and preferred living arrangements, living in a nursing home increased the likelihood of life satisfaction, whereas living alone and living with a spouse decreased the likelihood of life satisfaction compared to living with the next generation and a spouse. Among those with discordant living arrangements, there were no differences in life satisfaction between the various living arrangements, except that living with a spouse increased life satisfaction compared to living with the next generation and a spouse. CONCLUSIONS: A discrepancy between actual and preferred living arrangements modifies the relationship between life satisfaction and actual living arrangement. Living in a nursing home is a good option for Chinese elder care only if the older individual emotionally accepts it. Living alone or with a spouse is not a good arrangement for elder care, even though it is often preferred by the elderly. Those with discordant living arrangements are more satisfied living with their spouses.

Factors influencing liver and spleen volume changes after donor hepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation

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Bae, Ji Hee; Ryeom, Hunku; Song, Jung Hup [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2013-11-15

To define the changes in liver and spleen volumes in the early postoperative period after partial liver donation for living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and to determine factors that influence liver and spleen volume changes. 27 donors who underwent partial hepatectomy for LDLT were included in this study. The rates of liver and spleen volume change, measured with CT volumetry, were correlated with several factors. The analyzed factors included the indocyanine green (ICG) retention rate at 15 minutes after ICG administration, preoperative platelet count, preoperative liver and splenic volumes, resected liver volume, resected-to-whole liver volume ratio (LV{sub R}/LV{sub W}), resected liver volume to the sum of whole liver and spleen volume ratio [LV{sub R}/(LV{sub W} + SV{sub 0})], and pre and post hepatectomy portal venous pressures. In all hepatectomy donors, the volumes of the remnant liver and spleen were increased (increased rates, 59.5 ± 50.5%, 47.9 ± 22.6%). The increment rate of the remnant liver volume revealed a positive correlation with LV{sub R}/LV{sub W} (r = 0.759, p < 0.01). The other analyzed factors showed no correlation with changes in liver and spleen volumes. The spleen and remnant liver volumes were increased at CT volumetry performed 2 weeks after partial liver donation. Among the various analyzed factors, LV{sub R}/LV{sub W} influences the increment rate of the remnant liver volume.

Dr. Liver: A preoperative planning system of liver graft volumetry for living donor liver transplantation.

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Yang, Xiaopeng; Yang, Jae Do; Yu, Hee Chul; Choi, Younggeun; Yang, Kwangho; Lee, Tae Beom; Hwang, Hong Pil; Ahn, Sungwoo; You, Heecheon

2018-05-01

Manual tracing of the right and left liver lobes from computed tomography (CT) images for graft volumetry in preoperative surgery planning of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is common at most medical centers. This study aims to develop an automatic system with advanced image processing algorithms and user-friendly interfaces for liver graft volumetry and evaluate its accuracy and efficiency in comparison with a manual tracing method. The proposed system provides a sequential procedure consisting of (1) liver segmentation, (2) blood vessel segmentation, and (3) virtual liver resection for liver graft volumetry. Automatic segmentation algorithms using histogram analysis, hybrid level-set methods, and a customized region growing method were developed. User-friendly interfaces such as sequential and hierarchical user menus, context-sensitive on-screen hotkey menus, and real-time sound and visual feedback were implemented. Blood vessels were excluded from the liver for accurate liver graft volumetry. A large sphere-based interactive method was developed for dividing the liver into left and right lobes with a customized cutting plane. The proposed system was evaluated using 50 CT datasets in terms of graft weight estimation accuracy and task completion time through comparison to the manual tracing method. The accuracy of liver graft weight estimation was assessed by absolute difference (AD) and percentage of AD (%AD) between preoperatively estimated graft weight and intraoperatively measured graft weight. Intra- and inter-observer agreements of liver graft weight estimation were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) using ten cases randomly selected. The proposed system showed significantly higher accuracy and efficiency in liver graft weight estimation (AD = 21.0 ± 18.4 g; %AD = 3.1% ± 2.8%; percentage of %AD > 10% = none; task completion time = 7.3 ± 1.4 min) than the manual tracing method (AD = 70

Imaging evaluation of potential donors in living-donor liver transplantation

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Low, G.; Wiebe, E.; Walji, A.H.; Bigam, D.L.

2008-01-01

Liver transplants, originally obtained from deceased donors, can now be harvested from living donors as well. This technique, called living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT), provides an effective alternative means of liver transplantation and is a method of expanding the donor pool in light of the demand and supply imbalance for organ transplants. Imaging plays an important role in LDLT programmes by providing robust evaluation of potential donors to ensure that only anatomically suitable donors with no significant co-existing pathology are selected and that crucial information that allows detailed preoperative planning is available. Imaging evaluation helps to improve the outcome of LDLT for both donors and recipients, by improving the chances of graft survival and reducing the postoperative complication rate. In this review, we describe the history of LDLT and discuss in detail the application of imaging in donor assessment with emphasis on use of modern computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques

Resection plane-dependent error in computed tomography volumetry of the right hepatic lobe in living liver donors

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Heon-Ju Kwon

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims Computed tomography (CT hepatic volumetry is currently accepted as the most reliable method for preoperative estimation of graft weight in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT. However, several factors can cause inaccuracies in CT volumetry compared to real graft weight. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and degree of resection plane-dependent error in CT volumetry of the right hepatic lobe in LDLT. Methods Forty-six living liver donors underwent CT before donor surgery and on postoperative day 7. Prospective CT volumetry (VP was measured via the assumptive hepatectomy plane. Retrospective liver volume (VR was measured using the actual plane by comparing preoperative and postoperative CT. Compared with intraoperatively measured weight (W, errors in percentage (% VP and VR were evaluated. Plane-dependent error in VP was defined as the absolute difference between VP and VR. % plane-dependent error was defined as follows: |VP–VR|/W∙100. Results Mean VP, VR, and W were 761.9 mL, 755.0 mL, and 696.9 g. Mean and % errors in VP were 73.3 mL and 10.7%. Mean error and % error in VR were 64.4 mL and 9.3%. Mean plane-dependent error in VP was 32.4 mL. Mean % plane-dependent error was 4.7%. Plane-dependent error in VP exceeded 10% of W in approximately 10% of the subjects in our study. Conclusions There was approximately 5% plane-dependent error in liver VP on CT volumetry. Plane-dependent error in VP exceeded 10% of W in approximately 10% of LDLT donors in our study. This error should be considered, especially when CT volumetry is performed by a less experienced operator who is not well acquainted with the donor hepatectomy plane.

Resection plane-dependent error in computed tomography volumetry of the right hepatic lobe in living liver donors.

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Kwon, Heon-Ju; Kim, Kyoung Won; Kim, Bohyun; Kim, So Yeon; Lee, Chul Seung; Lee, Jeongjin; Song, Gi Won; Lee, Sung Gyu

2018-03-01

Computed tomography (CT) hepatic volumetry is currently accepted as the most reliable method for preoperative estimation of graft weight in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). However, several factors can cause inaccuracies in CT volumetry compared to real graft weight. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and degree of resection plane-dependent error in CT volumetry of the right hepatic lobe in LDLT. Forty-six living liver donors underwent CT before donor surgery and on postoperative day 7. Prospective CT volumetry (V P ) was measured via the assumptive hepatectomy plane. Retrospective liver volume (V R ) was measured using the actual plane by comparing preoperative and postoperative CT. Compared with intraoperatively measured weight (W), errors in percentage (%) V P and V R were evaluated. Plane-dependent error in V P was defined as the absolute difference between V P and V R . % plane-dependent error was defined as follows: |V P -V R |/W∙100. Mean V P , V R , and W were 761.9 mL, 755.0 mL, and 696.9 g. Mean and % errors in V P were 73.3 mL and 10.7%. Mean error and % error in V R were 64.4 mL and 9.3%. Mean plane-dependent error in V P was 32.4 mL. Mean % plane-dependent error was 4.7%. Plane-dependent error in V P exceeded 10% of W in approximately 10% of the subjects in our study. There was approximately 5% plane-dependent error in liver V P on CT volumetry. Plane-dependent error in V P exceeded 10% of W in approximately 10% of LDLT donors in our study. This error should be considered, especially when CT volumetry is performed by a less experienced operator who is not well acquainted with the donor hepatectomy plane.

Live cell imaging of cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio in hepatocytes and liver slices.

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Masia, Ricard; McCarty, William J; Lahmann, Carolina; Luther, Jay; Chung, Raymond T; Yarmush, Martin L; Yellen, Gary

2018-01-01

Fatty liver disease (FLD), the most common chronic liver disease in the United States, may be caused by alcohol or the metabolic syndrome. Alcohol is oxidized in the cytosol of hepatocytes by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which generates NADH and increases cytosolic NADH/NAD + ratio. The increased ratio may be important for development of FLD, but our ability to examine this question is hindered by methodological limitations. To address this, we used the genetically encoded fluorescent sensor Peredox to obtain dynamic, real-time measurements of cytosolic NADH/NAD + ratio in living hepatocytes. Peredox was expressed in dissociated rat hepatocytes and HepG2 cells by transfection, and in mouse liver slices by tail-vein injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-encoded sensor. Under control conditions, hepatocytes and liver slices exhibit a relatively low (oxidized) cytosolic NADH/NAD + ratio as reported by Peredox. The ratio responds rapidly and reversibly to substrates of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH). Ethanol causes a robust dose-dependent increase in cytosolic NADH/NAD + ratio, and this increase is mitigated by the presence of NAD + -generating substrates of LDH or SDH. In contrast to hepatocytes and slices, HepG2 cells exhibit a relatively high (reduced) ratio and show minimal responses to substrates of ADH and SDH. In slices, we show that comparable results are obtained with epifluorescence imaging and two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging (2p-FLIM). Live cell imaging with Peredox is a promising new approach to investigate cytosolic NADH/NAD + ratio in hepatocytes. Imaging in liver slices is particularly attractive because it allows preservation of liver microanatomy and metabolic zonation of hepatocytes. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We describe and validate a new approach for measuring free cytosolic NADH/NAD + ratio in hepatocytes and liver slices: live cell imaging with the fluorescent biosensor Peredox. This approach yields dynamic, real

Living Donor Liver Transplant is not a Transparent Activity in India.

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Naidu, Sudeep

2013-03-01

Living donor liver transplant has gained rapid popularity in India as a life saving procedure for end stage liver disease. The undoubted benefit for the recipient is clouded by a few unfavorable outcomes in donors which have led to allegations of lack of transparency. These factors are easily remediable with an attitude of self audit and self disclosure by transplant centers, enabling a truly informed consenting procedure.

The value of MR cholangiography in preoperative evaluation of biliary anatomy of living liver donors

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Yu Zhefeng; Zhou Min; Peng Zhiyi

2009-01-01

Objective: To determine the value of MR cholangiography(MRC) in the preoperative evaluation of biliary anatomy of living liver donors. Methods: Fifty eight consecutive donors underwent MRC examinations and living liver transplantation. MRC was performed on a 1.5 T scanner with breath-hold rapid acquisition of T 2 WI slab and breathing-gating 3D FSE T 2 WI. Images of MRC and IOC were compared and classified according to the modified Huang's classification. Results: Thirty four (58.6%) liver donors showed normal biliary anatomy on IOC, and 24 (41.4%) donors revealed variant bile anatomy. MRC correctly depicted biliary anatomy in 91.4% (53/58) donors. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of MRC in distinguishing normal and different types of variant biliary anatomy were 83.3% (20/24), 100% (34/34), 100% (20/20), 89.5% (34/38) respectively. Conclusion: MRC can accurately assess the biliary anatomy in living liver donors and may guide the preoperative planning of liver transplant. (authors)

PREOPERATIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY VOLUMETRY AND GRAFT WEIGHT ESTIMATION IN ADULT LIVING DONOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION.

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Pinheiro, Rafael S; Cruz, Ruy J; Andraus, Wellington; Ducatti, Liliana; Martino, Rodrigo B; Nacif, Lucas S; Rocha-Santos, Vinicius; Arantes, Rubens M; Lai, Quirino; Ibuki, Felicia S; Rocha, Manoel S; D Albuquerque, Luiz A C

2017-01-01

Computed tomography volumetry (CTV) is a useful tool for predicting graft weights (GW) for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Few studies have examined the correlation between CTV and GW in normal liver parenchyma. To analyze the correlation between CTV and GW in an adult LDLT population and provide a systematic review of the existing mathematical models to calculate partial liver graft weight. Between January 2009 and January 2013, 28 consecutive donors undergoing right hepatectomy for LDLT were retrospectively reviewed. All grafts were perfused with HTK solution. Estimated graft volume was estimated by CTV and these values were compared to the actual graft weight, which was measured after liver harvesting and perfusion. Median actual GW was 782.5 g, averaged 791.43±136 g and ranged from 520-1185 g. Median estimated graft volume was 927.5 ml, averaged 944.86±200.74 ml and ranged from 600-1477 ml. Linear regression of estimated graft volume and actual GW was significantly linear (GW=0.82 estimated graft volume, r2=0.98, slope=0.47, standard deviation of 0.024 and ppeso do enxerto (PE) para o transplante hepático com doador vivo (TFDV). Poucos estudos examinaram a correlação entre o VTC e PE no parênquima hepático normal. Analisar a correlação entre VTC e PE em uma população adulta de doadores para o TFDV e realização de revisão sistemática dos modelos matemáticos existentes para calcular o peso de enxertos hepáticos parciais. Foram revisados retrospectivamente 28 doadores consecutivos submetidos à hepatectomia direita para o TFDV entre janeiro de 2009 a janeiro de 2013. Todos os doadores eram adultos saudáveis ​​com VTC pré-operatório. Os enxertos foram perfundidos com solução de preservação HTK. O volume estimado foi obtido por VTC e estes valores foram comparados com o peso real do enxerto, o qual foi aferido depois da hepatectomia e perfusão do enxerto. A mediana do PE real foi de 782,5 g, média de 791,43±136 g, variando

Percutaneous Liver Biopsy after Living Donor Liver Transplantation Resulting in Fulminant Hepatic Failure: The First Reported Case of Hepatic Compartment Syndrome

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Nicholas N. Nissen

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A 28-year-old female who underwent live donor liver transplantation 3 years prior presented after percutaneous liver biopsy with abdominal and shoulder pain, nausea, vomiting, and elevated liver enzymes. Computed tomography (CT showed an intrahepatic and subcapsular hematoma. There was a progressive increase in liver enzymes, bilirubin, and INR and a decline in hemoglobin. Subsequent CT imaging revealed flattening of the portal vein consistent with compression by the enlarging hematoma. Liver failure ensued and the patient required urgent retransplantation. The explant demonstrated ischemic necrosis of greater than 90% of the liver parenchyma. We report this case of “Hepatic Compartment Syndrome” leading to fulminant hepatic failure.

Laparoscopic liver resection: wedge resections to living donor hepatectomy, are we heading in the right direction?

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Cherian, P Thomas; Mishra, Ashish Kumar; Kumar, Palaniappen; Sachan, Vijayant Kumar; Bharathan, Anand; Srikanth, Gadiyaram; Senadhipan, Baiju; Rela, Mohamad S

2014-10-07

Despite inception over 15 years ago and over 3000 completed procedures, laparoscopic liver resection has remained mainly in the domain of selected centers and enthusiasts. Requirement of extensive open liver resection (OLR) experience, in-depth understanding of anatomy and considerable laparoscopic technical expertise may have delayed wide application. However healthy scepticism of its actual benefits and presence of a potential publication bias; concern about its safety and technical learning curve, are probably equally responsible. Given that a large proportion of our work, at least in transplantation is still OLR, we have attempted to provide an entirely unbiased, mature opinion of its pros and cons in the current invited review. We have divided this review into two sections as we believe they merit separate attention on technical and ethical grounds. The first part deals with laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) in patients who present with benign or malignant liver pathology, wherein we have discussed its overall outcomes; its feasibility based on type of pathology and type of resection and included a small section on application of LLR in special scenarios like cirrhosis. The second part deals with the laparoscopic living donor hepatectomy (LDH) experience to date, including its potential impact on transplantation in general. Donor safety, graft outcomes after LDH and criterion to select ideal donors for LLR are discussed. Within each section we have provided practical points to improve safety in LLR and attempted to reach reasonable recommendations on the utilization of LLR for units that wish to develop such a service.

CT-based liver volumetry in a porcine model: impact on clinical volumetry prior to living donated liver transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frericks, B.B.J.; Kiene, T.; Stamm, G.; Shin, H.; Galanski, M.

2004-01-01

Purpose: Exact preoperative determination of the liver volume is of great importance prior to hepatobiliary surgery, especially in living donated liver transplantation (LDLT). In the current literature, a strong correlation between preoperatively calculated and intraoperatively measured liver volumes has been described. Such accuracy seems questionable, primarily due to a difference in the perfusion state of the liver in situ versus after explantation. Purpose of the study was to asses the influence of the perfusion state on liver volume and the validity of the preoperative liver volumetry prior to LDLT. Methods: In an experimental study, 20 porcine livers were examined. The livers were weighted and their volumes were determined by water displacement prior and after fluid infusion to achieve a pressure physiologically found in the liver veins. The liver volumes in the different perfusion states were calculated based on CT-data. The calculated values were compared with the volume measured by water displacement and the weight of the livers. Results: Assessment of calculated CT volumes and water displacements at identical perfusion states showed a tight correlation and differed on average by 4 ± 5%. However, livers before and after fluid infusion showed a 33 ± 8% (350 ± 150 ml) difference in volume. Conclusion: CT-volumetry acquires highly accurate data as confirmed by water displacement studies. However, the perfusion state has major impact on liver volume, which has to be accounted for in clinical use. (orig.) [de

ِAnalysis of donor motivations in living donor liver transplantation

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Hesham eAbdeldayem

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The introduction of the living donor liver transplantation (LDLT in Egypt as in elsewhere, has raised important psychological conflicts and ethical questions. The objective of this study was to get better understanding of the potential donors’ motives towards LDLT.Methods:This study was conducted on consecutive 193 living –liver donors who underwent partial hepatectomy as donors for LDLT during the period between April 2003 and January 2013, at the National Liver Institute Menoufeyia University, Egypt. Potential donors were thoroughly evaluated preoperatively through a screening questionnaire and interviews as regard their demographic data, relationship to the potential recipient and motives towards proceeding to surgery. They were assured that the information shared between them and the transplant centre is confidential. Results.The donors’ mean age was 25.53± 6.39 years with a range of 18-45 years. Males represented 64.7 % and females were 35.3%. The most common donors (32.1%, n_62, were sons and daughters to their parents (sons: n_43, daughters: n_19 while parents to their offsprings represent 15% (mothers: n_21, fathers: n_8. Brothers and sisters represent 16.5 % (brothers: n_22, sisters: n_10. Nephews & nieces giving their uncles or aunts were 14%. The number of wives donating to their husbands was 11 (5.7%. Interestingly, there was no single husband who donated his wife. Among the remaining donors, there were 11 cousins & one uncle. Unrelated donors were 20 (10.4%. Several factors seemed to contribute to motivation for donation: the seriousness of the potential recipient condition, the relationship and personal history of the donor to the potential recipient, the religious beliefs, the trust in the health care system, and family dynamics and obligations.Conclusions. Absolute absence of coercion on the living-liver donor’s motives may not be realistic because of the serious condition of the potential recipient. It is

Estimation of standard liver volume in Chinese adult living donors.

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Fu-Gui, L; Lu-Nan, Y; Bo, L; Yong, Z; Tian-Fu, W; Ming-Qing, X; Wen-Tao, W; Zhe-Yu, C

2009-12-01

To determine a formula predicting the standard liver volume based on body surface area (BSA) or body weight in Chinese adults. A total of 115 consecutive right-lobe living donors not including the middle hepatic vein underwent right hemi-hepatectomy. No organs were used from prisoners, and no subjects were prisoners. Donor anthropometric data including age, gender, body weight, and body height were recorded prospectively. The weights and volumes of the right lobe liver grafts were measured at the back table. Liver weights and volumes were calculated from the right lobe graft weight and volume obtained at the back table, divided by the proportion of the right lobe on computed tomography. By simple linear regression analysis and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, we correlated calculated liver volume and body height, body weight, or body surface area. The subjects had a mean age of 35.97 +/- 9.6 years, and a female-to-male ratio of 60:55. The mean volume of the right lobe was 727.47 +/- 136.17 mL, occupying 55.59% +/- 6.70% of the whole liver by computed tomography. The volume of the right lobe was 581.73 +/- 96.137 mL, and the estimated liver volume was 1053.08 +/- 167.56 mL. Females of the same body weight showed a slightly lower liver weight. By simple linear regression analysis and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, a formula was derived based on body weight. All formulae except the Hong Kong formula overestimated liver volume compared to this formula. The formula of standard liver volume, SLV (mL) = 11.508 x body weight (kg) + 334.024, may be applied to estimate liver volumes in Chinese adults.

Current State-of-the-Art MRI for Comprehensive Evaluation of Potential Living Liver Donors.

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Jhaveri, Kartik S; Guo, Lijun; Guimarães, Luís

2017-07-01

This review focuses on the role of state-of-the-art MRI-based techniques for comprehensive evaluation of living donors providing single-visit assessment of the liver vasculature via MR angiography, of the biliary tract via conventional T2-weighted MR cholangiography and T1-weighted gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR cholangiography, and of hepatic steatosis via T2*-corrected multiecho chemical shift-based water-fat separation MRI and high-speed T2-corrected multiecho MR spectroscopy. By using current state-of-the-art techniques, MRI can provide a one-stop-shop method for evaluation of the potential living liver donors.

Diaphragmatic herniation following donor hepatectomy for living donor liver transplantation: a serious complication not given due recognition.

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Lochan, Rajiv; Saif, Rehan; Ganjoo, Naveen; Sakpal, Mallikarjun; Panackal, Charles; Raja, Kaiser; Reddy, Jayanth; Asthana, Sonal; Jacob, Mathew

2017-11-01

A clear appreciation of benefits and risks associated with living donor hepatectomy is important to facilitate counselling for the donor, family, and recipient in preparation for living donor liver transplant (LDLT). We report a life-threatening complication occurring in one of our live liver donors at 12 weeks following hemi-liver donation. We experienced five donor complications among our first 50 LDLT: Clavien Grade 1, n=1; Clavien grade 2, n=3; and Clavien grade 3B, n=1. The one with Clavien grade 3B had a life-threatening diaphragmatic hernia occurring 12 weeks following hepatectomy. This was promptly recognized and emergency surgery was performed. The donor is well at 1-year follow-up. Here we provide a review of reported instances of diaphragmatic hernia following donor hepatectomy with an attempt to elucidate the pathophysiology behind such occurrence. Life-threatening donor risk needs to be balanced with recipient benefit and risk on a tripartite basis during the counselling process for LDLT. With increasing use of LDLT, we need to be aware of such life-threatening complication. Preventive measures in this regard and counselling for such complication should be incorporated into routine work-up for potential live liver donor.

Dual-echo, chemical shift gradient-echo magnetic resonance imaging to quantify hepatic steatosis: Implications for living liver donation.

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Rinella, Mary E; McCarthy, Richard; Thakrar, Kiran; Finn, John Paul; Rao, Sambasiva M; Koffron, Alan J; Abecassis, Michael; Blei, Andres T

2003-08-01

In living liver donation, a fatty liver poses risks for both recipient and donor. Currently, liver biopsy is the standard for assessing the presence and extent of steatosis. The goals of this study were to correlate a steatosis index derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the histologic grade on biopsy as well as to determine the topographic distribution of steatosis within the liver. We examined the ability of dual-echo, chemical shift gradient-echo MRI to predict the degree of steatosis on liver biopsy. A total of 22 subjects received both a liver biopsy and detailed MRI evaluation. These individuals included 15 potential living donors and 7 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. MRI steatosis index was then compared with histologic grade on liver biopsy. The topographic distribution of hepatic steatosis was determined from those subjects in whom MRI detected hepatic steatosis. The steatosis index had a positive correlation with grade of steatosis on liver biopsy (correlation coefficient, 0.84). There was no significant variation in the degree of steatosis among segments. A steatosis index of >0.2 had good positive and negative predictive value for the presence of significant steatosis (>15%) on biopsy. Our quantitative MRI protocol can predict the degree of hepatic steatosis when it is minimal to moderate, and may obviate the need for liver biopsy for the purpose of quantification of steatosis in living donors. Fat saturation added to the MRI protocol may further improve diagnostic accuracy. This technique may be applicable to the larger population with hepatic steatosis.

Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Acute Liver Failure : Comparing Guidelines on the Prediction of Liver Transplantation.

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Yoshida, Kazuhiro; Umeda, Yuzo; Takaki, Akinobu; Nagasaka, Takeshi; Yoshida, Ryuichi; Nobuoka, Daisuke; Kuise, Takashi; Takagi, Kosei; Yasunaka, Tetsuya; Okada, Hiroyuki; Yagi, Takahito; Fujiwara, Toshiyoshi

2017-10-01

Determining the indications for and timing of liver transplantation (LT) for acute liver failure (ALF) is essential. The King's College Hospital (KCH) guidelines and Japanese guidelines are used to predict the need for LT and the outcomes in ALF. These guidelines' accuracy when applied to ALF in different regional and etiological backgrounds may differ. Here we compared the accuracy of new (2010) Japanese guidelines that use a simple scoring system with the 1996 Japanese guidelines and the KCH criteria for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We retrospectively analyzed 24 adult ALF patients (18 acute type, 6 sub-acute type) who underwent LDLT in 1998-2009 at our institution. We assessed the accuracies of the 3 guidelines' criteria for ALF. The overall 1-year survival rate was 87.5%. The new and previous Japanese guidelines were superior to the KCH criteria for accurately predicting LT for acute-type ALF (72% vs. 17%). The new Japanese guidelines could identify 13 acute-type ALF patients for LT, based on the timing of encephalopathy onset. Using the previous Japanese guidelines, although the same 13 acute-type ALF patients (72%) had indications for LT, only 4 patients were indicated at the 1st step, and it took an additional 5 days to decide the indication at the 2nd step in the other 9 cases. Our findings showed that the new Japanese guidelines can predict the indications for LT and provide a reliable alternative to the previous Japanese and KCH guidelines.

Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Unresectable Liver Adenomatosis Associated with Congenital Absence of Portal Vein: A Case Report and Literature Review

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Brasoveanu, Vladislav; Ionescu, Mihnea Ioan; Grigorie, Razvan; Mihaila, Mariana; Bacalbasa, Nicolae; Dumitru, Radu; Herlea, Vlad; Iorgescu, Andreea; Tomescu, Dana; Popescu, Irinel

2015-01-01

Patient: Female, 21 Final Diagnosis: Unresectable liver adenomatosis associated with congenital absence of portal vein Symptoms: — Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Living donor liver transplantation Specialty: Transplantology Objective: Rare disease Background: Abernethy malformation (AM), or congenital absence of portal vein (CAPV), is a very rare disease which tends to be associated with the development of benign or malignant tumors, usually in children or young adults. Case Report: We rep...

Live-donor liver transplantation: the USC experience.

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Jabbour, N; Genyk, Y; Mateo, R; Peyre, C; Patel, R V; Thomas, D; Ralls, P; Palmer, S; Kanel, G; Selby, R R

2001-01-01

Liver transplantation is currently the standard of care for patients with end stage liver disease. However due to the cadaveric organ shortage, live donor liver transplantation (LDLT), has been recently introduced as a potential solution. We analyzed and support our initial experience with this procedure at USC. From September 1998 until July 2000, a total of 27 patients underwent LDLT at USC University Hospital and Los Angeles Children's Hospital. There were 12 children with the median age of 10 months (4-114) and 15 adults with the median age of 56 years (35-65). The most common indication for transplantation was biliary atresia for children and hepatitis C for adults. All donors did well postoperatively; the median postoperative stay was five days (5-7) for left lateral segmentectomy and seven days (4-12) for lobar donation. None of the donors required blood transfusion, re-operation or postoperative invasive procedure. However, five of them (18%) experienced minor complications. The survival rate in pediatric patients was 100% and only one graft was lost at nine months due to rejection. Two adult recipients died in the postoperative period, one from graft non-function and one from necrotizing fascitis. 37% of adult recipients experienced postoperative complications, mainly related to biliary reconstruction. Also 26% of the recipients underwent reoperation for some of these complications. LDLT is an excellent alternative to cadaveric transplantation with excellent results in the pediatric population. However, in adult patients it still carries a significant complication rate and it should be used with caution.

Urgent Living-Donor Liver Transplantation in a Patient With Concurrent Active Tuberculosis: A Case Report.

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Jung, B-H; Park, J-I; Lee, S-G

2018-04-01

Although active tuberculosis (TB) is considered a contraindication for liver transplantation (LT), this is the only treatment in patients with liver failure and concurrent active TB. We report a case with successful urgent living-donor LT for irreversible liver failure in the presence of active TB. A 48-year-old man, with a history of decompensated alcoholic liver cirrhosis, was presented with stupor. At admission, his consciousness had deteriorated to semi-coma, and his renal function also rapidly deteriorated to hepatorenal syndrome. A preoperative computed tomography scan of the chest revealed several small cavitary lesions in both upper lobes, and acid-fast bacillus stain from his sputum was graded 2+. Adenosine deaminase levels from ascites were elevated, suggesting TB peritonitis. A first-line anti-TB drug regimen was started immediately (rifampin, isoniazid, levofloxacin, and amikacin). An urgent living-donor LT was performed 2 days later. After LT, the regimen was changed to second-line anti-TB drugs (amikacin, levofloxacin, cycloserine, and pyridoxine). The sputum acid-fast bacillus stain tested negative on postoperative day 10. His liver function remained well preserved, even after the reversion to first-line anti-TB treatment. The patient recovered without any anti-TB medication-related complications and was discharged. LT can be prudently performed as a life-saving option, particularly for patients with liver failure and concurrent active TB. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Actual role of radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases

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Pereira, Philippe L. [Eberhard-Karls-University of Tuebingen, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Tuebingen (Germany)

2007-08-15

The liver is, second only to lymph nodes, the most common site for metastatic disease irrespective of the primary tumour. More than 50% of all patients with malignant diseases will develop liver metastases with a significant morbidity and mortality. Although the surgical resection leads to an improved survival in patients with colorectal metastases, only approximately 20% of patients are eligible for surgery. Thermal ablation and especially radiofrequency ablation emerge as an important additional therapy modality for the treatment of liver metastases. RF ablation shows a benefit in life expectancy and may lead in a selected patient group to cure. Percutaneous RF ablation appears safer (versus cryotherapy), easier (versus laser), and more effective (versus ethanol instillation and transarterial chemoembolisation) compared with other minimally invasive procedures. RF ablation can be performed by a percutaneous, laparoscopical or laparotomic approach, and may be potentially combined with chemotherapy and surgery. At present ideal candidates have tumours with a maximum diameter less than 3.5 cm. An untreatable primary tumour or a systemic disease represents contraindications for performing local therapies. Permanent technical improvements of thermal ablation devices and a better integration of thermal ablation in the overall patient care may lead to prognosis improvement in patients with liver metastases. (orig.)

Actual role of radiofrequency ablation of liver metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, Philippe L.

2007-01-01

The liver is, second only to lymph nodes, the most common site for metastatic disease irrespective of the primary tumour. More than 50% of all patients with malignant diseases will develop liver metastases with a significant morbidity and mortality. Although the surgical resection leads to an improved survival in patients with colorectal metastases, only approximately 20% of patients are eligible for surgery. Thermal ablation and especially radiofrequency ablation emerge as an important additional therapy modality for the treatment of liver metastases. RF ablation shows a benefit in life expectancy and may lead in a selected patient group to cure. Percutaneous RF ablation appears safer (versus cryotherapy), easier (versus laser), and more effective (versus ethanol instillation and transarterial chemoembolisation) compared with other minimally invasive procedures. RF ablation can be performed by a percutaneous, laparoscopical or laparotomic approach, and may be potentially combined with chemotherapy and surgery. At present ideal candidates have tumours with a maximum diameter less than 3.5 cm. An untreatable primary tumour or a systemic disease represents contraindications for performing local therapies. Permanent technical improvements of thermal ablation devices and a better integration of thermal ablation in the overall patient care may lead to prognosis improvement in patients with liver metastases. (orig.)

Liver remnant regeneration in donors after living donor liver transplantation. Long-term follow-up using CT and MR imaging

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Klink, T. [INSELSPITAL - Bern University Hospital (Switzerland). Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg (Germany). Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Simon, P. [Merciful Brethren Hospital, Trier (Germany). Dept. of Radiology, Neuroradiology, Sonography and Nuclearmedicine; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg (Germany). Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Knopp, C.; Ittrich, H.; Adam, G.; Koops, A. [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg (Germany). Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Fischer, L. [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg (Germany). Dept. of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Transplant Surgery

2014-06-15

Purpose: To assess liver remnant volume regeneration and maintenance, and complications in the long-time follow-up of donors after living donor liver transplantation using CT and MRI. Materials and Methods: 47 donors with a mean age of 33.5 years who donated liver tissue for transplantation and who were available for follow-up imaging were included in this retrospective study. Contrast-enhanced CT and MR studies were acquired for routine follow-up. Two observers evaluated pre- and postoperative images regarding anatomy and pathological findings. Volumes were manually measured on contrast-enhanced images in the portal venous phase, and potential postoperative complications were documented. Pre- and postoperative liver volumes were compared for evaluating liver remnant regeneration. Results: 47 preoperative and 89 follow-up studies covered a period of 22.4 months (range: 1 - 84). After right liver lobe (RLL) donation, the mean liver remnant volume was 522.0 ml (± 144.0; 36.1%; n = 18), after left lateral section (LLS) donation 1,121.7 ml (± 212.8; 79.9%; n = 24), and after left liver lobe (LLL) donation 1,181.5 ml (± 279.5; 72.0%; n = 5). Twelve months after donation, the liver remnant volume were 87.3% (RLL; ± 11.8; n = 11), 95.0% (LS; ± 11.6; n = 18), and 80.1% (LLL; ± 2.0; n = 2 LLL) of the preoperative total liver volume. Rapid initial regeneration and maintenance at 80% of the preoperative liver volume were observed over the total follow-up period. Minor postoperative complications were found early in 4 patients. No severe or late complications or mortality occurred. Conclusion: Rapid regeneration of liver remnant volumes in all donors and volume maintenance over the long-term follow-up period of up to 84 months without severe or late complications are important observations for assessing the safety of LDLT donors. (orig.)

Liver remnant regeneration in donors after living donor liver transplantation. Long-term follow-up using CT and MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klink, T.; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg; Simon, P.; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg; Knopp, C.; Ittrich, H.; Adam, G.; Koops, A.; Fischer, L.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To assess liver remnant volume regeneration and maintenance, and complications in the long-time follow-up of donors after living donor liver transplantation using CT and MRI. Materials and Methods: 47 donors with a mean age of 33.5 years who donated liver tissue for transplantation and who were available for follow-up imaging were included in this retrospective study. Contrast-enhanced CT and MR studies were acquired for routine follow-up. Two observers evaluated pre- and postoperative images regarding anatomy and pathological findings. Volumes were manually measured on contrast-enhanced images in the portal venous phase, and potential postoperative complications were documented. Pre- and postoperative liver volumes were compared for evaluating liver remnant regeneration. Results: 47 preoperative and 89 follow-up studies covered a period of 22.4 months (range: 1 - 84). After right liver lobe (RLL) donation, the mean liver remnant volume was 522.0 ml (± 144.0; 36.1%; n = 18), after left lateral section (LLS) donation 1,121.7 ml (± 212.8; 79.9%; n = 24), and after left liver lobe (LLL) donation 1,181.5 ml (± 279.5; 72.0%; n = 5). Twelve months after donation, the liver remnant volume were 87.3% (RLL; ± 11.8; n = 11), 95.0% (LS; ± 11.6; n = 18), and 80.1% (LLL; ± 2.0; n = 2 LLL) of the preoperative total liver volume. Rapid initial regeneration and maintenance at 80% of the preoperative liver volume were observed over the total follow-up period. Minor postoperative complications were found early in 4 patients. No severe or late complications or mortality occurred. Conclusion: Rapid regeneration of liver remnant volumes in all donors and volume maintenance over the long-term follow-up period of up to 84 months without severe or late complications are important observations for assessing the safety of LDLT donors. (orig.)

Endoscopic therapy of posttransplant biliary stenoses after right-sided adult living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoepf, Thomas; Maldonado-Lopez, Evelyn J; Hilgard, Philip; Schlaak, Joerg; Malago, Massimo; Broelsch, Christoph E; Treichel, Ulrich; Gerken, Guido

2005-11-01

Endoscopic treatment of biliary strictures after liver transplantation is a therapeutic challenge. In particular, outcomes of endoscopic therapy of biliary complications in the case of duct-to-duct anastomosis after living related liver transplantation are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and success of an endoscopic treatment approach to posttransplant biliary strictures (PTBS) after right-sided living donor liver transplantation (RLDLT) with duct-to-duct anastomosis. Ninety patients who received adult-to-adult RLDLT in our center were screened retrospectively with respect to endoscopic treatment of PTBS. Therapy was judged as successful when cholestasis parameters returned to normal and bile duct narrowing was reduced significantly after the completion of therapy. Forty of 90 RLDLT patients received duct-to-duct anastomosis, 12 (30%) showed PTBS. Seven of 12 patients were treated successfully by endoscopy; the remaining 5 patients were treated primarily by surgery. Most patients were treated by balloon dilatation followed by insertion of endoprostheses. A median of 2.5 dilatation sessions were necessary and the median treatment duration was 8 months. One patient developed endoscopy-treatable recurrent stenosis, no surgical intervention was necessary. Mild pancreatitis occurred in 7.9% and cholangitis in 5.3% of the procedures. One minor bleeding episode occurred during sphincterotomy. Bleeding was managed endoscopically. Endoscopic therapy of adult-to-adult right living related liver transplantation with duct-to-duct anastomosis is feasible and frequently is successful. The duct-to-duct anastomosis offers the possibility of endoscopic treatment. Endoscopic treatment of posttransplant biliary strictures is safe, with a low specific complication rate.

Living donor liver transplantation from a donor previously treated with interferon for hepatitis C virus: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nakao Kazuhiko

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Selecting a marginal donor in liver transplantation (LT remains controversial but is necessary because of the small number of available donors. Case presentation A 46-year-old Japanese woman was a candidate to donate her liver to her brother, who had decompensated liver cirrhosis of unknown origin. Eight years before the donation, she had a mild liver dysfunction that was diagnosed as a hepatitis C virus (HCV infection (serotype 2. She had received anti-viral therapy with interferon α-2b three times weekly for 24 weeks and had a sustained viral response (SVR. A biopsy of her liver before the donation showed normal findings without any active hepatitis, and her serum was negative for HCV-RNA. Only 67 patients have undergone LT from a cadaveric donor in Japan. The family in this case decided to have living donor LT. A careful selection for the liver graft donation was made; however, since she was the only candidate, we approved her as a living donor. She was discharged nine days after the liver donation. Her liver function recovered immediately. A computed tomography scan showed sufficient liver regeneration one year later. Her brother also had good liver function after LT and had no HCV infection 48 months after surgery and no de novo malignancy. Neither of the siblings has developed an HCV infection. Conclusions A patient with SVR status after interferon therapy might be considered a candidate for living donor LT but only if there are no other possibilities of LT for the recipient. A careful follow-up of the donor after donation is needed. The recipient also must have a very close follow-up because it is difficult to predict what might happen to the graft with post-transplant immunosuppression.

[A nationwide investigation needs for rehabilitation of schizophrenic outpatients--the patients' attribute and actual conditions of living].

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, T; Kuroda, K; Hirano, W; Ueno, M; Yoshizumi, A; Inomata, Y; Komine, K

1996-01-01

In Japan we are very short of community resources for persons with mental disability. The authors, a board of resettlement, thought patients' actual conditions of living and needs for rehabilitation to let them live in the community had to be evaluated. Then in March 1993 the actual conditions of living and needs for rehabilitation of schizophrenic outpatients were investigated nationally. This article is the report on the patients' actual conditions of living. Investigation papers were sent to 358 institutions (286 hospitals and 72 clinics) which agreed to cooperate with the investigation. The 5186 investigation papers were received from 313 institutions. All of the papers except 18, which were lack of their ages, were analyzed. All of the schizophrenic outpatients, who consulted psychiatrists on one day during investigation, were considered objects of this research. Those who consented were included the research and psychiatrists filled in investigation papers. These institutions had a policy of intensive social resettlement activities and so on. Male patients were 55% and females were 45%. There were patients in the forties and females were older than males. Thirty-nine percent of them had been hospitalized once or twice. Thirty-four percent of them had been hospitalized for less than one year. Eighteen percent of them had not been hospitalized. Fifty percent of patients answered there was no friend and acquaintance, and had a tendency to stand alone. Fifty-three percent of patients lived with their parents, 21% with their spouses, and 17% alone. But 32% of females lived with their husbands. Sixteen percent worked for full-time jobs, 8% worked part-time jobs, 12% attended day care center 4% went to sheltered-workshops and only 1% went to rehabilitation-workshops for outpatients. While 13% didn't have a right to receive disability pension, the sources of income were job (30%), disability pension (30%), and welfare benefits (12%). Regarding the ability for living

The role of magnetic resonance cholangiography in the evaluation of biliary anatomy in living liver donors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arruda, Elaine Cristina de Moraes; Coelho, Julio Cezar Uili; Matias, Jorge Eduardo Fouto

2008-01-01

Objective: The present study was aimed at evaluating the accuracy of magnetic resonance cholangiography in the assessment of the biliary anatomy in living liver donors in correlation with surgical findings. Materials And Methods: Fifty living liver donors were retrospectively evaluated at Hospital de Clinicas da Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Cholangiographic images were analyzed and results were compared with intraoperative findings. Only anatomical alterations that affected the surgical strategy and had not been previously observed at magnetic resonance cholangiography were considered as being in disagreement. Results: Anatomical variations were found in 7 donors at magnetic resonance cholangiography, and in 14 during surgery. Agreement between imaging and surgical findings was observed in 41 of the 50 patients, and disagreement in 9. Magnetic resonance cholangiography sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were respectively 43%, 97%, 86%, 81% and 81.6%. Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging is a safe and non invasive method for preoperative evaluation of the biliary tract in living liver donors. However some anatomical abnormalities are not detected by magnetic resonance cholangiography. (author)

Plugged percutaneous biopsy of the liver in living-donor liver transplantation recipients suspected to have graft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sung Jung; Won, Je Hwan; Kim, Young Bae; Wang, Hee-Jung; Kim, Bong-Wan; Kim, Haeryoung; Kim, Jinoo

2017-07-01

Background Percutaneous biopsy is a widely-accepted technique for acquiring histologic samples of the liver. When there is concern for bleeding, plugged percutaneous biopsy (PPB) may be performed, which involves embolization of the biopsy tract. Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and safety of PPB of the liver in patients suspected to have graft rejection after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Material and Methods During January 2007 and December 2013, 51 patients who underwent PPB of the liver under the suspicion of post-LDLT graft rejection were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 73 biopsies were performed. Biopsy was performed with a 17-gauge core needle and 18-gauge cutting needle. The needle tract was embolized using gelatin sponge (n = 44) or N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) (n = 29). The specimens were reviewed to determine their adequacy for histologic diagnosis. We reviewed all medical records after PPB. Results Specimens were successfully acquired in all procedures (100%). They were adequate for diagnosis in 70 cases (95.9%) and inadequate in three (1.3%). Average of 9.8 complete portal tracts was counted per specimen. One minor complication (1.4%) occurred where the patient had transient fever after the procedure. Conclusion PPB is easy and safe to perform in LDLT recipients and provides high diagnostic yield.

Risk Factors for Bloodstream Infection After Living-donor Liver Transplantation in Children.

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Shoji, Kensuke; Funaki, Takanori; Kasahara, Mureo; Sakamoto, Seisuke; Fukuda, Akinari; Vaida, Florin; Ito, Kenta; Miyairi, Isao; Saitoh, Akihiko

2015-10-01

Postoperative bloodstream infection (BSI) is the most important determinant of recipient morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation (LT). Children who underwent LT are at the highest risk of developing BSI because of the significant surgical intervention, use of multiple devices, and administration of immunosuppressive agents. However, information regarding the risk factors for BSI in children after LT is limited. We retrospectively reviewed 210 children who underwent living-donor LT at the largest pediatric LT center in Japan. Patients' characteristics, blood culture results and clinical outcomes were extracted from electronic medical records. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for BSI. Among the 210 LT recipients, 53 (25%) recipients experienced 86 episodes of BSI during the observational period. The source of the BSI was identified only in 38%: catheter-related BSI (27%) peritonitis (7%), urinary tract infection (2%), pneumonia (1%) and infectious endocarditis (1%). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that body weight (P = 0.03), volume of blood loss during LT (P 24 months), blood loss and pediatric end-stage liver disease/model for end-stage liver disease versus positive CMV antigenemia. The volume of blood loss, postoperative CMV antigenemia positivity and body weight were associated with the development of BSI after LT in pediatric living-donor recipients. To identify the age-specific predictors of BSI in children who underwent LT, age-specific analyses are crucial.

Evaluation of living liver transplant donors: method for precise anatomic definition by using a dedicated contrast-enhanced MR imaging protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahani, Dushyant; D'souza, Roy; Kadavigere, Rajagopal; Hertl, Martin; McGowan, Jennifer; Saini, Sanjay; Mueller, Peter R

2004-01-01

Liver transplantation from a living donor involves removal of part of the donor liver in a fashion that does not endanger its vascular supply or metabolic function. The radiologist plays an important role in evaluation of the living donor to define the conditions under which graft donation is contraindicated and to identify anatomic variations that may alter the surgical approach. In the past, diagnostic work-up of the donor involved costly and invasive tests. Currently, dynamic contrast material-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are the imaging tests performed, each of which has advantages and limitations. MR imaging performed with liver-specific and extravascular contrast agents may be used as a single imaging test for comprehensive noninvasive evaluation of living liver transplant donors. MR imaging provides valuable information about variations in the vascular and biliary anatomy and allows evaluation of the hepatic parenchyma for diffuse or focal abnormalities. Copyright RSNA, 2004

CT examination of segmental liver transplants from living donors. Anatomy and pathological findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krupski, G.; Maas, R.; Rogiers, X.; Burdelski, M.; Broelsch, C.E.

1994-01-01

A lack of suitable pediatric donors and significantly better results than conventional transplantation have contributed to the steady increase in the number of segmental liver transplants from living donors throughout the world. This article describes the diagnostic impact of axial CT scans following transplantation in a retrospective evaluation of 18 CT examinations of 10 children with an average age of two years. Both spiral and conventional CT scans permit precise visualization of the postoperative anatomy of the upper abdomen that is more distinct than the images provided by ultrasonic scans. Thus, CT scans better facilitate detection of pathological findings. In 60% of the patients (67% of the examinations), the CT scan permitted a definite diagnosis; in the remaining cases, no morphological correlate to the clinical and laboratory findings was detected. In addition to traditional ultrasonic scanning, computed tomography represents a further noninvasive imaging technique for postoperative diagnostics following segmental liver transplants from living donors. (orig.) [de

Living-related liver transplantation for patients with fulminant and subfulminant hepatic failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Miwa, S; Hashikura, Y; Mita, A; Kubota, T; Chisuwa, H; Nakazawa, Y; Ikegami, T; Terada, M; Miyagawa, S; Kawasaki, S

1999-12-01

The prognosis for patients with fulminant (FHF) or subfulminant hepatic failure (SFHF) has improved since the introduction of liver transplantation. However, the death rate of patients awaiting liver transplantation is high, possibly because of the difficulty in obtaining grafts in a timely manner, given the relative shortage of cadaveric donors. Between June 1990 and June 1999, 106 patients underwent living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) at Shinshu University Hospital. Among them, 8 patients had FHF and 6 had SFHF; these 14 patients are the subjects of this report. The graft volumes (GV) ranged from 231 mL to 625 mL, corresponding to 35% to 105% of the recipients' standard liver volume (SLV). The postoperative courses of all donors were uneventful. Following liver transplantation, all grafts functioned favorably, with normalization of serum total bilirubin within 3 to 5 days and normalization of coagulation profiles within 4 to 7 days. Thirteen of the 14 recipients are still alive. The actuarial 6-month, 1-year, and 5-year survival rates were 100%, 90%, and 90%, respectively. In the present study, when the ratio of the GV to the recipient's SLV was more than 35%, the graft was able to support the patient's metabolic demand after liver transplantation for FHF or SFHF. Because of the urgent nature of liver transplantation in this clinical condition, concerns over informed consent may be even greater than for elective LRLT. Nevertheless, the high success rate and low donor risk may justify this option for pediatric patients, as well as for a limited population of adult patients suffering from FHF or SFHF.

Pediatric liver transplantation using left hepatic segments from living related donors: surgical experience in 100 recipients at Saint-Luc University Clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Darwish, Ahmed A; Bourdeaux, Christophe; Kader, Hesham A; Janssen, Magda; Sokal, Etienne; Lerut, Jan; Ciccarelli, Olga; Veyckemans, Francis; Otte, Jean-Bernard; de Goyet, Jean de Ville; Reding, Raymond

2006-05-01

Living-related liver transplantation was developed in the context of deceased donor organ shortage, which is particularly acute for pediatric recipients. This retrospective study analyzes the surgical technique and complications in the first 100 pediatric liver transplantation using left segmental liver grafts from living donors, performed at Saint-Luc University Clinics between July 1993 and April 2002. Pre-operative evaluation in donors and recipients, analysis of the surgical technique, and postoperative complications were reviewed. After a median follow-up period of 2526 days, no donor mortality was encountered, with a minimal morbidity and no long-term sequelae. At one and five yr post-transplantation, the actuarial patient survival rates were 94% and 92%, the corresponding figures being 92% and 89% for graft survival. The incidences of portal vein and hepatic artery thromboses, and of biliary complications were 14%, 1%, and 27%, respectively. Living-related liver transplantation in children constitutes an efficient therapy for liver failure to face the increased demand for liver grafts. Donor morbidity was kept to acceptable incidence, and surgical technique in the recipient needs to be tailored to minimize postoperative complications.

Updated data on effective and safe immunizations with live-attenuated vaccines for children after living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shinjoh, Masayoshi; Hoshino, Ken; Takahashi, Takao; Nakayama, Tetsuo

2015-01-29

Although immunizations using live-attenuated vaccines are not recommended for children post-liver transplant due to their theoretical risks, they will inevitably encounter vaccine-preventable viral diseases upon returning to real-life situations. The window of opportunity for vaccination is usually limited prior to transplantation because these children often have unstable disease courses. Also, vaccine immunity does not always persist after transplantation. Beginning in 2002, subcutaneous immunizations with four individual live-attenuated vaccines (measles, rubella, varicella, and mumps) to pediatric patients following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) were performed for those who fulfilled the clinical criteria, including humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Written informed consent was collected. We included the study on 70 immunizations for 18 cases that we reported in 2008 (Shinjoh et al., 2008). A total of 196 immunizations were administered to 48 pediatric post-LDLT recipients. Of these, 144 were first immunizations and 52 were repeated immunizations following LDLT. The seroconversion rates at the first dose for measles (AIK-C), rubella (TO-336), varicella (Oka), and mumps (Hoshino) were 100% (36/36), 100% (35/35), 70% (23/33), and 75% (24/32), respectively. Antibody levels did not fall over time in patients immunized with rubella vaccine. Three mild cases of breakthrough varicella were observed. Two cases with transient parotid gland swelling were observed after mumps immunization. Two admissions because of fever at 2-3 weeks after the measles vaccine were reported but the patients had no symptoms of measles. Immunizations using selected live-attenuated vaccines were safe and effective for post-LDLT children who were not severely immunosuppressed. However, with the exception of rubella, repeated immunization may be necessary. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renal Infarction during Anticoagulant Therapy after Living Donor Liver Transplantation

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Shinji Onda

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Liver transplant recipients are at risk for complications of vascular thrombosis. The reconstructed hepatic artery and portal vein thrombosis potentially result in hepatic failure and graft loss. Renal infarction is a rare clinical condition, but in severe cases, it may lead to renal failure. We herein report a case of renal infarction after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT during anticoagulant therapy. Case Presentation: A 60-year-old woman with end-stage liver disease due to primary biliary cholangitis underwent LDLT with splenectomy. Postoperatively, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroid were used for initial immunosuppression therapy. On postoperative day (POD 5, enhanced computed tomography (CT revealed splenic vein thrombosis, and anticoagulant therapy with heparin followed by warfarin was given. Follow-up enhanced CT on POD 20 incidentally demonstrated right renal infarction. The patient’s renal function was unchanged and the arterial flow was good, and the splenic vein thrombosis resolved. At 4 months postoperatively, warfarin was discontinued, but she developed recurrent splenic vein thrombosis 11 months later, and warfarin was resumed. As of 40 months after transplantation, she discontinued warfarin and remains well without recurrence of splenic vein thrombosis or renal infarction. Conclusion: Renal infarction is a rare complication of LDLT. In this case, renal infarction was incidentally diagnosed during anticoagulant therapy and was successfully treated.

Long-Term Placement of Subcutaneous Ruesch-Type Stents for Double Biliary Stenosis in a Living-Donor Liver Transplant Recipient

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Adani, Gian Luigi, E-mail: adanigl@hotmail.com; Baccarani, Umberto; Lorenzin, Dario; Risaliti, Andrea [Udine University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery and Transplantation (Italy); Como, Giuseppe [Udine University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology (Italy); Gasparini, Daniele; Sponza, Massimo [AOSMM-Hospital, Department of Interventional Radiology (Italy); Bresadola, Vittorio; Bresadola, Fabrizio [Udine University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery and Transplantation (Italy)

2007-04-15

Biliary reconstruction continues to be a major source of morbidity following liver transplantation. The spectrum of biliary complications is evolving due to the increasing number of split-liver and living-donor liver transplantation, which are even associated with a higher incidence of biliary complications. Bile duct strictures are the most common cause of late biliary complications and account for up to 40% of all biliary complications. Optimal therapy for posttransplantation anastomotic biliary strictures remains uncertain and requires a multidisciplinary approach. We report the case of a 54-year-old Caucasian male affected by hepatocarcinoma and hepatitis C-related cirrhosis who underwent right-lobe living-donor liver transplantation from his son complicated by double anastomotic stenosis of the main right hepatic duct and of an accessory biliary duct draining segments 6 and 7 of the graft that was successfully treated by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with long-term subcutaneous placement of two internal Ruesch-type biliary stents.

Long-Term Placement of Subcutaneous Ruesch-Type Stents for Double Biliary Stenosis in a Living-Donor Liver Transplant Recipient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adani, Gian Luigi; Baccarani, Umberto; Lorenzin, Dario; Risaliti, Andrea; Como, Giuseppe; Gasparini, Daniele; Sponza, Massimo; Bresadola, Vittorio; Bresadola, Fabrizio

2007-01-01

Biliary reconstruction continues to be a major source of morbidity following liver transplantation. The spectrum of biliary complications is evolving due to the increasing number of split-liver and living-donor liver transplantation, which are even associated with a higher incidence of biliary complications. Bile duct strictures are the most common cause of late biliary complications and account for up to 40% of all biliary complications. Optimal therapy for posttransplantation anastomotic biliary strictures remains uncertain and requires a multidisciplinary approach. We report the case of a 54-year-old Caucasian male affected by hepatocarcinoma and hepatitis C-related cirrhosis who underwent right-lobe living-donor liver transplantation from his son complicated by double anastomotic stenosis of the main right hepatic duct and of an accessory biliary duct draining segments 6 and 7 of the graft that was successfully treated by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography with long-term subcutaneous placement of two internal Ruesch-type biliary stents

Section 4. Further expanding the criteria for HCC in living donor liver transplantation: the Tokyo University experience.

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Tamura, Sumihito; Sugawara, Yasuhiko; Kokudo, Norihiro

2014-04-27

In Asia, evidence-based guidelines for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have evolved, including the option of liver transplantation. Because of the continuing serious organ shortage, however, living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) remains the mainstream in Japan. Unlike deceased donor transplantation, living donor transplantation is not always limited by the restrictions imposed by the nationwide organ allocation system. The decision for transplantation may depend on institutional or case-by-case considerations, balancing the will of the donor, the operative risk, and the overall survival benefit. Cumulative data from the Japanese national multicenter registry analysis as well as individual center experiences suggest further expanding the criteria for LDLT for HCC from the Milan criteria is feasible with acceptable outcomes.

The usefulness of hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the diagnosis of complications after adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation

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Kim, Jae Seung; Moon, Dae Hyuk; Lee, Hee Kyung [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea); Lee, Sung Gyu; Lee, Young Joo; Park, Kwang Min; Hwang, Shin [Department of General Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea)

2002-04-01

Living donor liver transplantation has become an accepted procedure to overcome the shortage of adult donor organs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the diagnosis of complications after adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation. We analysed 82 hepatobiliary scintigraphy studies performed using technetium-99m DISIDA in 60 adult patients (44 males, 16 females) who had been transplanted with a living donor's hepatic lobe (right lobe, 32; left lobe, 28). Indications for hepatobiliary scintigraphy were abnormal symptoms and/or liver function tests (n=54) or suspected bile leak or biloma (n=28). Median interval between transplantation and scintigraphy was 69 days (9 days to 23 months). Scintigraphic findings were classified into hepatic parenchymal dysfunction, total biliary obstruction, segmental biliary obstruction, bile leak and normal graft. Scintigraphic findings were confirmed by liver biopsy in 17 cases, and by radiological and clinical follow-up in 65 cases. There were 29 events relating to biliary complications (six total biliary obstructions, eight segmental biliary obstructions and 15 bile leaks) and 19 relating to non-biliary complications (15 cases of rejection, two of infection and two of vascular compromise) in 38 patients. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy provided the correct diagnosis in all eight segmental and five of six total biliary obstructions, and in all 15 cases of bile leak. Of the 19 non-biliary complications, 16 showed parenchymal dysfunction regardless of the aetiology and three showed total biliary obstruction on scintigraphy. All but three of 34 normally functioning grafts were normal on scintigraphy. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of scintigraphy for biliary obstruction in the 54 patients with abnormal symptoms or liver function tests were 93% (100% for segmental, 83% for total) and 88% (35/40), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were each 100% (15/15, 13

Role of multislice CT and magnetic resonance cholangiography in preoperative evaluation of potential donor in living related liver transplantation

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Hossam M. Abdel-Rahman

2016-03-01

Conclusion: Multislice CT is a valuable tool in the evaluation of potential living liver donors that provides complete information on the hepatic vascular anatomy, the liver parenchyma, and volumetric measurements. MRC with a 3.0-T MR system demonstrates the preoperative biliary evaluation very well with a high accuracy rate.

Study of liver volume measurement and its clinical application for liver transplantation using multiple-slice spiral CT

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Peng Zhiyi; Yu Zhefeng; Kuang Pingding; Xiao Shengxiang; Huang Dongsheng; Zheng Shusen; Wu Jian

2004-01-01

Objective: To study the accuracy of liver volume measurement using MSCT and its application in liver transplantation. Methods: (1) Experimental study. Ten pig livers were scanned using MSCT with two collimations (3.2 mm and 6.5 mm) and pitch 1.25. Semi-automatic method was used to reconstruct 3D liver models to measure the liver volume. (2) Clinical study. Twenty-three patients received MSCT scan with collimation of 6.5 mm before liver transplantation. Same method was used to calculate the liver volume and the measurement was repeated by the same observer after 1 month. Results: (1) Experimental study. Actual liver volumes were (1134.1 ± 288.0) ml. Liver volumes by MSCT with two collimations were (1125.0 ± 282.5) ml (3.2 mm) and (1101.6 ± 277.6) ml (6.5 mm). The accuracy was (99.5 ± 0.8)% and (97.4 ± 0.8)%, respectively. Both showed same good agreement with actual liver volume: r=0.999, P<0.01 (2) Clinical study. Actual liver volumes were (1455.7±730.0) ml. Liver volume by MSCT was (1462.7 ± 774.1) ml. The accuracy was (99.5±9.6)%, r=0.986, P<0.01. Liver volume measured again was (1449.4 ± 768.9) ml, r=0.991 (P<0.01). Conclusion: MSCT can assess the liver volume correctly, and could be used as a routine step for evaluations before liver transplantation

Inflammatory markers as selection criteria of hepatocellular carcinoma in living-donor liver transplantation.

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Na, Gun Hyung; Kim, Dong Goo; Han, Jae Hyun; Kim, Eun Young; Lee, Soo Ho; Hong, Tae Ho; You, Young Kyoung

2014-06-07

To investigate that inflammatory markers can predict accurately the prognosis of hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) patients in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). From October 2000 to November 2011, 224 patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation for HCC at our institution were enrolled in this study. We analyzed disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) after LT in patients with HCC and designed a new score model using pretransplant neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The DFS and OS in patients with an NLR level ≥ 6.0 or CRP level ≥ 1.0 were significantly worse than those of patients with an NLR level < 6.0 or CRP level < 1.0 (P = 0.049, P = 0.003 for NLR and P = 0.010, P < 0.001 for CRP, respectively). Using a new score model using the pretransplant NLR and CRP, we can differentiate HCC patients beyond the Milan criteria with a good prognosis from those with a poor prognosis. Combined with the Milan criteria, new score model using NLR and CRP represent new selection criteria for LDLT candidates with HCC, especially beyond the Milan criteria.

ABO-Incompatible Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Under the Desensitization Protocol With Rituximab.

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Song, G-W; Lee, S-G; Hwang, S; Kim, K-H; Ahn, C-S; Moon, D-B; Ha, T-Y; Jung, D-H; Park, G-C; Kim, W-J; Sin, M-H; Yoon, Y-I; Kang, W-H; Kim, S-H; Tak, E-Y

2016-01-01

ABO incompatibility is no longer considered a contraindication for adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) due to various strategies to overcome the ABO blood group barrier. We report the largest single-center experience of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) ALDLT in 235 adult patients. The desensitization protocol included a single dose of rituximab and total plasma exchange. In addition, local graft infusion therapy, cyclophosphamide, or splenectomy was used for a certain time period, but these treatments were eventually discontinued due to adverse events. There were three cases (1.3%) of in-hospital mortality. The cumulative 3-year graft and patient survival rates were 89.2% and 92.3%, respectively, and were comparable to those of the ABO-compatible group (n = 1301). Despite promising survival outcomes, 17 patients (7.2%) experienced antibody-mediated rejection that manifested as diffuse intrahepatic biliary stricture; six cases required retransplantation, and three patients died. ABOi ALDLT is a feasible method for expanding a living liver donor pool, but the efficacy of the desensitization protocol in targeting B cell immunity should be optimized. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Live donor liver transplantation without blood products: strategies developed for Jehovah's Witnesses offer broad application.

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Jabbour, Nicolas; Gagandeep, Singh; Mateo, Rodrigo; Sher, Linda; Strum, Earl; Donovan, John; Kahn, Jeffrey; Peyre, Christian G; Henderson, Randy; Fong, Tse-Ling; Selby, Rick; Genyk, Yuri

2004-08-01

Developing strategies for transfusion-free live donor liver transplantation in Jehovah's Witness patients. Liver transplantation is the standard of care for patients with end-stage liver disease. A disproportionate increase in transplant candidates and an allocation policy restructuring, favoring patients with advanced disease, have led to longer waiting time and increased medical acuity for transplant recipients. Consequently, Jehovah's Witness patients, who refuse blood product transfusion, are usually excluded from liver transplantation. We combined blood augmentation and conservation practices with live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to accomplish successful LDLT in Jehovah's Witness patients without blood products. Our algorithm provides broad possibilities for blood conservation for all surgical patients. From September 1998 until June 2001, 38 LDLTs were performed at Keck USC School of Medicine: 8 in Jehovah's Witness patients (transfusion-free group) and 30 in non-Jehovah's Witness patients (transfusion-eligible group). All transfusion-free patients underwent preoperative blood augmentation with erythropoietin, intraoperative cell salvage, and acute normovolemic hemodilution. These techniques were used in only 7%, 80%, and 10%, respectively, in transfusion-eligible patients. Perioperative clinical data and outcomes were retrospectively reviewed. Data from both groups were statistically analyzed. Preoperative liver disease severity was similar in both groups; however, transfusion-free patients had significantly higher hematocrit levels following erythropoietin augmentation. Operative time, blood loss, and postoperative hematocrits were similar in both groups. No blood products were used in transfusion-free patients while 80% of transfusion-eligible patients received a median of 4.5+/- 3.5 units of packed red cell. ICU and total hospital stay were similar in both groups. The survival rate was 100% in transfusion-free patients and 90% in transfusion

Evaluation of living liver donors using contrast enhanced multidetector CT – The radiologists impact on donor selection

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Ringe, Kristina Imeen; Ringe, Bastian Paul; Falck, Christian von; Shin, Hoen-oh; Becker, Thomas; Pfister, Eva-Doreen; Wacker, Frank; Ringe, Burckhardt

2012-01-01

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is a valuable and legitimate treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. Computed tomography (CT) has proven to be an important tool in the process of donor evaluation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of CT in the donor selection process. Between May 1999 and October 2010 170 candidate donors underwent biphasic CT. We retrospectively reviewed the results of the CT and liver volumetry, and assessed reasons for rejection. 89 candidates underwent partial liver resection (52.4%). Based on the results of liver CT and volumetry 22 candidates were excluded as donors (31% of the cases). Reasons included fatty liver (n = 9), vascular anatomical variants (n = 4), incidental finding of hemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 1) and small (n = 5) or large for size (n = 5) graft volume. CT based imaging of the liver in combination with dedicated software plays a key role in the process of evaluation of candidates for LDLT. It may account for up to 1/3 of the contraindications for LDLT

Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation with ABO-Incompatible Grafts: A German Single Center Experience

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Armin D. Goralczyk

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Adult living donor liver transplantations (ALDLTs across the ABO blood group barrier have been reported in Asia, North Americas, and Europe, but not yet in Germany. Several strategies have been established to overcome the detrimental effects that are attached with such a disparity between donor and host, but no gold standard has yet emerged. Here, we present the first experiences with three ABO-incompatible adult living donor liver transplantations in Germany applying different immunosuppressive strategies. Four patient-donor couples were considered for ABO-incompatible ALDLT. In these patients, resident ABO blood group antibodies (isoagglutinins were depleted by plasmapheresis or immunoadsorption and replenishment was inhibited by splenectomy and/or B-cell-targeted immunosuppression. Despite different treatments ALDLT could safely be performed in three patients and all patients had good initial graft function without signs for antibody-mediated rejection (AMR. Two patients had long-term graft survival with stable graft function. We thus propose the feasibility of ABO-incompatible ALDLT with these protocols and advocate further expansion of ABO incompatible ALDLT in multicenter trials to improve efficacy and safety.

Live liver donors’ risk thresholds: risking a life to save a life

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Molinari, Michele; Matz, Jacob; DeCoutere, Sarah; El-Tawil, Karim; Abu-Wasel, Bassam; Keough, Valerie

2014-01-01

Background There is still some controversy regarding the ethical issues involved in live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and there is uncertainty on the range of perioperative morbidity and mortality risks that donors will consider acceptable. Methods This study analysed donors’ inclinations towards LDLT using decision analysis techniques based on the probability trade-off (PTO) method. Adult individuals with an emotional or biological relationship with a patient affected by end-stage liver disease were enrolled. Of 122 potential candidates, 100 were included in this study. Results The vast majority of participants (93%) supported LDLT. The most important factor influencing participants’ decisions was their wish to improve the recipient's chance of living a longer life. Participants chose to become donors if the recipient was required to wait longer than a mean ± standard deviation (SD) of 6 ± 5 months for a cadaveric graft, if the mean ± SD probability of survival was at least 46 ± 30% at 1 month and at least 36 ± 29% at 1 year, and if the recipient's life could be prolonged for a mean ± SD of at least 11 ± 22 months. Conclusions Potential donors were risk takers and were willing to donate when given the opportunity. They accepted significant risks, especially if they had a close emotional relationship with the recipient. PMID:24251593

Effect and Outcome of Intraoperative Fluid Restriction in Living Liver Donor Hepatectomy.

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Wang, Chih-Hsien; Cheng, Kwok-Wai; Chen, Chao-Long; Wu, Shao-Chun; Shih, Tsung-Hsiao; Yang, Sheng-Chun; Lee, Ying-En; Jawan, Bruno; Huang, Chiu-En; Juang, Sin-Ei; Huang, Chia-Jung

2017-11-10

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect and outcome of intraoperative fluid restriction in living liver donor hepatectomy, regarding changes in intraoperative CVP levels, blood loss, and postoperative renal function. MATERIAL AND METHODS The charts of 167 patients were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Intraoperative central venous pressure levels, blood loss, fluids infused, and urine output per hour, before and after the liver allograft procurement, were calculated. Perioperative renal functions were also analyzed. RESULTS Fluid infused before and after liver allograft procurement was 3.21±1.5 and 9.0±3.9 mL/Kg/h and urine output was 1.5±0.7 and 1.8±1.4 mL/Kg/h, respectively. Intraoperative estimated blood loss was 91.3±78.9 mL. No patients required blood transfusion. Their preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin were 12.3±2.7 and 11.7±1.7 g/dL. CVP levels decreased gradually from 10.4±3.0 to a low of 8.1±1.9 mmHg at the time of transection of the liver parenchyma. Renal functions were not significantly affected based on the determination of BUN and creatinine levels. CONCLUSIONS The methods used to lower CVP are moderate and slow, with 2 main goals achieved: minimal blood loss (91.3±78.9 ml) and no blood transfusion. Furthermore, it did not have any negative effect on renal function.

Preoperative predictors of blood component transfusion in living donor liver transplantation

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R N Makroo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Extensive bleeding associated with liver transplantation is a major challenge faced by transplant surgeons, worldwide. Aims: To evaluate the blood component consumption and determine preoperative factors that predict the same in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT. Settings and Design: This prospective study was performed for a 1 year period, from March 2010 to February 2011. Materials and Methods: Intra- and postoperative utilization of blood components in 152 patients undergoing LDLT was evaluated and preoperative patient parameters like age, gender, height, weight, disease etiology, hemoglobin (Hb, hematocrit (Hct, platelet count (Plt, total leukocyte count (TLC, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT, international normalized ratio (INR, serum bilirubin (T. bilirubin, total proteins (T. proteins, albumin to globulin ratio (A/G ratio, serum creatinine (S. creatinine, blood urea (B. urea, and serum electrolytes were assessed to determine their predictive values. Univariate and stepwise discriminant analysis identified those factors, which could predict the consumption of each blood component. Results: The average utilization of packed red cells (PRCs, cryoprecipitates (cryo, apheresis platelets, and fresh frozen plasma was 8.48 units, 2.19 units, 0.93 units, and 2,025 ml, respectively. Disease etiology and blood component consumption were significantly correlated. Separate prediction models which could predict consumption of each blood component in intra and postoperative phase of LDLT were derived from among the preoperative Hb, Hct, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD score, body surface area (BSA, Plt, T. proteins, S. creatinine, B. urea, INR, and serum sodium and chloride. Conclusions: Preoperative variables can effectively predict the blood component requirements during liver transplantation, thereby allowing blood transfusion services in being better prepared for surgical procedure.

Feasibility of semiautomated MR volumetry using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI at hepatobiliary phase for living liver donors.

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Lee, Jeongjin; Kim, Kyoung Won; Kim, So Yeon; Kim, Bohyoung; Lee, So Jung; Kim, Hyoung Jung; Lee, Jong Seok; Lee, Moon Gyu; Song, Gi-Won; Hwang, Shin; Lee, Sung-Gyu

2014-09-01

To assess the feasibility of semiautomated MR volumetry using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI at the hepatobiliary phase compared with manual CT volumetry. Forty potential live liver donor candidates who underwent MR and CT on the same day, were included in our study. Semiautomated MR volumetry was performed using gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI at the hepatobiliary phase. We performed the quadratic MR image division for correction of the bias field inhomogeneity. With manual CT volumetry as the reference standard, we calculated the average volume measurement error of the semiautomated MR volumetry. We also calculated the mean of the number and time of the manual editing, edited volume, and total processing time. The average volume measurement errors of the semiautomated MR volumetry were 2.35% ± 1.22%. The average values of the numbers of editing, operation times of manual editing, edited volumes, and total processing time for the semiautomated MR volumetry were 1.9 ± 0.6, 8.1 ± 2.7 s, 12.4 ± 8.8 mL, and 11.7 ± 2.9 s, respectively. Semiautomated liver MR volumetry using hepatobiliary phase gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI with the quadratic MR image division is a reliable, easy, and fast tool to measure liver volume in potential living liver donors. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of living liver donors using contrast enhanced multidetector CT – The radiologists impact on donor selection

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Ringe Kristina

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT is a valuable and legitimate treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. Computed tomography (CT has proven to be an important tool in the process of donor evaluation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of CT in the donor selection process. Methods Between May 1999 and October 2010 170 candidate donors underwent biphasic CT. We retrospectively reviewed the results of the CT and liver volumetry, and assessed reasons for rejection. Results 89 candidates underwent partial liver resection (52.4%. Based on the results of liver CT and volumetry 22 candidates were excluded as donors (31% of the cases. Reasons included fatty liver (n = 9, vascular anatomical variants (n = 4, incidental finding of hemangioma and focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 1 and small (n = 5 or large for size (n = 5 graft volume. Conclusion CT based imaging of the liver in combination with dedicated software plays a key role in the process of evaluation of candidates for LDLT. It may account for up to 1/3 of the contraindications for LDLT.

Potential etiopathogenesis of seventh day syndrome following living donor liver transplantation: ischemia of the graft?

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Lan, Xiang; Li, Bo; Wang, Xiao-Fei; Wei, Yong-Gang; Yan, Lu-Nan; Zhao, Ji-Chun

2010-02-01

Seventh-day syndrome (7DS) is an early serious complication following liver transplantation with a high mortality because of its unknown etiopathogenesis. This study aimed to analyze the potential etiopathogenesis of 7DS. A retrospective analysis of 98 consecutive living donor liver transplants performed from 2001 to 2007 at our center revealed that 5 patients had suffered from 7DS; their age, MELD score, portal vein inflow and other parameters were compared with those of the other recipients. The 5 patients showed common features: (a) initial uneventful recovery, and a dramatic rise of serum liver enzyme levels 1 to 2 weeks later; (b) decreased inflow in the portal vein accompanied by augmentation of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen level; and (c) serial liver biopsy findings of apoptosis and ischemic necrosis of hepatocytes. Four of the 5 patients died. Age, waiting time to transplantation, MELD score, operation time, cold ischemic time, portal interceptive time and diameter of the portal vein were not significantly different between the 2 groups, but a difference was found in the flow rate of the portal vein (t=3.234, P<0.001). The 5 patients suffered from a decreased portal vein inflow, ischemic liver necrosis, and renal failure. Hence, hypoperfusion of the liver graft was considered to be the etiopathogenesis of 7DS, for which, however sufficient evidence is lacking. More studies of 7DS are needed.

Decision-making and risk-assessment in living liver donation: how informed is the informed consent of donors? A qualitative study.

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Papachristou, Christina; Walter, Marc; Marc, Walter; Frommer, Joerg; Frommer, Jeorg; Klapp, Burghard F

2010-01-01

The practice of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been increasing over the past 20 years. In LDLT, a healthy individual offers a substantial part of his or her liver (up to 60%) for the benefit of a terminally-ill recipient. The aim of the study was to identify decision-making and risk-assessment patterns of living liver donors and assess whether the principles of informed consent and decision autonomy are being met. The authors conducted semistructured clinical interviews with 28 donors before transplantation. The authors found that a decision was being reached before a decision-making process could take place. Surgery risks were perceived and processed in different ways, including the factors of risk-awareness, denial, limited acceptance, and fatalism. The authors assess concepts of informed consent and decision autonomy in LDLT, and offer suggestions for donor selection.

Association of liver enzymes and computed tomography markers of liver steatosis with familial longevity.

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Michiel Sala

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Familial longevity is marked by enhanced peripheral but not hepatic insulin sensitivity. The liver has a critical role in the pathogenesis of hepatic insulin resistance. Therefore we hypothesized that the extent of liver steatosis would be similar between offspring of long-lived siblings and control subjects. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the extent of liver steatosis in non-diabetic offspring of long-lived siblings and age-matched controls by measuring liver enzymes in plasma and liver fat by computed tomography (CT. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured nonfasting alanine transaminase (ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST, and Υ-glutamyl transferase (GGT in 1625 subjects (736 men, mean age 59.1 years from the Leiden Longevity Study, comprising offspring of long-lived siblings and partners thereof. In a random subgroup, fasting serum samples (n = 230 were evaluated and CT was performed (n = 268 for assessment of liver-spleen (L/S ratio and the prevalence of moderate-to-severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD. Linear mixed model analysis was performed adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, use of alcohol and hepatotoxic medication, and correlation of sibling relationship. RESULTS: Offspring of long-lived siblings had higher nonfasting ALT levels as compared to control subjects (24.3 mmol/L versus 23.2 mmol/L, p = 0.03, while AST and GGT levels were similar between the two groups. All fasting liver enzyme levels were similar between the two groups. CT L/S ratio and prevalence of moderate-to-severe NAFLD was similar between groups (1.12 vs 1.14, p = 0.25 and 8% versus 8%, p = 0.91, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Except for nonfasting levels of ALT, which were slightly higher in the offspring of long-lived siblings compared to controls, no differences were found between groups in the extent of liver steatosis, as assessed with liver biochemical tests and CT. Thus, our data indicate that the extent of liver

Association of liver enzymes and computed tomography markers of liver steatosis with familial longevity.

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Sala, Michiel; Kroft, Lucia J M; Röell, Boudewijn; van der Grond, Jeroen; Slagboom, P Eline; Mooijaart, Simon P; de Roos, Albert; van Heemst, Diana

2014-01-01

Familial longevity is marked by enhanced peripheral but not hepatic insulin sensitivity. The liver has a critical role in the pathogenesis of hepatic insulin resistance. Therefore we hypothesized that the extent of liver steatosis would be similar between offspring of long-lived siblings and control subjects. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the extent of liver steatosis in non-diabetic offspring of long-lived siblings and age-matched controls by measuring liver enzymes in plasma and liver fat by computed tomography (CT). We measured nonfasting alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and Υ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in 1625 subjects (736 men, mean age 59.1 years) from the Leiden Longevity Study, comprising offspring of long-lived siblings and partners thereof. In a random subgroup, fasting serum samples (n = 230) were evaluated and CT was performed (n = 268) for assessment of liver-spleen (L/S) ratio and the prevalence of moderate-to-severe non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Linear mixed model analysis was performed adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, use of alcohol and hepatotoxic medication, and correlation of sibling relationship. Offspring of long-lived siblings had higher nonfasting ALT levels as compared to control subjects (24.3 mmol/L versus 23.2 mmol/L, p = 0.03), while AST and GGT levels were similar between the two groups. All fasting liver enzyme levels were similar between the two groups. CT L/S ratio and prevalence of moderate-to-severe NAFLD was similar between groups (1.12 vs 1.14, p = 0.25 and 8% versus 8%, p = 0.91, respectively). Except for nonfasting levels of ALT, which were slightly higher in the offspring of long-lived siblings compared to controls, no differences were found between groups in the extent of liver steatosis, as assessed with liver biochemical tests and CT. Thus, our data indicate that the extent of liver steatosis is similar between offspring of long-lived siblings and

Accuracy of Estimation of Graft Size for Living-Related Liver Transplantation: First Results of a Semi-Automated Interactive Software for CT-Volumetry

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Mokry, Theresa; Bellemann, Nadine; Müller, Dirk; Lorenzo Bermejo, Justo; Klauß, Miriam; Stampfl, Ulrike; Radeleff, Boris; Schemmer, Peter; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich; Sommer, Christof-Matthias

2014-01-01

Objectives To evaluate accuracy of estimated graft size for living-related liver transplantation using a semi-automated interactive software for CT-volumetry. Materials and Methods Sixteen donors for living-related liver transplantation (11 male; mean age: 38.2±9.6 years) underwent contrast-enhanced CT prior to graft removal. CT-volumetry was performed using a semi-automated interactive software (P), and compared with a manual commercial software (TR). For P, liver volumes were provided either with or without vessels. For TR, liver volumes were provided always with vessels. Intraoperative weight served as reference standard. Major study goals included analyses of volumes using absolute numbers, linear regression analyses and inter-observer agreements. Minor study goals included the description of the software workflow: degree of manual correction, speed for completion, and overall intuitiveness using five-point Likert scales: 1–markedly lower/faster/higher for P compared with TR, 2–slightly lower/faster/higher for P compared with TR, 3–identical for P and TR, 4–slightly lower/faster/higher for TR compared with P, and 5–markedly lower/faster/higher for TR compared with P. Results Liver segments II/III, II–IV and V–VIII served in 6, 3, and 7 donors as transplanted liver segments. Volumes were 642.9±368.8 ml for TR with vessels, 623.8±349.1 ml for P with vessels, and 605.2±345.8 ml for P without vessels (Pvolumetry performed with P can predict accurately graft size for living-related liver transplantation while improving workflow compared with TR. PMID:25330198

Impact of future remnant liver volume on post-hepatectomy regeneration in non-cirrhotic livers

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Duilio ePagano

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of the study is to detect if some parameters can be considered as predictors of liver regeneration in two different patient populations composed of in living donors for adult to adult living donor liver transplant and patients with hepatic malignancies within a single institution.Summary Background Data: Preoperative multi-detector computed tomography volumetry is an essential tool to assess the volume of the remnant liver. Methods: a retrospective analysis from an ongoing clinical study on 100 liver resections, between 2004 and 2010. 70 patients were right lobe living donors for liver transplantation and 30 patients were resected for treatment of tumors. Pre-surgical factors such as age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI, original liver volume, future remnant liver volume (FRLV, spleen volume, liver function tests, creatinine, platelet count, steatosis, portal vein embolization (PVE and number of resected segments were analyzed to evidence potential markers for liver regeneration. Results: Follow-up period did not influence the amount of liver regenerated: the linear regression evidenced that there is no correlation between percentage of liver regeneration and time of follow-up (p=0.88. The pre-surgical variables that resulted markers of liver regeneration include higher preoperative values of BMI (p=0.01, bilirubin(p=0.04, glucose (p=0.05 and GGT (p=0.014; the most important association was revealed regarding the lower FRLV (pConclusions: Liver regeneration follows similar pathway in living donor and in patients resected for cancer. Small FRLV tends to regenerate more and faster, confirming that a larger resections may lead to a greater promotion of liver regeneration in patients with optimal conditions in terms of body habitus, preoperative liver function tests and glucose level.

Improving lives through a bioartificial liver support system

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Naidoo, K

2008-11-01

Full Text Available This poster covers the development of a technology towards a novel bioartificial liver support system (BALSS) that is capable of providing liver functions, in patients with acute liver failure, while housed outside the body (extra corporeal...

Risk Factors Associated with Increased Morbidity in Living Liver Donation

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Helry L. Candido

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Living donor liver donation (LDLD is an alternative to cadaveric liver donation. We aimed at identifying risk factors and developing a score for prediction of postoperative complications (POCs after LDLD in donors. This is a retrospective cohort study in 688 donors between June 1995 and February 2014 at Hospital Sírio-Libanês and A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, in São Paulo, Brazil. Primary outcome was POC graded ≥III according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Left lateral segment (LLS, left lobe (LL, and right lobe resections (RL were conducted in 492 (71.4%, 109 (15.8%, and 87 (12.6% donors, respectively. In total, 43 (6.2% developed POCs, which were more common after RL than LLS and LL (14/87 (16.1% versus 23/492 (4.5% and 6/109 (5.5%, resp., p<0.001. Multivariate analysis showed that RL resection (OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.32 to 3.01; p=0.008, smoking status (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.35 to 7.56; p=0.012, and blood transfusion (OR: 3.15, 95% CI: 1.45 to 6.84; p=0.004 were independently associated with POCs. RL resection, intraoperative blood transfusion, and smoking were associated with increased risk for POCs in donors.

Solo Living - the meaning of home for persons living alone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Toke Haunstrup

observed. Firstly, solo livers emphasize independence from others as important. Several of the informants have had negative experiences with living together with a partner, and they like the feeling of being independent. At the same time, most informants also keep a door open for the possibility of moving...... together with "the right one", which indicates that ambiguity is related to the situation of solo living. Secondly, some of the solo livers spend more time outside home (occupied by leisure activities or together with friends) compared to people living in family households in general, which suggests...... a different balance between time at home and outside home for some solo livers....

Comparable Short- and Long-term Outcomes in Living Donor and Deceased Donor Liver Transplantations for Patients With Model for End-stage Liver Disease Scores ≥35 in a Hepatitis-B Endemic Area.

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Chok, Kenneth S H; Fung, James Y Y; Chan, Albert C Y; Dai, Wing Chiu; Sharr, William W; Cheung, Tan To; Chan, See Ching; Lo, Chung Mau

2017-01-01

To evaluate if living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) should be offered to patients with Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores ≥35. No data was available to support LDLT of such patients. Data of 672 consecutive adult liver transplant recipients from 2005 to 2014 at our center were reviewed. Patients with MELD scores ≥35 were divided into the deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) group and the LDLT group and were compared. Univariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors affecting survival. The LDLT group (n = 54) had younger (33 yrs vs 50 yrs, P standard-liver-volume rates (51.28% vs 99.76%, P Hong Kong, where most waitlisted patients have acute-on-chronic liver failure from hepatitis B, LDLT is a wise alternative to DDLT.

Higher Bilirubin Levels of Healthy Living Liver Donors Are Associated With Lower Posttransplant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence.

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Han, Sangbin; Yang, Ju Dong; Sinn, Dong Hyun; Ko, Justin Sangwook; Kim, Jong Man; Shin, Jun Chul; Son, Hee Jeong; Gwak, Mi Sook; Joh, Jae-Won; Kim, Gaab Soo

2016-09-01

Serum bilirubin level, which may reflect the host defense against increased oxidative stress, is inversely associated with the risk of cancer development. In liver transplantation, the intrinsic bilirubin metabolism of donor liver is subsequently translated into recipient. Thus, we hypothesized that liver transplantation conducted with living donors with higher serum bilirubin reduces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence. Two hundred fifty recipients who underwent liver transplantation for treating HCC within the Milan criteria were included in the study. The association between donor preoperative total bilirubin concentration and the risk of HCC recurrence was analyzed using the Fine and Gray regression model with posttransplant death as a competing risk event with adjustment for tumor biology including α-fetoprotein, histological differentiation, and microvascular invasion. All donors were confirmed to have no underlying hepatobiliary diseases or hematological disorders. Donor preoperative total bilirubin concentration was 0.7 mg/dL in median and ranged from 0.2 to 2.7 mg/dL. Thirty-five (14.0%) recipients developed HCC recurrence. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that donor preoperative total bilirubin concentration was inversely associated with the recurrence risk (hazard ratio, 0.22; 95% confidence interval, 0.07-0.72; P = 0.013). The highest (≥1.0 mg/dL) versus lowest (≤0.6 mg/dL) tertile of donor preoperative total bilirubin showed a significant reduction of the recurrence risk (hazard ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.11-0.70; P = 0.006). Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence risk decreases in relation to the increase in total serum bilirubin level of healthy living donors without underlying hepatobiliary or hematological disorders. Further validation of bilirubin as a potent anticancer substance against HCC is warranted.

Living-donor vs deceased-donor liver transplantation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

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Akamatsu, Nobuhisa; Sugawara, Yasuhiko; Kokudo, Norihiro

2014-09-27

With the increasing prevalence of living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), some authors have reported a potential increase in the HCC recurrence rates among LDLT recipients compared to deceased-donor liver transplantation (DDLT) recipients. The aim of this review is to encompass current opinions and clinical reports regarding differences in the outcome, especially the recurrence of HCC, between LDLT and DDLT. While some studies report impaired recurrence - free survival and increased recurrence rates among LDLT recipients, others, including large database studies, report comparable recurrence - free survival and recurrence rates between LDLT and DDLT. Studies supporting the increased recurrence in LDLT have linked graft regeneration to tumor progression, but we found no association between graft regeneration/initial graft volume and tumor recurrence among our 125 consecutive LDLTs for HCC cases. In the absence of a prospective study regarding the use of LDLT vs DDLT for HCC patients, there is no evidence to support the higher HCC recurrence after LDLT than DDLT, and LDLT remains a reasonable treatment option for HCC patients with cirrhosis.

Recurrência da Hepatite C após transplante hepático de doador vivo e falecido Hepatitis C recurrence after living donor and cadaveric liver transplantation

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Júlio Cezar Uili Coelho

2009-03-01

nos receptores de transplante hepático de doador falecido e de doador vivo.OBJECTIVE: To determine the recurrence of hepatitis C in patients subjected to living donor liver transplantation compared to those subjected to cadaveric liver transplantation. METHODS: Of a total of 333 liver transplantations, 279 (83.8% were cadaveric liver transplantation and 54 (16.2% living donor liver transplantation. Hepatic cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus was the most common indication of both cadaveric liver transplantation (82 patients and living donor liver transplantation (19 patients. The electronic study protocols of all patients with hepatic cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus were reviewed. All data, including patients' age and sex, laboratory tests, hepatitis C virus recurrence and acute rejection were evaluated statistically. RESULTS: A total of 55 cadaveric liver transplantation and 10 living donor liver transplantation performed in patients with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus was included in the study. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of the two groups before the transplantation were similar, except for the prothrombin time that was higher for the cadaveric liver transplantation than the living donor liver transplantation (P = 0.04. Hepatitis C virus recurrence was similar in the cadaveric liver transplantation (n = 37; 69.3% and living donor liver transplantation (n = 7; 70% groups (P = 0.8. The incidence of acute rejection was similar in cadaveric liver transplantation (n = 27; 49% and living donor liver transplantation (n = 2; 20% groups (P = 0.08. Hepatitis C virus recurrence in patients of the cadaveric liver transplantation group who received bolus doses of corticosteroids (9 of 11 patients was similar to the remained patients (28 of 44 patients (P = 0.25. Recurrence was also similar in patients of the living donor liver transplantation group who received bolus doses of corticosteroids (one of one patient in relation to those who did not receive

Comparative Peripheral Blood T Cells Analysis Between Adult Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation (DDLT) and Living Donor Liver Transplantation (LDLT).

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Kim, Jong Man; Kwon, Choon Hyuck David; Joh, Jae-Won; Choi, Gyu-Seong; Kang, Eun-Suk; Lee, Suk-Koo

2017-08-08

BACKGROUND T lymphocytes are an essential component of allograft rejection and tolerance. The aim of the present study was to analyze and compare the characteristics of T cell subsets in patients who underwent deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) versus living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). MATERIAL AND METHODS Between April 2013 and June 2014, 64 patients underwent adult liver transplantation. The distribution of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets before transplantation and at 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks post-transplantation were monitored serially. RESULTS In the serial peripheral blood samples, the absolute CD3+ T cell counts in the LDLT group were higher than those in the DDLT group (p=0.037). The CD4+, CD8+, CD4/CD8, Vδ1, Vδ2, and γδ T cell counts did not change significantly over time in either group. The Vδ1/Vδ2 ratio was higher in patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection than in patients without CMV infection (0.12 versus 0.26; p=0.033). The median absolute CD3+ and CD8+ T cell counts in patients with biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) were 884 (range, 305-1,320) and 316 (range, 271-1,077), respectively, whereas they were 320 (range, 8-1,167) and 257 (range, 58-1,472) in patients without BPAR. The absolute CD3+ and CD8 T cell counts were higher in patients with BPAR than in patients without BPAR (p=0.007 and p=0.039, respectively). CONCLUSIONS With the exception of CD3+ T cells, T cell populations did not differ significantly between patients who received DDLT versus LDLT. In liver transplantation patients, CMV infection and BPAR were closely associated with T cell population changes.

Preoperative selective desensitization of live donor liver transplant recipients considering the degree of T lymphocyte cross-match titer, model for end-stage liver disease score, and graft liver volume.

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Hong, Geun; Yi, Nam-Joon; Suh, Suk-won; Yoo, Tae; Kim, Hyeyoung; Park, Min-Su; Choi, YoungRok; Lee, Kyungbun; Lee, Kwang-Woong; Park, Myoung Hee; Suh, Kyung-Suk

2014-05-01

Several studies have suggested that a positive lymphocyte cross-matching (XM) is associated with low graft survival rates and a high prevalence of acute rejection after adult living donor liver transplantations (ALDLTs) using a small-for-size graft. However, there is still no consensus on preoperative desensitization. We adopted the desensitization protocol from ABO-incompatible LDLT. We performed desensitization for the selected patients according to the degree of T lymphocyte cross-match titer, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and graft liver volume. We retrospectively evaluated 230 consecutive ALDLT recipients for 5 yr. Eleven recipients (4.8%) showed a positive XM. Among them, five patients with the high titer (> 1:16) by antihuman globulin-augmented method (T-AHG) and one with a low titer but a high MELD score of 36 were selected for desensitization: rituximab injection and plasmapheresis before the transplantation. There were no major side effects of desensitization. Four of the patients showed successful depletion of the T-AHG titer. There was no mortality and hyperacute rejection in lymphocyte XM-positive patients, showing no significant difference in survival outcome between two groups (P=1.000). In conclusion, this desensitization protocol for the selected recipients considering the degree of T lymphocyte cross-match titer, MELD score, and graft liver volume is feasible and safe.

3D CT modeling of hepatic vessel architecture and volume calculation in living donated liver transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frericks, Bernd B.; Caldarone, Franco C.; Savellano, Dagmar Hoegemann; Stamm, Georg; Kirchhoff, Timm D.; Shin, Hoen-Oh; Galanski, Michael; Nashan, Bjoern; Klempnauer, Juergen; Schenk, Andrea; Selle, Dirk; Spindler, Wolf; Peitgen, Heinz-Otto

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a software tool for non-invasive preoperative volumetric assessment of potential donors in living donated liver transplantation (LDLT). Biphasic helical CT was performed in 56 potential donors. Data sets were post-processed using a non-commercial software tool for segmentation, volumetric analysis and visualisation of liver segments. Semi-automatic definition of liver margins allowed the segmentation of parenchyma. Hepatic vessels were delineated using a region-growing algorithm with automatically determined thresholds. Volumes and shapes of liver segments were calculated automatically based on individual portal-venous branches. Results were visualised three-dimensionally and statistically compared with conventional volumetry and the intraoperative findings in 27 transplanted cases. Image processing was easy to perform within 23 min. Of the 56 potential donors, 27 were excluded from LDLT because of inappropriate liver parenchyma or vascular architecture. Two recipients were not transplanted due to poor clinical conditions. In the 27 transplanted cases, preoperatively visualised vessels were confirmed, and only one undetected accessory hepatic vein was revealed. Calculated graft volumes were 1110±180 ml for right lobes, 820 ml for the left lobe and 270±30 ml for segments II+III. The calculated volumes and intraoperatively measured graft volumes correlated significantly. No significant differences between the presented automatic volumetry and the conventional volumetry were observed. A novel image processing technique was evaluated which allows a semi-automatic volume calculation and 3D visualisation of the different liver segments. (orig.)

Donor Outcomes in Living Donor Liver Transplantation-Analysis of 275 Donors From a Single Centre in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Narasimhan, Gomathy; Safwan, Mohamed; Kota, Venugopal; Reddy, Mettu S; Bharathan, Anand; Dabora, Abderrhaim; Kaliamoorthy, Ilankumaran; Kanagavelu, Rathnavel G; Srinivasan, Vijaya; Rela, Mohamed

2016-06-01

Live donor liver transplantation is the predominant form of liver transplantation in India and in most Asian countries. Donor outcome reports are an important source of information to be shared with prospective donors at the time of informed consent. This is the first donor outcome series from India. Analysis of donor characteristics and morbidity of 275 live donors from a single large volume center is documented. Two hundred seventy-five patients donated from November 2009 to October 2014, 144 were women and 131 were men, 180 donated to adults and 95 donated to children. Right lobe donors were majority at 62.2% followed by left lateral segment 28%. Two thirds of the live donors did not have any morbidity; 114 complications were encountered in 85 patients. The complications were graded as per Clavien 5 tier grading and major morbidity (grade III b, grade IV grade V) was 4.36%. Postoperative biliary complication was seen in 3 donors. This large single-center study is the first donor outcome report from India, and the results are comparable to other published donor series. Documentation and regular audit of donor outcomes is important to help improve the safety of donor hepatectomy and to provide a database for informed consent of prospective donors.

A simple method to approximate liver size on cross-sectional images using living liver models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muggli, D.; Mueller, M.A.; Karlo, C.; Fornaro, J.; Marincek, B.; Frauenfelder, T.

2009-01-01

Aim: To assess whether a simple. diameter-based formula applicable to cross-sectional images can be used to calculate the total liver volume. Materials and methods: On 119 cross-sectional examinations (62 computed tomography and 57 magnetic resonance imaging) a simple, formula-based method to approximate the liver volume was evaluated. The total liver volume was approximated measuring the largest craniocaudal (cc), ventrodorsal (vd), and coronal (cor) diameters by two readers and implementing the equation: Vol estimated =ccxvdxcorx0.31. Inter-rater reliability, agreement, and correlation between liver volume calculation and virtual liver volumetry were analysed. Results: No significant disagreement between the two readers was found. The formula correlated significantly with the volumetric data (r > 0.85, p < 0.0001). In 81% of cases the error of the approximated volume was <10% and in 92% of cases <15% compared to the volumetric data. Conclusion: Total liver volume can be accurately estimated on cross-sectional images using a simple, diameter-based equation.

Postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio of living-donor liver transplant: Association with graft size

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Hironori Hayashi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Issues related to small-for-size grafts in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT are highly important. The neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR has been reported to be an inexpensive index of systemic inflammation for various diseases. We retrospectively evaluated the relationship between NLR and clinical course of 61 adult LDLT recipients in our institute until post-operative day 14. Patients were classified into two groups based on the graft volume divided by standard liver volume, as over 35% of graft volume divided by standard liver volume (GV/SLV (Group L; n = 55 and under 35% of GV/SLV (Group S; n = 6. No differences were seen in background of the patients between the two groups. Also, absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet counts in both the groups showed no significant differences. In contrast, the NLR between the groups differed significantly from post-operative day 3 to 10, being higher in the Group S. In addition, the incidence of prolonged hyperbilirubinemia and small for size graft syndrome differed significantly between the two groups. Therefore, the elevation of post-operative NLR in the smaller graft group reflect suggestive pathophysiology of endothelial injuries that related to small for size graft syndrome in LDLT.

Imaging of dihydrofolate reductase fusion gene expression in xenografts of human liver metastases of colorectal cancer in living rats

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Mayer-Kuckuk, Philipp; Bertino, Joseph R.; Banerjee, Debabrata [Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States); The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/UMDNJ, 195 Little Albany Street, NJ 08903, New Brunswick (United States); Doubrovin, Mikhail; Blasberg, Ronald; Tjuvajev, Juri Gelovani [Department of Neurooncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States); Gusani, Niraj J.; Fong, Yuman [Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States); Gade, Terence; Koutcher, Jason A. [Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States); Balatoni, Julius; Finn, Ronald [Radiochemistry/Cyclotron Core Facility, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States); Akhurst, Tim; Larson, Steven [Nuclear Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (United States)

2003-09-01

Radionuclide imaging has been demonstrated to be feasible to monitor transgene expression in vivo. We hypothesized that a potential application of this technique is to non-invasively detect in deep tissue, such as cancer cells metastatic to the liver, a specific molecular response following systemic drug treatment. Utilizing human colon adenocarcinoma cells derived from a patient's liver lesion we first developed a nude rat xenograft model for colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver. Expression of a dihydrofolate reductase-herpes simplex virus 1 thymidine kinase fusion (DHFR-HSV1 TK) transgene in the hepatic tumors was monitored in individual animals using the tracer [{sup 124}I]2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-5-iodouracil-{beta}-d-arabinofuranoside (FIAU) and a small animal micro positron emission tomograph (microPET), while groups of rats were imaged using the tracer [{sup 131}I]FIAU and a clinical gamma camera. Growth of the human metastatic colorectal cancer cells in the rat liver was detected using magnetic resonance imaging and confirmed by surgical inspection. Single as well as multiple lesions of different sizes and sites were observed in the liver of the animals. Next, using a subset of rats bearing hepatic tumors, which were retrovirally bulk transduced to express the DHFR-HSV1 TK transgene, we imaged the fusion protein expression in the hepatic tumor of living rats using the tracer [{sup 124}I]FIAU and a microPET. The observed deep tissue signals were highly specific for the tumors expressing the DHFR-HSV1 TK fusion protein compared with parental untransduced tumors and other tissues as determined by gamma counting of tissue samples. A subsequent study used the tracer [{sup 131}I]FIAU and a gamma camera to monitor two groups of transduced hepatic tumor-bearing rats. Prior to imaging, one group was treated with trimetrexate to exploit DHFR-mediated upregulation of the fusion gene product. Imaging in the living animal as well as subsequent gamma

Operative outcomes of adult living donor liver transplantation and deceased donor liver transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Ping; Yu, Xin; Xia, Qiang

2014-04-01

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has emerged as an alternative to deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) because of the increasing number of patients waiting for liver transplantation (LT). However, whether it can achieve operative outcomes similar to those achieved with DDLT for adult patients remains controversial. We conducted this meta-analysis to compare the operative outcomes of LDLT and DDLT recipients. A literature search was performed to identify clinical controlled studies comparing LDLT and DDLT that were published before October 2013. Four perioperative outcomes [duration of the recipient operation (DRO), red blood cell (RBC) transfusion requirement, length of the hospital stay, and cold ischemia time (CIT)] and 5 postoperative complication outcomes (biliary complications, vascular complications, intra-abdominal bleeding, perioperative death, and retransplantation) were the main outcomes assessed. Nineteen studies with a total of 5450 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In comparison with DDLT, LDLT was associated with a significantly longer DRO and a shorter CIT. We found that biliary complications [odds ratio (OR) = 3.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.97-4.81, P < 0.001], vascular complications (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.32-3.54, P = 0.002), and retransplantation (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.09-2.83, P = 0.02) occurred more frequently for LDLT recipients, and the subgroup analysis indicated that the biliary complication rate decreased dramatically with greater LDLT experience. No significant difference was observed in RBC transfusion requirements, the lengths of hospital stays, intra-abdominal bleeding rates, or perioperative mortality between LDLT and DDLT recipients. In conclusion, LDLT is associated with a higher rate of surgical complications after transplantation. A reduction of postoperative complication rates can be achieved as centers gain greater experience with LDLT. However, LDLT is still

Unification venoplasty to cope with recipient portal vein anomaly during living donor liver transplantation.

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Kang, S-H; Hwang, S; Jung, D-H; Ahn, C-S; Moon, D-B; Ha, T-Y; Song, G-W; Kim, K-H; Park, G-C; Namgoong, J-M; Park, Y-H; Park, H-W; Jung, B-H; Lee, S-G

2013-10-01

To cope with recipient portal vein (PV) anomalies, such as early branching of the right posterior section (RPS), during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) surgery, we performed a simulation study to standardize the surgical technique for unification portal venoplasty. This study included an observational analysis of conventional methods utilizing RPS PV, simulation-based design of a new surgical technique, and clinical application of this new technique. In a case encountering RPS PV, a mild anastomotic PV stenosis was persistent over 6 months postsurgery, indicating the need for technical refinement. After computational simulation analysis, we found that simple suturing of the PV branch patch automatically resulted in a funnel-shaped elongation. A prospective recipient study (n = 30) indicated that usual PV reconstruction via the PV bifurcation method is feasible in the absence of unusual donor or recipient PV anomaly. Retrospective living donor PV anatomy analysis (n = 20) revealed that 20-mm-long limbs of the first-order PV branches are necessary to make a 10- to l5-mm-long funneled PV stump. This technique of unification venoplasty for an anomalous recipient PV was applied to an adult patient undergoing LDLT with a right liver graft, for which it was shown to be technically feasible and effective. A simplified unification venoplasty technique was developed to cope with a recipient PV anomaly in adult LDLT. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Identification of IL-28B Genotype Modification in Hepatocytes after Living Donor Liver Transplantation by Laser Capture Microdissection and Pyrosequencing Analysis

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King-Wah Chiu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to elucidate the biogenetic modification of donor and recipient interleukin-28B (IL-28B genotypes in liver graft biopsies after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT for chronic hepatitis C virus- (HCV- related, end-stage liver disease. Fifty liver graft biopsies were collected from recipients during LDLT treatment for HCV-related, end-stage liver disease. DNA was extracted from all 50 liver tissues, and the IL-28B single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs rs8099917 and rs12979860 were studied for allelic discrimination by real-time PCR analysis. Blood samples were obtained from donors and recipients on postoperative day 0 (POD0, POD7, and POD30. We randomly selected five liver biopsies and isolated the hepatocytes by laser capture microdissection (LCM to evaluate genotype modifications resulting from LDLT. After LDLT, the IL-28B SNP rs8099917 was identified not only in the liver graft biopsies and donors’ sera (TT = 41 : 43; GT = 9 : 5; GG = 0 : 2, but also in liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD0 (TT = 41 : 44; GT = 9 : 4; GG = 0 : 2, POD7 (TT = 41 : 30; GT = 9 : 18; GG = 0 : 2, and POD30 (TT = 41 : 29; GT = 9 : 19; GG = 0 : 2. A significant difference was observed between the rs8099917 allele frequencies of liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD30 (p=0.039. In addition, a significant difference was also noted between the rs12979860 allele frequencies of liver graft biopsies and donors’ sera (CT = 49 : 39; TT = 1 : 10 (p=0.012 and of liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD0 (CT = 49 : 39; TT = 1 : 11 (p=0.002, POD7 (CT = 49 : 42; TT = 1 : 8 (p=0.016, and POD30 (CT = 49 : 41; TT = 1 : 9 (p=0.008. This phenomenon was confirmed by pyrosequencing of hepatocytes isolated by LCM. Following LDLT, the TT-to-GT IL-28B genotype modification predominated in rs8099917, and the CC-to-CT modification predominated

Bile duct anastomotic stricture after pediatric living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chok, Kenneth S H; Chan, See Ching; Chan, Kwong Leung; Sharr, William W; Tam, Paul K H; Fan, Sheung Tat; Lo, Chung Mau

2012-07-01

Hepaticojejunostomy is a well-accepted method, whereas duct-to-duct anastomosis is gaining popularity for bile duct reconstruction in pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Biliary complications, especially biliary anastomotic stricture (BAS), are not clearly defined. The aim of the present study is to determine the rate of BAS and its associated risk factors. The study included 78 pediatric patients (duct-to-duct anastomosis during LDLT. The median follow-up period for the BAS group and the non-BAS group was 57.8 and 79.5 months, respectively (P = .683). Ten of the patients with BAS required percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage with or without dilatation for treating the stricture. Multivariable analysis showed that hepatic artery thrombosis and duct-to-duct anastomosis were 2 risk factors associated with BAS. In pediatric LDLT, hepaticojejunostomy is the preferred method for bile duct reconstruction, but more large-scale research needs to be done to reconfirm this result. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection of biliary and vascular anatomy in living liver donors: Value of gadobenate dimeglumine enhanced MR and MDCT angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artioli, Diana; Tagliabue, Marianna; Aseni, Paolo; Sironi, Sandro; Vanzulli, Angelo

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the performance of magnetic resonance (MR) and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the assessment of living donor's vascular and biliary anatomy, having surgical findings as reference standard. Methods: Thirty-two living liver donors underwent MR cholangiography (1.5-T; standard cholangiography pulse sequences and delayed acquisitions after administration of biliary contrast agent) for biliary anatomy evaluation. MDCT (16-row multidetector scanner, multiphase protocol, 3 mm slice thickness) was also performed in all cases for the assessment of vascular anatomy before transplantation. Hepatic veins (<4 mm in diameter) were not considered. MR and MDCT images interpretation was performed by two reviewers by consensus, based on source axial images, multiplanar reformats, and three-dimensional (3D) postprocessing images. Surgical intraoperative findings were used as standard of reference. Results: At surgery, 17 biliary anomalies, 3 portal anomalies, 32 venous and 8 arterial variants were found in the 32 patients. MR correctly identified 15/17 biliary anomalies, with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 93%. MDCT correctly identified 8/8 arterial, 3/3 portal and 29/32 venous variants, with a sensitivity of 100% and 91%, respectively, and a specificity of 100%. Conclusions: MR and MDCT proved to be efficient in evaluating living liver donor's biliary and vascular anatomy.

Detection of biliary and vascular anatomy in living liver donors: Value of gadobenate dimeglumine enhanced MR and MDCT angiography

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Artioli, Diana, E-mail: diansadiana@gmail.com [Ospedale Niguarda Ca' Granda, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milano (Italy); Tagliabue, Marianna; Aseni, Paolo; Sironi, Sandro; Vanzulli, Angelo [Ospedale Niguarda Ca' Granda, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milano (Italy)

2010-11-15

Objective: To evaluate the performance of magnetic resonance (MR) and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the assessment of living donor's vascular and biliary anatomy, having surgical findings as reference standard. Methods: Thirty-two living liver donors underwent MR cholangiography (1.5-T; standard cholangiography pulse sequences and delayed acquisitions after administration of biliary contrast agent) for biliary anatomy evaluation. MDCT (16-row multidetector scanner, multiphase protocol, 3 mm slice thickness) was also performed in all cases for the assessment of vascular anatomy before transplantation. Hepatic veins (<4 mm in diameter) were not considered. MR and MDCT images interpretation was performed by two reviewers by consensus, based on source axial images, multiplanar reformats, and three-dimensional (3D) postprocessing images. Surgical intraoperative findings were used as standard of reference. Results: At surgery, 17 biliary anomalies, 3 portal anomalies, 32 venous and 8 arterial variants were found in the 32 patients. MR correctly identified 15/17 biliary anomalies, with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 93%. MDCT correctly identified 8/8 arterial, 3/3 portal and 29/32 venous variants, with a sensitivity of 100% and 91%, respectively, and a specificity of 100%. Conclusions: MR and MDCT proved to be efficient in evaluating living liver donor's biliary and vascular anatomy.

Usefulness of the 'Rendezvous' Technique in Living Related Right Liver Donors with Postoperative Biliary Leakage from Bile Duct Anastomosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miraglia, R.; Traina, M.; Maruzzelli, L.; Caruso, S.; Di Pisa, M.; Gruttadauria, S.; Luca, A.; Gridelli, B.

2008-01-01

This is a report on two cases of large bile leak following right hepatectomy performed for living related liver transplantation, originating from the stump of the ligated right bile duct, and treated with the placement of large percutaneous biliary catheters through a combined percutaneous transhepatic and endoscopic approach (rendezvous technique).

Bile duct reconstruction by a young surgeon in living donor liver transplantation using right liver graft.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Man; Cho, Wontae; Kwon, Choon Hyuck David; Joh, Jae-Won; Park, Jae Berm; Ko, Justin Sangwook; Gwak, Mi Sook; Kim, Gaab Soo; Kim, Sung Joo; Lee, Suk-Koo

2014-09-01

Biliary strictures and bile leaks account for the majority of biliary complications after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The aim of this study was to examine differences in biliary complications after adult LDLTs were performed by an experienced senior surgeon and an inexperienced junior surgeon. Surgeries included bile duct reconstruction after adult LDLT using a right liver graft, and risk factors for biliary stricture were identified. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 136 patients who underwent LDLT in order to identify patients who developed biliary complications. The senior surgeon performed 102 surgeries and the junior surgeon performed 34 surgeries. The proportion of patients with biliary stricture was similar between the senior and the junior surgeons (27.5% vs 26.5%; P = 0.911). However, the incidence of biliary leakage was higher in patients of the junior surgeon than in those of the senior surgeon (23.5% vs 2.9%; P = 0.001). The frequency of percutaneous drainage was also higher for the junior surgeon than the senior surgeon because of the junior surgeon's high leakage rate of the drainage. When the junior surgeon performed bile duct anastomosis, biliary leakage occurred in 7 patients between the 11th and 20th cases. However, biliary leakage occurred in only 1 case thereafter. Bile duct reconstruction performed by beginner surgeons in LDLT using right lobe grafts should be cautiously monitored and observed by a senior surgeon until an inexperienced junior surgeon has performed at least 20 cases, because of the high incidence of biliary leakage related to surgeon's inexperience in bile duct reconstructions in LDLT.

Accuracy of estimation of graft size for living-related liver transplantation: first results of a semi-automated interactive software for CT-volumetry.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theresa Mokry

Full Text Available To evaluate accuracy of estimated graft size for living-related liver transplantation using a semi-automated interactive software for CT-volumetry.Sixteen donors for living-related liver transplantation (11 male; mean age: 38.2±9.6 years underwent contrast-enhanced CT prior to graft removal. CT-volumetry was performed using a semi-automated interactive software (P, and compared with a manual commercial software (TR. For P, liver volumes were provided either with or without vessels. For TR, liver volumes were provided always with vessels. Intraoperative weight served as reference standard. Major study goals included analyses of volumes using absolute numbers, linear regression analyses and inter-observer agreements. Minor study goals included the description of the software workflow: degree of manual correction, speed for completion, and overall intuitiveness using five-point Likert scales: 1--markedly lower/faster/higher for P compared with TR, 2--slightly lower/faster/higher for P compared with TR, 3--identical for P and TR, 4--slightly lower/faster/higher for TR compared with P, and 5--markedly lower/faster/higher for TR compared with P.Liver segments II/III, II-IV and V-VIII served in 6, 3, and 7 donors as transplanted liver segments. Volumes were 642.9±368.8 ml for TR with vessels, 623.8±349.1 ml for P with vessels, and 605.2±345.8 ml for P without vessels (P<0.01. Regression equations between intraoperative weights and volumes were y = 0.94x+30.1 (R2 = 0.92; P<0.001 for TR with vessels, y = 1.00x+12.0 (R2 = 0.92; P<0.001 for P with vessels, and y = 1.01x+28.0 (R2 = 0.92; P<0.001 for P without vessels. Inter-observer agreement showed a bias of 1.8 ml for TR with vessels, 5.4 ml for P with vessels, and 4.6 ml for P without vessels. For the degree of manual correction, speed for completion and overall intuitiveness, scale values were 2.6±0.8, 2.4±0.5 and 2.CT-volumetry performed with P can predict accurately graft

The Meaning of Being a Living Kidney, Liver, or Stem Cell Donor-A Meta-Ethnography.

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Kisch, Annika M; Forsberg, Anna; Fridh, Isabell; Almgren, Matilda; Lundmark, Martina; Lovén, Charlotte; Flodén, Anne; Nilsson, Madeleine; Karlsson, Veronika; Lennerling, Annette

2018-05-01

Studies on living donors from the donors' perspective show that the donation process involves both positive and negative feelings involving vulnerability. Qualitative studies of living kidney, liver, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell donors have not previously been merged in the same analysis. Therefore, our aim was to synthesize current knowledge of these donors' experiences to deepen understanding of the meaning of being a living donor for the purpose of saving or extending someone's life. The meta-ethnography steps presented by Noblit and Hare in 1988 were used. Forty-one qualitative studies from 1968 to 2016 that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The studies comprised experiences of over 670 donors. The time since donation varied from 2 days to 29 years. A majority of the studies, 25 of 41, were on living kidney donors. The synthesis revealed that the essential meaning of being a donor is doing what one feels one has to do, involving 6 themes; A sense of responsibility, loneliness and abandonment, suffering, pride and gratitude, a sense of togetherness, and a life changing event. The main issue is that one donates irrespective of what one donates. The relationship to the recipient determines the motives for donation. The deeper insight into the donors' experiences provides implications for their psychological care.

Liver transplantation:Yesterday,today and tomorrow

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Osman Abbasoglu

2008-01-01

With the advances in technical skills,management of postoperative complications and improvements in immunosuppressive drugs,liver transplantation is the standard treatment for many patients with chronic liver disease.Today,shortage of donor organs seems to be the major limiting factor for the application of liver transplantation.This review focuses on five issues that are challenging to clinical practice of liver transplantation and relevant to gastroenterologists.These include living donor liver transplantation,recurrent viral hepatitis,non-heart-beating donors,hepatocellular carcinoma,and ABO incompatible livertransplantation.Living donor and non-heart beating donor transplantations were initiated as a solution to increase the donor organ pool and it is expected that there will be an increase in the number of these donors.Recurrent hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma following liver transplantation are among major problems and ongoing research in these diseases may lead to better outcomes in these recipients.

En Bloc Hilar Dissection of the Right Hepatic Artery in Continuity with the Bile Duct: a Technique to Reduce Biliary Complications After Adult Living-Donor Liver Transplantation.

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Abu-Gazala, Samir; Olthoff, Kim M; Goldberg, David S; Shaked, Abraham; Abt, Peter L

2016-04-01

Techniques that preserve the right hepatic artery and the common bile duct in continuity during the dissection may be associated with lower rates of biliary complications in living-donor liver transplants. This study sought to determine whether en bloc hilar dissections were associated with fewer biliary complications in living-donor liver transplants. This was a retrospective review of 41 adult LDLTs performed in a single, liver transplant center between February 2007 and September 2014. The primary outcome of interest was the occurrence of at least one of the following biliary complications: anastomotic leak, stricture, or biloma. The primary predictor of interest was the hilar dissection technique: conventional hilar dissection vs. en bloc hilar dissection. A total of 41 LDLTs were identified, 24 had a conventional, and 17 an en bloc hilar biliary dissection. The occurrence of any biliary complication was significantly more common in the conventional hilar dissection group compared to the en bloc hilar dissection group (66.7 vs. 35.3%, respectively, p = 0.047). In particularly, anastomotic strictures were significantly more common in the conventional hilar dissection group compared to the en bloc hilar dissection group (54.2 vs. 23.5%., respectively, p = 0.049). En bloc hilar dissection technique may decrease biliary complication rates in living donor liver transplants.

Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia in living liver donors: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial.

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Kıtlık, Arzu; Erdogan, Mehmet Ali; Ozgul, Ulku; Aydogan, Mustafa Said; Ucar, Muharrem; Toprak, Huseyin Ilksen; Colak, Cemil; Durmus, Mahmut

2017-02-01

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block is a peripheral nerve block that reduces postoperative pain, nausea, vomiting and the need for postoperative opioids following various types of abdominal surgery. The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of TAP block on postoperative analgesia and opioid consumption in living liver donors in whom a right "J" abdominal incision was used. This prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled study was conducted with 50 living liver donors, aged 18-65years, who were scheduled to undergo right hepatectomy. Patients who received ultrasonography-guided subcostal TAP block were allocated into Group 1, and patients who did not receive TAP block were allocated into Group 2. The TAP blocks were performed bilaterally at the conclusion of surgery using 1.5mg∗kg -1 bupivacaine diluted with saline to reach a total volume of 40mL. For each patient, morphine consumption, pain scores at rest and movement, sedation scores, nausea, vomiting and the need for antiemetic medication were assessed at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24h postoperatively by researchers who were blinded to the study groups. Morphine consumption was significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 at the 2nd, 6th and 24th hours (Pconsumption values after 24h were 40mg and 65mg in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. The TAP block significantly reduced postoperative visual analog scale pain scores both at rest and during movement at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 24h postoperatively (Pconsumption and contributed to analgesia in living liver donors who underwent upper abdominal wall incisions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predonation psychosocial evaluation of living kidney and liver donor candidates: a systematic literature review.

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Duerinckx, Nathalie; Timmerman, Lotte; Van Gogh, Johan; van Busschbach, Jan; Ismail, Sohal Y; Massey, Emma K; Dobbels, Fabienne

2014-01-01

Evaluating a person's suitability for living organ donation is crucial, consisting not only of a medical but also of a thorough psychosocial screening. We performed a systematic literature review of guidelines, consensus statements, and protocols on the content and process of psychosocial screening of living kidney and liver donor candidates. We searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO until June 22, 2011, following the PRISMA guidelines, complemented by scrutinizing guidelines databases and references of identified publications. Thirty-four publications were identified, including seven guidelines, six consensus statements, and 21 protocols or programs. Guidelines and consensus statements were inconsistent and lacked concreteness for both their content and process, possibly explaining the observed variability in center-specific evaluation protocols and programs. Overall, recommended screening criteria are not evidence-based and an operational definition of the concept "psychosocial" is missing, causing heterogeneity in terminology. Variation also exists on methods used to psychosocially evaluate potential donors. The scientific basis of predonation psychosocial evaluation needs to be strengthened. There is a need for high-quality prospective psychosocial outcome studies in living donors, a uniform terminology to label psychosocial screening criteria, and validated instruments to identify risk factors. © 2013 Steunstichting ESOT. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Living donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma achieves better outcomes.

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Lin, Chih-Che; Chen, Chao-Long

2016-10-01

Liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital mainly relies on live donor LT (LDLT). Owing to taking the risk of LD, we are obligated to adopt strict selection criteria for HCC patients and optimize the pre-transplant conditions to ensure a high disease-free survival similar to those without HCC, even better than deceased donor LT (DDLT). Better outcomes are attributed to excellent surgical results and optimal patient selection. The hospital mortality of primary and salvage LDLT are lower than 2% in our center. Although Taiwan Health Insurance Policy extended the Milan to University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) criteria in 2006, selection criteria will not be consolidated to take into account only by the morphologic size/number of tumors but also by their biology. The criteria are divided into modifiable image morphology, alpha fetoprotein (AFP), and positron emission tomography (PET) scan with standard uptake value (SUV) and unmodifiable unfavorable pathology such as HCC combined with cholangiocarcinoma (CC), sarcomatoid type, and poor differentiation. Downstaging therapy is necessary for HCC patients beyond criteria to fit all modifiable standards. The upper limit of downstaging treatment seems to be extended by more effective drug eluting transarterial chemoembolization in cases without absolute contraindications. In contrast, the pitfall of unmodifiable tumor pathology should be excluded by the findings of pretransplant core biopsy/resection if possible. More recently, achieving complete tumor necrosis in explanted liver could almost predict no recurrence after transplant. Necrotizing therapy is advised if possible before transplant even the tumor status within criteria to minimize the possibility of tumor recurrence. LDLT with low surgical mortality in experienced centers provides the opportunities of optimizing the pre-transplant tumor conditions and timing of transplant to achieve better

A computer-simulated liver phantom (virtual liver phantom) for multidetector computed tomography evaluation

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Funama, Yoshinori [Kumamoto University, Department of Radiological Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto (Japan); Awai, Kazuo; Nakayama, Yoshiharu; Liu, Da; Yamashita, Yasuyuki [Kumamoto University, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto (Japan); Miyazaki, Osamu; Goto, Taiga [Hitachi Medical Corporation, Tokyo (Japan); Hori, Shinichi [Gate Tower Institute of Image Guided Therapy, Osaka (Japan)

2006-04-15

The purpose of study was to develop a computer-simulated liver phantom for hepatic CT studies. A computer-simulated liver phantom was mathematically constructed on a computer workstation. The computer-simulated phantom was calibrated using real CT images acquired by an actual four-detector CT. We added an inhomogeneous texture to the simulated liver by referring to CT images of chronically damaged human livers. The mean CT number of the simulated liver was 60 HU and we added numerous 5-to 10-mm structures with 60{+-}10 HU/mm. To mimic liver tumors we added nodules measuring 8, 10, and 12 mm in diameter with CT numbers of 60{+-}10, 60{+-}15, and 60{+-}20 HU. Five radiologists visually evaluated similarity of the texture of the computer-simulated liver phantom and a real human liver to confirm the appropriateness of the virtual liver images using a five-point scale. The total score was 44 in two radiologists, and 42, 41, and 39 in one radiologist each. They evaluated that the textures of virtual liver were comparable to those of human liver. Our computer-simulated liver phantom is a promising tool for the evaluation of the image quality and diagnostic performance of hepatic CT imaging. (orig.)

New ways of looking at very small holes - using optical nanoscopy to visualize liver sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestrations

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Øie, Cristina I.; Mönkemöller, Viola; Hübner, Wolfgang; Schüttpelz, Mark; Mao, Hong; Ahluwalia, Balpreet S.; Huser, Thomas R.; McCourt, Peter

2018-02-01

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, also known as nanoscopy, has provided us with a glimpse of future impacts on cell biology. Far-field optical nanoscopy allows, for the first time, the study of sub-cellular nanoscale biological structures in living cells, which in the past was limited to electron microscopy (EM) (in fixed/dehydrated) cells or tissues. Nanoscopy has particular utility in the study of "fenestrations" - phospholipid transmembrane nanopores of 50-150 nm in diameter through liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) that facilitate the passage of plasma, but (usually) not blood cells, to and from the surrounding hepatocytes. Previously, these fenestrations were only discernible with EM, but now they can be visualized in fixed and living cells using structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and in fixed cells using single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) techniques such as direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy. Importantly, both methods use wet samples, avoiding dehydration artifacts. The use of nanoscopy can be extended to the in vitro study of fenestration dynamics, to address questions such as the following: are they actually dynamic structures, and how do they respond to endogenous and exogenous agents? A logical further extension of these methodologies to liver research (including the liver endothelium) will be their application to liver tissue sections from animal models with different pathological manifestations and ultimately to patient biopsies. This review will cover the current state of the art of the use of nanoscopy in the study of liver endothelium and the liver in general. Potential future applications in cell biology and the clinical implications will be discussed.

New-onset diabetes mellitus developing in Asian adult living donor liver transplant recipients: a single-center experience.

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Harada, Nobuhiro; Sugawara, Yasuhiko; Akamatsu, Nobuhisa; Kaneko, Junichi; Tamura, Sumihito; Aoki, Taku; Sakamoto, Yoshihiro; Hasegawa, Kiyoshi; Yamashiki, Noriyo; Kokudo, Norihiro

2013-08-01

New-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) after liver transplantation is a common complication with a potentially negative impact on patient outcome. To evaluate the incidence of NODM and its impact on Asian adult living donor liver transplant (LDLT) recipients, we investigated 369 adult LDLT cases in our institute. Preoperative diabetes mellitus (DM) was diagnosed in 38 (9 %) patients. NODM was observed in 128/331 (38 %) patients, 56 (44 %) with persistent NODM and 72 (56 %) with transient NODM. The mean interval between LDLT and the development of NODM was 0.6 ± 1.8 (range 0-1.4) months. Multivariate analyssis revealed that older age, being male and having a higher body mass index were independent risk factors among recipients for developing NODM, while hepatitis C virus infection was not a significant risk factor, and DM had no impact on patient outcome. Although the long-term effect of DM on outcome remains to be investigated, the presence of DM after liver transplant, whether it was NODM or preexisting DM, had no impact on LDLT recipients' outcomes in mid-term. © 2013 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

Financial, vocational, and interpersonal impact of living liver donation.

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Holtzman, Susan; Adcock, Lesley; Dubay, Derek A; Therapondos, George; Kashfi, Arash; Greenwood, Sarah; Renner, Eberhard L; Grant, David R; Levy, Gary A; Abbey, Susan E

2009-11-01

The ability to inform prospective donors of the psychosocial risks of living liver donation is currently limited by the scant empirical literature. The present study was designed to examine donor perceptions of the impact of donation on financial, vocational, and interpersonal life domains and identify demographic and clinical factors related to longer recovery times and greater life interference. A total of 143 donors completed a retrospective questionnaire that included a standardized measure of life interference [Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS)] and additional questions regarding the perceived impact of donation. Donor IIRS scores suggested that donors experience a relatively low level of life interference due to donation [1.60 +/- 0.72, with a possible range of 1 ("not very much" interference) to 7 ("very much" interference)]. However, approximately 1 in 5 donors reported that donating was a significant financial burden. Logistic regression analysis revealed that donors with a psychiatric diagnosis at or prior to donation took longer to return to their self-reported predonation level of functioning (odds ratio = 3.78, P = 0.016). Medical complications were unrelated to self-reported recovery time. Multiple regression analysis revealed 4 independent predictors of greater life interference: less time since donation (b = 0.11, P financial burden of donation.

Influence of kinship on donors' mental burden in living donor liver transplantation.

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Erim, Yesim; Beckmann, Mingo; Kroencke, Sylvia; Sotiropoulos, Georgios C; Paul, Andreas; Senf, Wolfgang; Schulz, Karl-Heinz

2012-08-01

In the context of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), German transplantation law stipulates that donor candidates should primarily be relatives of the recipients or persons with distinct and close relationships. In this study, we investigated the influence of the relationship between the donor and the recipient on the donor's emotional strain before transplantation. Donors were categorized according to the following subgroups: (1) parents donating for their children, (2) children donating for their parents, (3) siblings, (4) spouses, (5) other relatives, and (6) nonrelatives. The sample consisted of 168 donor candidates. Anxiety (F = 2.8, P = 0.02), depression (F = 2.6, P = 0.03), and emotional quality of life (F = 3.1, P = 0.01) differed significantly according to the relationship between the donor and the recipient. In comparison with healthy controls, parents donating for their children were significantly less stressed before LDLT and demonstrated fewer anxiety (P depression symptoms (P < 0.05). Adult children donating for their parents demonstrated the highest mental burden and the lowest emotional quality of life. However, this was not due to the responsibility of these children for their own families because differences between donors with children and donors without children could not be ascertained. This group should be given special attention before LDLT and during follow-up visits, and psychological help should be provided when it is necessary. Copyright © 2012 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Gastric volvulus as a complication in the recipients after adult living donor liver transplantation.

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Shirouzu, Yasumasa; Sakurai, Koichi; Asonuma, Katsuhiro; Inomata, Yukihiro

2010-04-01

We report 4 adult cases of mesenteroaxial gastric volvulus after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). All 4 recipients were female with a median age of 31 years (range, 21-69). All had undergone right lobe LDLT. Gastric volvulus developed on postoperative days (POD) 4-30, and all were successfully treated with an endoscopic correction procedure. Two of 4 needed a repeated correction procedure and 1 needed a surgical revision for the recurrent volvulus. Although this type of the complication is unusual, earlier post-transplant endoscopic intervention is useful to reverse the pyloroantral obstruction. These cases let us recognize that gastric volvulus is one of the complications after right lobe LDLT. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Multimodality postoperative imaging of liver transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamboni, Giulia A.; Pedrosa, Ivan; Kruskal, Jonathan B.; Raptopoulos, Vassilios

2008-01-01

Liver transplantation is the only effective and definitive treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease. The shortage of cadaveric livers has lead to the increasing use of split-liver transplantation and living-donor liver transplantation, but the expansion of the donor pool has increased the risk for postoperative vascular and biliary complications. Early recognition of the imaging appearances of the various postoperative complications of liver transplantation is crucial for both graft and patient survival. This review describes the imaging findings of normal and abnormal transplanted liver parenchyma and of vascular and biliary post-transplantation complications. (orig.)

Quality of life after liver transplantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Smajlović

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The liver is the largest gland and, apart from the skin, also the biggest organ in the body. They are a central laboratory for processing proteins, carbohidrates and fat, and they also detoxify our body.Liver failure is a result of cronic or acute liver disease or hepatic impairment. Many diseases of the liver are accompained by icterus as a result of increased level of bilirubin in the system. Today we can live without other organs important for metabolism, such as eg. the kidney or pancreas, because their function can be replaced. But we cannot live without the liver because their functions are too varied and complex. Therefore, when we have incurable disease of the liver we need liver transplantation.Life with a child who needs liver transplantation is very hard for all family members. Especially at the begining of treatment, life for all family members, and in particular for the parents, is very stressfull.Nurses must have sufficinet knowledge, she should be able to talk to parents in plain language with a high degree of optimism. We make them feel that they are not alone and we encourage them. Nurses must believe in successful treatment, so that they can inspire courage in parents.Quality of life is not in perfection, but rather in the way how we manage to live with imperfection. A person who is in any way affected, can perceive his quality of life as very good. Here, his personal attitude and attitude to his surrondings is most important. This is a higher quality than that obtainable by knowledge alone and which can be measured or evaluated.

Informed consent and decision-making about adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation: a systematic review of empirical research.

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Gordon, Elisa J; Daud, Amna; Caicedo, Juan Carlos; Cameron, Kenzie A; Jay, Colleen; Fryer, Jonathan; Beauvais, Nicole; Skaro, Anton; Baker, Talia

2011-12-27

Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is a complex procedure that poses serious health risks to and provides no direct health benefit for the donor. Because of this uneven risk-benefit ratio, ensuring donor autonomy through informed consent is critical. To assess the current knowledge pertaining to informed consent for LDLT, we conducted a systematic review of the empirical literature on donors' decision-making process, comprehension about risks and outcomes, and information needs for LDLT. Of the 1423 identified articles, 24 met final review criteria, representing the perspective of approximately 2789 potential and actual donors. As donors' decisions to donate often occur before evaluation, they often make uninformed decisions. The review found that 88% to 95% of donors reported understanding information clinicians disclosed about risks and benefits. However, donors reported unmet information needs, knowledge gaps regarding risks, and unanticipated complications. Few donors reported feeling pressure to donate. Most studies were limited by cultural differences, small sample sizes, inconsistent measures, and poor methodological approaches. This systematic review suggests that informed consent for LDLT is sub-optimal as donors do not adequately appreciate disclosed information during the informed consent process, despite United Network for Organ Sharing/CMS regulations requiring formal psychological evaluation of donor candidates. Interventions are needed to improve donor-clinician communication during the LDLT informed consent process such as through the use of comprehension assessment tools and e-health educational tools that leverage adult learning theory to effectively convey LDLT outcome data.

Quantification of hepatic macrosteatosis in living, related liver donors using T1-independent, T2*-corrected chemical shift MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Joe, Eugene; Lee, Jeong Min; Kim, Kyung Won; Lee, Kyung Bun; Kim, Soo Jin; Baek, Jee Hyun; Shin, Cheong Il; Suh, Kyung Suk; Yi, Nam Joon; Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn

2012-11-01

To evaluate the diagnostic implications of the iterative decomposition of water and fat using echo-asymmetry and the least-squares estimation (IDEAL) technique to detect hepatic steatosis (HS) in potential liver donors using histopathology as the reference standard. Forty-nine potential liver donors (32 male, 17 female; mean age, 31.7 years) were included. All patients were imaged using the in- and out-of-phase (IOP) gradient-echo (GRE) and IDEAL techniques on a 1.5 T MR scanner. To estimate the hepatic fat fraction (FF), two reviewers performed regions-of-interest measurement in 15 areas of the liver seen on the IOP images and on the IDEAL-FF images. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pathology values of macrosteatosis were correlated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. We analyzed the diagnostic performance of IOP imaging and IDEAL for detecting HS. The results of the hepatic-FF estimated on IDEAL were well correlated with the histologic degree of macrosteatosis (γ = 0.902, P imaging showed 87.5% sensitivity and 97% specificity, respectively. IDEAL is a useful tool for the preoperative diagnosis of HS in potential living liver donors; it can also help to avoid unnecessary biopsies in these patients. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preoperative volume calculation of the hepatic venous draining areas with multi-detector row CT in adult living donor liver transplantation: impact on surgical procedure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frericks, Bernd B.J.; Kirchhoff, Timm D.; Shin, Hoen-Oh; Stamm, Georg; Merkesdal, Sonja; Abe, Takehiko; Galanski, Michael; Schenk, Andrea; Peitgen, Heinz-Otto; Klempnauer, Juergen; Nashan, Bjoern

2006-01-01

The purpose was to assess the volumes of the different hepatic territories and especially the drainage of the right paramedian sector in adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT). CT was performed in 40 potential donors of whom 28 underwent partial living donation. Data sets of all potential donors were postprocessed using dedicated software for segmentation, volumetric analysis and visualization of liver territories. During an initial period, volumes and shapes of liver parts were calculated based on the individual portal venous perfusion areas. After partial hepatic congestion occurring in three grafts, drainage territories with special regard to MHV tributaries from the right paramedian sector, and the IRHV were calculated additionally. Results were visualized three-dimensionally and compared to the intraoperative findings. Calculated graft volumes based on hepatic venous drainage and graft weights correlated significantly (r=0.86,P<0.001). Mean virtual graft volume was 930 ml and drained as follows: RHV: 680 ml, IRHV: 170 ml (n=11); segment 5 MHV tributaries: 100 ml (n=16); segment 8 MHV tributaries: 110 ml (n=20). When present, the mean aberrant venous drainage fraction of the right liver lobe was 28%. The evaluated protocol allowed a reliable calculation of the hepatic venous draining areas and led to a change in the hepatic venous reconstruction strategy at our institution. (orig.)

Bile duct kinking after adult living donor liver transplantation: Case reports and literature review.

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Wan, Ping; Xia, Qiang; Zhang, Jian Jun; Li, Qi Gen; Xu, Ning; Zhang, Ming; Chen, Xiao Song; Han, Long Zhi

2015-10-01

Regeneration of the partial allograft and the growth of children may cause kinking of the biliary tract after pediatric living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), but bile duct kinking after adult LDLT is rarely reported. We herein presented two patients who suffered from anastomotic strictures caused by severe bile duct kinking after LDLT. The first patient was a 57-year-old woman with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver cirrhosis, who developed biliary stricture 5 months after receiving right-lobe LDLT. Subsequently, endoscopic and percutaneous treatments were attempted, but both failed to solve the problem. The second was a 44-year-old woman also having HBV-related liver cirrhosis. Biliary stricture occurred 14 months after LDLT. Likewise, the guide wire failed to pass through the stricture when endoscopic interventions were conducted. Afterwards, both of the two cases underwent reexploration, showing that compensatory hypertrophy of the allografts resulted in kinking and sharp angulation of the bile ducts, and the anastomotic sites were found to be severely stenotic. Finally, re-anastomosis by Roux-en-Y procedure was successfully performed, and long-term stenosis-free survival was achieved in both of them. Our experience suggests that bile duct kinking after LDLT may play a role in the high incidence of anastomotic strictures in adult LDLT recipients, which may also result in the treatment failure of the non-surgical techniques for anastomotic strictures. Re-anastomosis in the form of Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy is an effective surgical option for the treatment of such a condition. © 2015 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

New-onset diabetes mellitus after living-donor liver transplantation: association with graft synthetic function.

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Yagi, Shintaro; Kaido, Toshimi; Iida, Taku; Yoshizawa, Atsushi; Okajima, Hideaki; Uemoto, Shinji

2017-06-01

It is now known that post-transplant graft function after deceased-donor liver transplantation and living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) differ; however, there is no report assessing the relationship between graft function and the development of new-onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation (NODAT). We conducted this study to identify the predictive risk factors for NODAT, including graft function after LDLT. The subjects of this study were 175 adult recipients who underwent LDLT at Kyoto University Hospital between 2006 and 2010, and survived for more than 3 months (median observation period, 1046 days). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year incidences of NODAT after LDLT were 26.1, 32.0, and 33.4%, respectively. Pre-transplant diabetes was associated with poor survival (p = 0.0048), whereas NODAT was not associated with patient survival. In the multivariate analysis, recipient age ≥40, a tacrolimus trough level ≥8 ng/mL 3 months after LDLT, and cholinesterase (ChE) <185 IU/L 3 months after LDLT were the independent risk factors for NODAT. Poor graft synthetic function 3 months after LDLT as well as older age of the recipient and a higher tacrolimus concentration were strongly associated with NODAT development after LDLT.

Monitoring actual temperatures in Susquehanna SES reactor buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Derkacs, A.P.

1991-01-01

PP and L has been monitoring temperatures in the Susquehanna SES reactor building with digital temperature recorders since 1986. In early 1990, data from four representative areas was analyzed to determine the temperature in each area which would produce the same rate of degradation as the distribution of actual temperatures recorded over about 40 months. From these effective average temperatures, qualified life multipliers were determined for activation energies in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 and those multipliers were used to estimate new qualified lives and the number of replacements which might be saved during the life of the plant. The results indicate that pursuing a program of determining EQ qualified lives from actual temperatures, rather than maximum design basis temperatures, will provide a substantial payback in reduced EQ driven maintenance

Computerized Assessment of Competence-Related Abilities in Living Liver Donors: The Adult-to-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study (A2ALL)

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Freeman, Jason; Emond, Jean; Gillespie, Brenda W.; Appelbaum, Paul S.; Weinrieb, Robert; Hill-Callahan, Peg; Gordon, Elisa J.; Terrault, Norah; Trotter, James; Ashworth, April; Dew, Mary Amanda; Pruett, Timothy

2014-01-01

Background Despite its importance, determination of competence to consent to organ donation varies widely based on local standards. We piloted a new tool to aid transplant centers in donor assessment. Methods We assessed competence-related abilities among potential living liver donors (LDs) in the 9-center A2ALL study. Prospective LDs viewed an educational video, and were queried to assess Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning, and ability to express a Final Choice using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Clinical Research, adapted for computerized administration in LDs (“MacLiver”). Videotaped responses were scored by a clinical neuropsychologist (JF). Results Ninety-three LDs were assessed. Mean (standard deviation; domain maximum) scores were: Understanding: 18.1 (2.6; max=22), Appreciation: 5.1 (1.0; max=6), Reasoning: 3.1 (0.8; max=4), and Final Choice: 3.8 (0.5; max=4). Scores did not differ by demographics, relationship to the recipient, eligibility to donate, or eventual donation (p>0.4). Higher education was associated with greater Understanding (p=0.004) and Reasoning (p=0.03). Conclusion Standardized, computerized education with independent ratings of responses may (1) alert the clinical staff to potential donors who may not be competent to donate, and (2) highlight areas needing further assessment and education, leading to better informed decision-making. PMID:23859354

Dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation: Improved biliary visualization by intravenous morphine co-medication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sommer, C.M.; Schwarzwaelder, C.B.; Stiller, W.; Schindera, S.T.; Heye, T.; Stampfl, U.; Bellemann, N.; Holzschuh, M.; Schmidt, J.; Weitz, J.; Grenacher, L.; Kauczor, H.U.; Radeleff, B.A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate whether intravenous morphine co-medication improves bile duct visualization of dual-energy CT-cholangiography. Materials and methods: Forty potential donors for living-related liver transplantation underwent CT-cholangiography with infusion of a hepatobiliary contrast agent over 40 min. Twenty minutes after the beginning of the contrast agent infusion, either normal saline (n = 20 patients; control group [CG]) or morphine sulfate (n = 20 patients; morphine group [MG]) was injected. Forty-five minutes after initiation of the contrast agent, a dual-energy CT acquisition of the liver was performed. Applying dual-energy post-processing, pure iodine images were generated. Primary study goals were determination of bile duct diameters and visualization scores (on a scale of 0 to 3: 0—not visualized; 3—excellent visualization). Results: Bile duct visualization scores for second-order and third-order branch ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (2.9 ± 0.1 versus 2.6 ± 0.2 [P < 0.001] and 2.7 ± 0.3 versus 2.1 ± 0.6 [P < 0.01], respectively). Bile duct diameters for the common duct and main ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (5.9 ± 1.3 mm versus 4.9 ± 1.3 mm [P < 0.05] and 3.7 ± 1.3 mm versus 2.6 ± 0.5 mm [P < 0.01], respectively). Conclusion: Intravenous morphine co-medication significantly improved biliary visualization on dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation

Dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation: Improved biliary visualization by intravenous morphine co-medication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sommer, C.M., E-mail: christof.sommer@med.uni-heidelberg.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Schwarzwaelder, C.B.; Stiller, W. [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Schindera, S.T. [Department of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology, University Hospital and University of Berne, Berne (Switzerland); Heye, T.; Stampfl, U.; Bellemann, N.; Holzschuh, M. [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Schmidt, J.; Weitz, J. [Department of General, Abdominal and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Grenacher, L.; Kauczor, H.U.; Radeleff, B.A. [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany)

2012-09-15

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate whether intravenous morphine co-medication improves bile duct visualization of dual-energy CT-cholangiography. Materials and methods: Forty potential donors for living-related liver transplantation underwent CT-cholangiography with infusion of a hepatobiliary contrast agent over 40 min. Twenty minutes after the beginning of the contrast agent infusion, either normal saline (n = 20 patients; control group [CG]) or morphine sulfate (n = 20 patients; morphine group [MG]) was injected. Forty-five minutes after initiation of the contrast agent, a dual-energy CT acquisition of the liver was performed. Applying dual-energy post-processing, pure iodine images were generated. Primary study goals were determination of bile duct diameters and visualization scores (on a scale of 0 to 3: 0—not visualized; 3—excellent visualization). Results: Bile duct visualization scores for second-order and third-order branch ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (2.9 ± 0.1 versus 2.6 ± 0.2 [P < 0.001] and 2.7 ± 0.3 versus 2.1 ± 0.6 [P < 0.01], respectively). Bile duct diameters for the common duct and main ducts were significantly higher in the MG compared to the CG (5.9 ± 1.3 mm versus 4.9 ± 1.3 mm [P < 0.05] and 3.7 ± 1.3 mm versus 2.6 ± 0.5 mm [P < 0.01], respectively). Conclusion: Intravenous morphine co-medication significantly improved biliary visualization on dual-energy CT-cholangiography in potential donors for living-related liver transplantation.

Pituitary apoplexy precipitating diabetes insipidus after living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsusaki, Takashi; Morimatsu, Hiroshi; Matsumi, Junya; Matsuda, Hiroaki; Sato, Tetsufumi; Sato, Kenji; Mizobuchi, Satoshi; Yagi, Takahito; Morita, Kiyoshi

2011-02-01

Pituitary apoplexy occurring after surgery is a rare but life-threatening acute clinical condition that follows extensive hemorrhagenous necrosis within a pituitary adenoma. Pituitary apoplexy has been reported to occur spontaneously in the majority of cases or in association with various inducing factors. Reported is a case of pituitary apoplexy complicated by diabetes insipidus following living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). To the best of our knowledge, this has not been previously reported. A 56-year-old woman with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis underwent LDLT from her daughter. The patient also required dopamine support and transfusions because of massive intraoperative bleeding. Postoperatively, her coagulopathy continued, and she underwent a second laparotomy because of unknown bleeding on postoperative day 7, when she needed transfusions and dopamine support to maintain her vital signs. She complained of severe headache, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and diplopia from postoperative day 10. She also had polyuria greater than 300 ml/h and was diagnosed with pituitary apoplexy precipitating diabetes insipidus on postoperative day 13. She was treated conservatively without surgery because of the hormonally inactive status and slight mass effect of her tumor. It is important for anesthesiologists and critical care personnel in LDLT settings to take into consideration this complication as a differential diagnosis.

[Pediatric liver transplantation and related live donor. Technical and ethical considerations].

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Boillot, O; Dawahra, M; Porcheron, J; Houssin, D; Boucaud, C; Gille, D; Kopp, C; Bodnar, D; Sann, L; Paliard, P

1993-01-01

With improved results of liver transplantation, the number of candidates is increasing. However the scarcity of suitable grafts from cadaveric donors remains a limitation. In spite of the use of full size or reduced size grafts or partial grafts from split livers, some children still die while waiting for liver transplantation. We describe a successful orthotopic liver transplantation in a 10 months old female using the left lateral lobe (segments II and III) from her 27 years old father. The child suffered from biliary atresia, her condition was deteriorating with intractable ascites and increasing jaundice. The father asked us to give a part of his own liver to his daughter. The concept of this innovative therapy had already been submitted to a research-ethics consultation which gave us favorable conclusions. After careful donor evaluation, the left lateral lobe was harvested on July 22, 1992, including the left hepatic artery, left portal vein and left hepatic vein; hepatic artery for segment IV, which arose from the right structures, was preserved, The graft was immediately transplanted orthotopically after recipient total hepatectomy with inferior vena cava preservation. Cold ischemia time was 1 hour and 45 minutes, revascularization of the graft was homogeneous from the very beginning and its early function was excellent. Thirteen days after the operation, the donor was discharged in good condition. The child was reoperated at day 9 for a small biliary leak originating from the cut surface of the liver. After resolution of an episode of rejection and an intra-abdominal abscess, the child was discharged in good health with normal liver function 1 month post-transplant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Report of 3 Patients With Urea Cycle Defects Treated With Related Living-Donor Liver Transplant.

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Özçay, Figen; Barış, Zeren; Moray, Gökhan; Haberal, Nihan; Torgay, Adnan; Haberal, Mehmet

2015-11-01

Urea cycle defects are a group of metabolic disorders caused by enzymatic disruption of the urea cycle pathway, transforming nitrogen to urea for excretion from the body. Severe cases present in early infancy with life-threatening metabolic decompensation, and these episodes of hyperammonemia can be fatal or result in permanent neurologic damage. Despite the progress in pharmacologic treatment, long-term survival is poor especially for severe cases. Liver transplant is an alternative treatment option, providing sufficient enzymatic activity and decreasing the risk of metabolic decompensation. Three patients with urea cycle defects received related living-donor liver transplants at our hospital. Patients presented with late-onset ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, argininosuccinate lyase deficiency, and citrullinemia. Maximum pretransplant ammonia levels were between 232 and 400 μmol/L (normal range is 18-72 μmol/L), and maximum posttransplant values were 52 to 94 μmol/L. All patients stopped medical treatment and dietary protein restriction for urea cycle defects after transplant. The patient with late-onset ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency already had motor deficits related to recurrent hyperammonemia attacks pretransplant. A major improvement could not be achieved, and he is wheelchair dependent at the age of 6 years. The other 2 patients had normal motor and mental skills before transplant, which have continued 12 and 14 months after transplant. Hepatic artery thrombosis in the patient with the ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, intraabdominal infection in the patient with argininosuccinate lyase deficiency, and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in the patient with citrullinemia were early postoperative complications. Histopathologic changes in livers explanted from patients with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency and citrullinemia were nonspecific. The argininosuccinate lyase-deficient patient had portoportal fibrosis and cirrhotic

Liver Flukes: the Malady Neglected

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Lim, Jae Hoon [Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2011-06-15

Liver fluke disease is a chronic parasitic inflammatory disease of the bile ducts. Infection occurs through ingestion of fluke-infested, fresh-water raw fish. The most well-known species that cause human infection are Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini and Opisthorchis felineus. Adult flukes settle in the small intrahepatic bile ducts and then they live there for 20-30 years. The long-lived flukes cause long-lasting chronic inflammation of the bile ducts and this produces epithelial hyperplasia, periductal fibrosis and bile duct dilatation. The vast majority of patients are asymptomatic, but the patients with heavy infection suffer from lassitude and nonspecific abdominal complaints. The complications are stone formation, recurrent pyogenic cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma. Approximately 35 million people are infected with liver flukes throughout the world and the exceptionally high incidence of cholangiocarcinoma in some endemic areas is closely related with a high prevalence of liver fluke infection. Considering the impact of this food-borne malady on public health and the severe possible clinical consequences, liver fluke infection should not be forgotten or neglected.

Liver Flukes: the Malady Neglected

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Jae Hoon

2011-01-01

Liver fluke disease is a chronic parasitic inflammatory disease of the bile ducts. Infection occurs through ingestion of fluke-infested, fresh-water raw fish. The most well-known species that cause human infection are Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini and Opisthorchis felineus. Adult flukes settle in the small intrahepatic bile ducts and then they live there for 20-30 years. The long-lived flukes cause long-lasting chronic inflammation of the bile ducts and this produces epithelial hyperplasia, periductal fibrosis and bile duct dilatation. The vast majority of patients are asymptomatic, but the patients with heavy infection suffer from lassitude and nonspecific abdominal complaints. The complications are stone formation, recurrent pyogenic cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma. Approximately 35 million people are infected with liver flukes throughout the world and the exceptionally high incidence of cholangiocarcinoma in some endemic areas is closely related with a high prevalence of liver fluke infection. Considering the impact of this food-borne malady on public health and the severe possible clinical consequences, liver fluke infection should not be forgotten or neglected.

A prospective single-institute study of the impact of Daikenchuto on the early postoperative outcome after living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Takatsuki, Mitsuhisa; Hidaka, Masaaki; Soyama, Akihiko; Hara, Takanobu; Okada, Satomi; Ono, Shinichiro; Adachi, Tomohiko; Eguchi, Susumu

2018-01-20

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of Daikenchuto (DKT) on early postoperative outcomes after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), focusing on the prevention of abdominal distension and bacterial translocation. Adult LDLT recipients were prospectively divided into 2 groups, who were administered DKT (n = 20, group A) or not (n = 20, group B). The area of bowel gas defined as gas volume score (GVS) 7 days after LDLT was calculated. Postoperative liver function tests, the development of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, and GVS after LDLT were reviewed. There were no significant differences in liver function tests and ammonia level after LDLT. Also, the rates of infection and the result of culture study were not different between groups. The median GVS 7 days after LDLT was not significantly different between groups A (0.26 (range, 0.12-0.58)) and B (0.23 (range, 0.15-0.42)). No positive impact was observed for 14-day DKT administration after LDLT, in terms of preventing infection or abdominal distension. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

A strategy for actualization of active targeting nanomedicine practically functioning in a living body.

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Lee, Kyoung Jin; Shin, Seol Hwa; Lee, Jae Hee; Ju, Eun Jin; Park, Yun-Yong; Hwang, Jung Jin; Suh, Young-Ah; Hong, Seung-Mo; Jang, Se Jin; Lee, Jung Shin; Song, Si Yeol; Jeong, Seong-Yun; Choi, Eun Kyung

2017-10-01

Designing nanocarriers with active targeting has been increasingly emphasized as for an ideal delivery mechanism of anti-cancer therapeutic agents, but the actualization has been constrained by lack of reliable strategy ultimately applicable. Here, we designed and verified a strategy to achieve active targeting nanomedicine that works in a living body, utilizing animal models bearing a patient's tumor tissue and subjected to the same treatments that would be used in the clinic. The concept for this strategy was that a novel peptide probe and its counterpart protein, which responded to a therapy, were identified, and then the inherent ability of the peptide to target the designated tumor protein was used for active targeting in vivo. An initial dose of ionizing radiation was locally delivered to the gastric cancer (GC) tumor of a patient-derived xenograft mouse model, and phage-displayed peptide library was intravenously injected. The peptides tightly bound to the tumor were recovered, and the counterpart protein was subsequently identified. Peptide-conjugated liposomal drug showed dramatically improved therapeutic efficacy and possibility of diagnostic imaging with radiation. These results strongly suggested the potential of our strategy to achieve in vivo functional active targeting and to be applied clinically for human cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Altered composition of liver proteasome assemblies contributes to enhanced proteasome activity in the exceptionally long-lived naked mole-rat.

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Rodriguez, Karl A; Edrey, Yael H; Osmulski, Pawel; Gaczynska, Maria; Buffenstein, Rochelle

2012-01-01

The longest-lived rodent, the naked mole-rat (Bathyergidae; Heterocephalus glaber), maintains robust health for at least 75% of its 32 year lifespan, suggesting that the decline in genomic integrity or protein homeostasis routinely observed during aging, is either attenuated or delayed in this extraordinarily long-lived species. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) plays an integral role in protein homeostasis by degrading oxidatively-damaged and misfolded proteins. In this study, we examined proteasome activity in naked mole-rats and mice in whole liver lysates as well as three subcellular fractions to probe the mechanisms behind the apparently enhanced effectiveness of UPS. We found that when compared with mouse samples, naked mole-rats had significantly higher chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L) activity and a two-fold increase in trypsin-like (T-L) in both whole lysates as well as cytosolic fractions. Native gel electrophoresis of the whole tissue lysates showed that the 20S proteasome was more active in the longer-lived species and that 26S proteasome was both more active and more populous. Western blot analyses revealed that both 19S subunits and immunoproteasome catalytic subunits are present in greater amounts in the naked mole-rat suggesting that the observed higher specific activity may be due to the greater proportion of immunoproteasomes in livers of healthy young adults. It thus appears that proteasomes in this species are primed for the efficient removal of stress-damaged proteins. Further characterization of the naked mole-rat proteasome and its regulation could lead to important insights on how the cells in these animals handle increased stress and protein damage to maintain a longer health in their tissues and ultimately a longer life.

Renal Tubular Acidosis Secondary to FK506 in Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Case Report

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Keiko Ogita

2003-10-01

Full Text Available FK506 is an immunosuppressant that is thought to be less nephrotoxic than cyclosporine A. However, complications due to renal tubular acidosis (RTA have recently been reported. We report a case of RTA secondary to FK506 administration in liver transplantation. A 6-month-old girl was treated with FK506 after undergoing living donor liver transplantation for fulminant hepatitis. On postoperative day 17, she demonstrated hyperkalaemia and metabolic acidosis; she was diagnosed to have hyperkalaemic distal RTA with aldosterone deficiency (type IV. Intravenous sodium bicarbonate and furosemide, and intrarectal calcium polystyrenesulfonate were administered to correct the acidosis and promote potassium secretion. Thereafter, the FK506 concentration in whole blood gradually decreased, and the hyperkalaemia and metabolic acidosis following RTA improved. RTA is one type of nephrotoxicity induced by FK506, and it is reversible in mild cases when appropriately treated. The mechanism of RTA induced by FK506 has not yet been clearly elucidated. Surgeons and physicians should therefore be aware of the potential for RTA to occur with FK506 after any organ transplantation. The treatment for acidosis and hyperkalaemia should be started as soon as RTA is diagnosed, and the dosage of FK506 should also be reduced if possible.

Fluid management guided by stroke volume variation failed to decrease the incidence of acute kidney injury, 30-day mortality, and 1-year survival in living donor liver transplant recipients

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Shen-Chih Wang

2012-12-01

Conclusion: The outcomes of living donor liver transplant patients who had fluid therapy guided by an SVV less than 10% were similar to those of patients who were given fluids to reach a CVP of 10 mmHg. Our findings suggest that the two measures of vascular filling are similar in liver transplant recipients with demographic characteristics similar to those of our patients.

SINGLE-CENTER EXPERIENCE OF ABO-INCOMPATIBLE LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

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S. V. Gautier

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Since 2008 up to 2010 eight ABO-incompatible liver transplantations have been performed in our center: one of them was urgent liver transplantation to adult patient from deceased donor, other seven were transplantations of left lateral segment to children from living relative donors. Own experience, as well as world one, proves, that barrier of ABO-incompatibility can be overcome more successfully in liver transplantation, particularly in pediatric population, that in other solid organs transplantation. Good results can be achieved even with less ag- gressive immunosuppressive therapy. Recipient conditioning before operation can significantly improve results of ABO-incompatible liver transplantation, but as own experience has shown, often there’s no need to hold some special preparation of children, because their anti-ABO antibodies are very low or absent before transplantation and do not increase after it. Thereby ABO-incompatible liver transplantation is reasonable in urgent cases and in pediatric population because of the limited pull of living relative donors for children. 

Altered composition of liver proteasome assemblies contributes to enhanced proteasome activity in the exceptionally long-lived naked mole-rat.

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Karl A Rodriguez

Full Text Available The longest-lived rodent, the naked mole-rat (Bathyergidae; Heterocephalus glaber, maintains robust health for at least 75% of its 32 year lifespan, suggesting that the decline in genomic integrity or protein homeostasis routinely observed during aging, is either attenuated or delayed in this extraordinarily long-lived species. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS plays an integral role in protein homeostasis by degrading oxidatively-damaged and misfolded proteins. In this study, we examined proteasome activity in naked mole-rats and mice in whole liver lysates as well as three subcellular fractions to probe the mechanisms behind the apparently enhanced effectiveness of UPS. We found that when compared with mouse samples, naked mole-rats had significantly higher chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L activity and a two-fold increase in trypsin-like (T-L in both whole lysates as well as cytosolic fractions. Native gel electrophoresis of the whole tissue lysates showed that the 20S proteasome was more active in the longer-lived species and that 26S proteasome was both more active and more populous. Western blot analyses revealed that both 19S subunits and immunoproteasome catalytic subunits are present in greater amounts in the naked mole-rat suggesting that the observed higher specific activity may be due to the greater proportion of immunoproteasomes in livers of healthy young adults. It thus appears that proteasomes in this species are primed for the efficient removal of stress-damaged proteins. Further characterization of the naked mole-rat proteasome and its regulation could lead to important insights on how the cells in these animals handle increased stress and protein damage to maintain a longer health in their tissues and ultimately a longer life.

Preoperative evaluation of liver volume parameters in living related donors by spiral computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michalak, M.; Pacho, R.; Pruszynski, B.; Paluszkiewicz, R.; Hevelke, P.; Krawczyk, M.

2002-01-01

The objective of the study is to assess the use of spiral computed tomography in the evaluation of the volume of the liver, its lobes, and selected segments in the preoperative period and to validate the used measurements. Thirty five potential donors (15 women and 20 men) aged 21-65 years were included. Based on the CT liver findings in the venous-portal phase and segment division of the liver according Couinaud the liver volume was calculated manually be a planimetric method, after making outlines of all liver sections. The volumes of lobes and selected segments were assessed by the same technique. The volumes of the resected liver segments calculated based on the CT findings were compared with appropriate measurements made during the operation. The total liver volume ranged between 804 and 1842 cm 3 (mean - 1456 cm 3 , standard deviation [SD] - 247). The volume of the right liver lobe including caudate lobe was 555 cm 3 to 1382 cm 3 (mean - 1024, SD - 186) that is in average 70.4% of the total liver volume. The volume of the left liver lobe ranged between 156 and 778 cm 3 (mean - 431, SD - 123) that is in average 29.6% of the total liver volume. The volume of segments 2+3 was 72 to 426 cm 3 (mean - 237 cm 3 , SD - 79) that is in average 16.2% of the total liver volume. The volume of the segment 4 ranged between 84 and 366 cm 3 (mean - 196, SD - 70) that is in average 13.4% of the total liver volume. CT makes possible to assess the volume of the liver, of its lobes and selected segments and it is an important modality for the classification of method of operation (segmentectomy, left hepatectomy, right hepatectomy). This method is accurate and reproducible. The liver part volumes calculated preoperatively in the majority of cases revealed to be smaller than in reality in average of 12.1%. (author)

Pediatric Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

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Haley Bush

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract: With the increase in the prevalence of obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD has become among the leading causes of chronic liver disease in the pediatric age group. Once believed to be a “two-hit process”, it is now clear that the actual pathophysiology of NAFLD is complex and involves multiple pathways. Moreover, NAFLD is not always benign, and patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH are at increased risk of developing advanced stages of liver disease. It has also been shown that NAFLD is not only a liver disease, but is also associated with multiple extrahepatic manifestations, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and low bone mineral density. Although the data is scarce in the pediatric population, some studies have suggested that long-term mortality and the requirement of liver transplantation will continue to increase in patients with NAFLD. More studies are needed to better understand the natural history of NAFLD, especially in the pediatric age group.

CT liver volumetry using three-dimensional image data in living donor liver transplantation: Effects of slice thickness on volume calculation

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Hori, Masatoshi; Suzuki, Kenji; Epstein, Mark L.; Baron, Richard L.

2011-01-01

The purpose was to evaluate a relationship between slice thickness and calculated volume on CT liver volumetry by comparing the results for images with various slice thicknesses including three-dimensional images. Twenty adult potential liver donors (12 men, 8 women; mean age, 39 years; range, 24–64) underwent CT with a 64-section multi-detector row CT scanner after intra-venous injection of contrast material. Four image sets with slice thicknesses of 0.625 mm, 2.5 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm were used. First, a program developed in our laboratory for automated liver extraction was applied to CT images, and the liver boundary was obtained automatically. Then, an abdominal radiologist reviewed all images on which automatically extracted boundaries were superimposed, and edited the boundary on each slice to enhance the accuracy. Liver volumes were determined by counting of the voxels within the liver boundary. Mean whole liver volumes estimated with CT were 1322.5 cm3 on 0.625-mm, 1313.3 cm3 on 2.5-mm, 1310.3 cm3 on 5-mm, and 1268.2 cm3 on 10-mm images. Volumes calculated for three-dimensional (0.625-mm-thick) images were significantly larger than those for thicker images (Pvolumetry. If not, three-dimensional images could be essential. PMID:21850689

Biliary-duodenal anastomosis using magnetic compression following massive resection of small intestine due to strangulated ileus after living donor liver transplantation: a case report.

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Saito, Ryusuke; Tahara, Hiroyuki; Shimizu, Seiichi; Ohira, Masahiro; Ide, Kentaro; Ishiyama, Kohei; Kobayashi, Tsuyoshi; Ohdan, Hideki

2017-12-01

Despite the improvements of surgical techniques and postoperative management of patients with liver transplantation, biliary complications are one of the most common and important adverse events. We present a first case of choledochoduodenostomy using magnetic compression following a massive resection of the small intestine due to strangulated ileus after living donor liver transplantation. The 54-year-old female patient had end-stage liver disease, secondary to liver cirrhosis, due to primary sclerosing cholangitis with ulcerative colitis. Five years earlier, she had received living donor liver transplantation using a left lobe graft, with resection of the extrahepatic bile duct and Roux-en-Y anastomosis. The patient experienced sudden onset of intense abdominal pain. An emergency surgery was performed, and the diagnosis was confirmed as strangulated ileus due to twisting of the mesentery. Resection of the massive small intestine, including choledochojejunostomy, was performed. Only 70 cm of the small intestine remained. She was transferred to our hospital with an external drainage tube from the biliary cavity and jejunostomy. We initiated total parenteral nutrition, and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage was established to treat the cholangitis. Computed tomography revealed that the biliary duct was close to the duodenum; hence, we planned magnetic compression anastomosis of the biliary duct and the duodenum. The daughter magnet was placed in the biliary drainage tube, and the parent magnet was positioned in the bulbus duodeni using a fiberscope. Anastomosis between the left hepatic duct and the duodenum was accomplished after 25 days, and the biliary drainage stent was placed over the anastomosis to prevent re-stenosis. Contributions to the successful withdrawal of parenteral nutrition were closure of the ileostomy in the adaptive period, preservation of the ileocecal valve, internal drainage of bile, and side-to-side anastomosis

Symptom Status Predicts Patient Outcomes in Persons with HIV and Comorbid Liver Disease

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Wendy A. Henderson

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV are living longer; therefore, they are more likely to suffer significant morbidity due to potentially treatable liver diseases. Clinical evidence suggests that the growing number of individuals living with HIV and liver disease may have a poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL than persons living with HIV who do not have comorbid liver disease. Thus, this study examined the multiple components of HRQOL by testing Wilson and Cleary’s model in a sample of 532 individuals (305 persons with HIV and 227 persons living with HIV and liver disease using structural equation modeling. The model components include biological/physiological factors (HIV viral load, CD4 counts, symptom status (Beck Depression Inventory II and the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV mental function, functional status (missed appointments and MOS-HIV physical function, general health perceptions (perceived burden visual analogue scale and MOS-HIV health transition, and overall quality of life (QOL (Satisfaction with Life Scale and MOS-HIV overall QOL. The Wilson and Cleary model was found to be useful in linking clinical indicators to patient-related outcomes. The findings provide the foundation for development and future testing of targeted biobehavioral nursing interventions to improve HRQOL in persons living with HIV and liver disease.

Pediatric liver transplantation in 31 consecutive children

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SHEN Zhong-yang; WANG Zi-fa; ZHU Zhi-jun; ZANG Yun-jin; ZHENG Hong; DENG Yong-lin; PAN Cheng; CHEN Xin-guo

2008-01-01

Background Although liver transplantation has become a standard therapy for end-stage liver diseases, the experience of pediatric liver transplantation is limited in China. In this article we report our experience in pediatric liver transplantation, and summarize its characters in their indications, surgical techniques, and postoperative managements. Methods Thirty-one children (≤18 years old) underwent liver transplantation in our centers. The mean age at transplantation was 12.4 years old (ranged from 5 months to 18 years) with 7 children being less than 4 years of age at transplantation. The most common diagnosis of patients who underwent liver transplantation were biliary atresia, Wilson's disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, glycogen storage disease, hepatoblastoma, urea cycle defects, fulminant hepatic failure, etc. The surgical procedures included 12 standard (without venovenous bypass), 6 pigyback, 6 reduced-size, 3 split, 3 living donor liver transplantation, and 1 Domino liver transplantation. The triple-drug (FK506, steroid, and mycophenolate mofetil) immunosuppressive regimen was used in most of patients. Patients were followed up for a mean of 21.8 months. Results Five of the 31 patients died during perioperative time; mortality rate was 16.1%. The reasons of death were infections, primary non-function, heart failure, and hypovolemic shock. Postoperative complications in 10 patients included biliary leakage, acute rejection, abdominal infection, hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and pulmonary infection. Overall patient cumulative survival rate at 1-, 3-, and 5-year was 78.1%, 62.6%, 62.6%, respectively.Conclusions The most common indications of pediatric liver transplantation were congenital end-stage liver diseases. According to patients' age and body weight, standard, piggyback, reduced-size, split, or living donor liver transplantation should be performed. Pediatric liver transplantation especially requires higher

Autophagy and Liver Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

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Raffaele Cursio

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Liver ischemia-reperfusion (I-R injury occurs during liver resection, liver transplantation, and hemorrhagic shock. The main mode of liver cell death after warm and/or cold liver I-R is necrosis, but other modes of cell death, as apoptosis and autophagy, are also involved. Autophagy is an intracellular self-digesting pathway responsible for removal of long-lived proteins, damaged organelles, and malformed proteins during biosynthesis by lysosomes. Autophagy is found in normal and diseased liver. Although depending on the type of ischemia, warm and/or cold, the dynamic process of liver I-R results mainly in adenosine triphosphate depletion and in production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, leads to both, a local ischemic insult and an acute inflammatory-mediated reperfusion injury, and results finally in cell death. This process can induce liver dysfunction and can increase patient morbidity and mortality after liver surgery and hemorrhagic shock. Whether autophagy protects from or promotes liver injury following warm and/or cold I-R remains to be elucidated. The present review aims to summarize the current knowledge in liver I-R injury focusing on both the beneficial and the detrimental effects of liver autophagy following warm and/or cold liver I-R.

Multidetector CT evaluation of potential right lobe living donors for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mohamed Saied Abdelgawad

Multidetector CT evaluation of potential right lobe living donors for liver transplantation. Mohamed Saied Abdelgawad *, Osama L. El-Abd. National Liver Institute, El-Menoufiya University, Shebein El-Koom, Alexandria, Egypt. Received 4 June 2011; accepted 18 June 2011. KEYWORDS. Liver transplantation;. Multidetector ...

CT treatment planning of the liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, M.

1988-01-01

The article deals with CT treatment planning of the liver to maximize the dose to the liver but minimize the dose to the right kidney, spinal cord, and bowels. (The left kidney is out of the field due to the oblique angles of the fields.) This is achieved by right kidney shielding reconstruction from multislice CT treatment planning and by the oblique angles of the fields. Without CT, it is not possible to utilize oblique fields to cover the liver. With conventional AP-PA fields, not only is the whole liver treated but also most of the right kidney, half of the left kidney, bowels and spinal cord. Tolerance dose to the kidneys is exceeded if adequate dose is delivered to the liver. Some new computer algorithms display a bird's eye view of the shielding but this paper presents for the first time, a technique for actual shielding reconstruction from multislice CT treatment planning for use by the radiation oncologist when shielding blocks are drawn on the simulator films

Perceptions of post-transplant recidivism in liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, Yoshikuni; Sugawara, Yasuhiko; Akamatsu, Nobuhisa; Kaneko, Junichi; Tanaka, Tomohiro; Tamura, Sumihito; Aoki, Taku; Sakamoto, Yoshihiro; Hasegawa, Kiyoshi; Kokudo, Norihiro

2014-11-27

Although alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is regarded as a common indication for liver transplantation (LT), debatable issues exist on the requirement for preceding alcoholic abstinence, appropriate indication criteria, predictive factors for alcoholic recidivism, and outcomes following living-donor LT. In most institutions, an abstinence period of six months before LT has been adopted as a mandatory selection criterion. Data indicating that pre-transplant abstinence is an associated predictive factor for alcoholic recidivism supports the reasoning behind this. However, conclusive evidence about the benefit of adopting an abstinence period is yet to be established. On the other hand, a limited number of reports available on living-donor LT experiences for ALD patients suggest that organ donations from relatives have no suppressive effect on alcoholic recidivism. Prevention of alcoholic recidivism has proved to be the most important treatment after LT based on the resultant inferior long-term outcome of patients. Further evaluations are still needed to establish strategies before and after LT for ALD.

Use of multidetector row CT with volume renderings in right lobe living liver transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishifuro, Minoru; Akiyama, Yuji; Kushima, Toshio; Horiguchi, Jun; Nakashige, Aya; Tamura, Akihisa; Marukawa, Kazushi; Fukuda, Hiroshi; Ono, Chiaki; Ito, Katsuhide

2002-01-01

Multidetector row CT is a feasible diagnostic tool in pre- and postoperative liver partial transplantation. We can assess vascular anatomy and liver parenchyma as well as volumetry, which provide useful information for both donor selection and surgical planning. Disorders of the vascular and biliary systems are carefully observed in recipients. In addition, we evaluate liver regeneration of both the donor and the recipient by serial volumetry. We present how multidetector row CT with state-of-the-art three-dimensional volume renderings may be used in right lobe liver transplantation. (orig.)

Actual Leisure Participation of Norwegian Adolescents with Down Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Dolva, Anne-Stine; Kleiven, Jo; Kollstad, Marit

2014-01-01

This article reports the actual participation in leisure activities by a sample of Norwegian adolescents with Down syndrome aged 14. Representing a first generation to grow up in a relatively inclusive context, they live with their families, attend mainstream schools, and are part of common community life. Leisure information was obtained in…

Incremental value of live/real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography over the two-dimensional technique in the assessment of primary cardiac malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Gok, Gulay; Elsayed, Mahmoud; Thind, Munveer; Uygur, Begum; Abtahi, Firoozeh; Chahwala, Jugal R; Yıldırımtürk, Özlem; Kayacıoğlu, İlyas; Pehlivanoğlu, Seçkin; Nanda, Navin C

2015-07-01

We describe a case of primary cardiac malignant fibrous histiocytoma where live/real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography added incremental value to the two-dimensional modalities. Specifically, the three-dimensional technique allowed us to delineate the true extent and infiltration of the tumor, to identify characteristics of the tumor mass suggestive of its malignant nature, and to quantitatively assess the total tumor burden. © 2015, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Implementation of an interactive liver surgery planning system

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Luyao; Liu, Jingjing; Yuan, Rong; Gu, Shuguo; Yu, Long; Li, Zhitao; Li, Yanzhao; Li, Zhen; Xie, Qingguo; Hu, Daoyu

2011-03-01

Liver tumor, one of the most wide-spread diseases, has a very high mortality in China. To improve success rates of liver surgeries and life qualities of such patients, we implement an interactive liver surgery planning system based on contrastenhanced liver CT images. The system consists of five modules: pre-processing, segmentation, modeling, quantitative analysis and surgery simulation. The Graph Cuts method is utilized to automatically segment the liver based on an anatomical prior knowledge that liver is the biggest organ and has almost homogeneous gray value. The system supports users to build patient-specific liver segment and sub-segment models using interactive portal vein branch labeling, and to perform anatomical resection simulation. It also provides several tools to simulate atypical resection, including resection plane, sphere and curved surface. To match actual surgery resections well and simulate the process flexibly, we extend our work to develop a virtual scalpel model and simulate the scalpel movement in the hepatic tissue using multi-plane continuous resection. In addition, the quantitative analysis module makes it possible to assess the risk of a liver surgery. The preliminary results show that the system has the potential to offer an accurate 3D delineation of the liver anatomy, as well as the tumors' location in relation to vessels, and to facilitate liver resection surgeries. Furthermore, we are testing the system in a full-scale clinical trial.

Liver transplantation in Greek children: 15 years experience

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Dimitrios Takoudas

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Liver transplantation (LT is the only available live-saving procedure for children with irreversible liver failure. This paper reports our experience from the follow-up of 16 Greek children with end-stage liver failure who underwent a LT. Over a period of 15 years, 16 pediatric liver recipients received follow up after being subjected to OLT (orthotopic liver transplantation due to end-stage liver failure. Nine children initially presented with extrahepatic biliary atresia, 2 with acute liver failure after toxic mushroom ingestion, 2 with intrahepatic cholestasis, 2 with metabolic diseases and one with hepatoblastoma. Ten children received a liver transplant in the Organ Transplantation Unit of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the rest in other transplant centers. Three transplants came from a living-related donor and 13 from a deceased donor. Six children underwent immunosuppressive treatment with cyclo­sporine, mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids, and 7 with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids. Three out of 16 children died within the first month after the transplantation due to post-transplant complications. Three children presented with acute rejection and one with chronic organ rejection which was successfully managed. Five children presented with cytomegalovirus infection, 5 with Epstein-Barr virus, 2 with HSV1,2, 2 with ParvoB19 virus, 2 with varicella-zoster virus and one with C. Albicans infection. One child presented with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage and one with small biliary paucity. A satisfying outcome was achieved in most cases, with good graft function, except for the patient with small biliary paucity who required re-transplantation. The long-term clinical course of liver transplanted children is good under the condition that they are attended in specialized centers.

Empolder and application of LiveWire program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Bo; Li Jing; Wang Xiaoming

2007-01-01

LiveWire is a specific module of Netscape Web server to actualize CGI function; through LiveWire application program one can create dynamic web page on web site. This article introduces how to write LiveWire application code, have to compile, debug and manage LiveWire application programs, and how to apply LiveWire application program on Netscape Web server to create a dynamic web page. (authors)

A practical approach to anaesthesia for paediatric liver transplantation

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A practical approach to anaesthesia for paediatric liver transplantation. Jenny Thomas, M McCulloch, W Spearman, T Butt, A Numanoglu ... In more recent years, the use of reduced size and living related organs has increased the donor pool for infants and children. Paediatric liver transplantation in South Africa, up until the ...

Effect of Right Posterior Bile Duct Anatomy on Biliary Complications in Patients Undergoing Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Tezcaner, Tugan; Dinç, Nadire; Y Karakayalı, Feza; Kırnap, Mahir; Coşkun, Mehmet; Moray, Gökhan; Haberal, Mehmet

2017-01-27

Our aim was to evaluate the influence of the localization of right posterior bile duct anatomy relative to portal vein of the donors on posttransplant bile duct complications. We retrospectively investigated 141 patients who had undergone living donor liver transplant using right hemiliver grafts. The patients were classified based on the pattern of the right posterior bile duct and divided into infraportal and supraportal types. Clinical donor and recipient risk factors and surgical outcomes were compared for their relationship with biliary complications using logistic regression analyses. The 2 groups were similar according to demographic and clinical features. The biliary complication rate was 23.7% (9/38) in the infraportal group and 47.4% (37/78) in the supraportal group (P = .014). An analysis of risk factors for the development of anastomotic bile leak using logistic regression showed that a supraportal right posterior bile duct anatomy was a statistically significant positive predictor, with odds ratio of 18.905 (P = .012; confidence interval, 1.922-185.967). The distance of the right posterior bile duct from confluence was significantly lower in patients with biliary complications than in those without (mean of 7.66 vs 0.40 mm; P = .044). According to receiver operating characteristic analyses, the cut-off point for the length of right bile duct to right posterior bile duct from the hepatic confluence was 9.5 mm regarding presence of complications. Factors influencing bile duct anastomosis leakage were supraportal-type donor bile duct anatomy and length of the right main bile duct from biliary confluence. Hepatic arterial complications were similarly a risk factor for biliary strictures. Because of the multiple factors leading to complications in living donor liver transplant, it is challenging to group these patients by operative risk; however, establishing risk models may facilitate the prediction of complications.

Automatic classification of liver scintigram patterns by computer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Csernay, L.; Csirik, J.

1976-01-01

The pattern recognition of projection is one of the problems in the automatic evaluation of scintigrams. An algorythm and a computerized programme with the ability to classify the shapes of liver scintigrams has been elaborated by the authors. The programme differentiates not only normal and pathologic basic forms, but performs the identification of nine normal forms described by the literature. To pattern recognition structural and local parameters of the picture were defined. A detailed mechanism of the programme is given in their reports. The programme can classify 55 out of 60 actual liver scintigrams, a result different from subjective definition obtained in 5 cases. These were normal pattern of liver scans. No wrong definition was obtained when classifying normal and pathologic patterns

Rat Liver Enzyme Release Depends on Blood Flow-Bearing Physical Forces Acting in Endothelium Glycocalyx rather than on Liver Damage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julieta A. Díaz-Juárez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We have found selective elevation of serum enzyme activities in rats subjected to partial hepatectomy (PH, apparently controlled by hemodynamic flow-bearing physical forces. Here, we assess the involvement of stretch-sensitive calcium channels and calcium mobilization in isolated livers, after chemical modifications of the endothelial glycocalyx and changing perfusion directionality. Inhibiting in vivo protein synthesis, we found that liver enzyme release is influenced by de novo synthesis of endothelial glycocalyx components, and released enzymes are confined into a liver “pool.” Moreover, liver enzyme release depended on extracellular calcium entry possibly mediated by stretch-sensitive calcium channels, and this endothelial-mediated mechanotransduction in liver enzyme release was also evidenced by modifying the glycocalyx carbohydrate components, directionality of perfusing flow rate, and the participation of nitric oxide (NO and malondialdehyde (MDA, leading to modifications in the intracellular distribution of these enzymes mainly as nuclear enrichment of “mitochondrial” enzymes. In conclusion, the flow-induced shear stress may provide fine-tuned control of released hepatic enzymes through mediation by the endothelium glycocalyx, which provides evidence of a biological role of the enzyme release rather to be merely a biomarker for evaluating hepatotoxicity and liver damage, actually positively influencing progression of liver regeneration in mammals.

Transplantation in autoimmune liver diseases

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Marcus Mottershead; James Neuberger

2008-01-01

Liver transplantation remains an effective treatment for those with end-stage disease and with intractable liver-related symptoms.The shortage of organs for transplantation has resulted in the need for rationing.A variety of approaches to selection and allocation have been developed and vary from country to country.The shortage of donors has meant that new approaches have to be adopted to make maximal use of the available organs;these include splitting grafts,use of extended criteria livers,livers from nonheart-beating donors and from living donors.Post transplantation, most patients will need life-long immunosuppression,although a small proportion can have immunosuppression successfully withdrawn.Newer immunosuppressive drugs and different strategies may allow a more targeted approach with a reduction in sideeffects and so improve the patient and graft survival.For autoimmune diseases, transplantation is associated with significant improvement in the quality and length of life.Disease may recur after transplantation and may affect patient and graft survival.

Telework: Timesaving or Timeconsuming? An Investigation into Actual Working Hours

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peters, P.; Wetzels, C.T.A.H.; Tijdens, K

2008-01-01

This paper aims to clarify the relationship between telework and the actual time employees put into their jobs. One of the reported threats to teleworkers' personal lives is that in order to finish their work, they not only use up saved commuting time, but also part of their non-working hours, even

Endovascular treatment of acute arterial complications after living-donor liver transplantation

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Jeon, G.S. [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Ajou University Hospital, School of Medicine, San 5, Wonchun-dong, Youngtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggido 443-721 (Korea, Republic of); Won, J.H. [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Ajou University Hospital, School of Medicine, San 5, Wonchun-dong, Youngtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggido 443-721 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: wonkwak@ajou.ac.kr; Wang, H.J.; Kim, B.W. [Department of Surgery, Ajou University Hospital, School of Medicine, San 5, Wonchun-dong, Youngtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggido 443-721 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, B.M. [Department of Surgery, Aerospace medical center, Ssangsu-ri, Cheongwon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do 363-849 (Korea, Republic of)

2008-10-15

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of endovascular treatment for acute arterial complications following living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Materials and methods: Of 79 LDLT patients, 17 (mean age 48 {+-} 8 years, range 33-66 years) who had acute arterial complications and underwent endovascular treatment were evaluated. Transcatheter arterial embolization was performed to control peritoneal bleeding. Catheter-directed thrombolysis using urokinase was performed in hepatic artery thromboses. The locations of complications and materials used were evaluated. The technical and clinical success rates were calculated. Results: Twenty-three acute arterial complications, including four hepatic artery thromboses and 19 cases of peritoneal haemorrhages were identified in 22 angiographic sessions in 17 patients. The mean duration between LDLT and first angiography was 3.2 {+-} 3.5 days (range 1-13 days). Hepatic artery recanalization with catheter-directed thrombolysis using urokinase was achieved in two patients. Transcatheter arterial embolization for peritoneal bleeding was successfully performed in 16 cases. The most common bleeding focus was the right inferior phrenic artery. Additional surgical management was needed in five patients to control bleeding or hepatic artery recanalization. Technical and clinical success rates of transcatheter arterial embolization were 84.2 and 63.1%, respectively. Overall technical success was achieved in 18 of 23 arterial complications (78.2%), and clinical success was achieved in 14 of 23 arterial complications (60.8%). Conclusion: Endovascular treatment for the acute arterial complications of haemorrhage or thrombosis in LDLT patients is safe and effective. Therefore, it should be considered as the first line of treatment in selective cases.

Liver Fat Scores Moderately Reflect Interventional Changes in Liver Fat Content by a Low-Fat Diet but Not by a Low-Carb Diet.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabisch, Stefan; Bäther, Sabrina; Dambeck, Ulrike; Kemper, Margrit; Gerbracht, Christiana; Honsek, Caroline; Sachno, Anna; Pfeiffer, Andreas F H

2018-01-31

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common metabolic disorder all over the world, mainly being associated with a sedentary lifestyle, adiposity, and nutrient imbalance. The increasing prevalence of NAFLD accommodates similar developments for type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related comorbidities and complications. Therefore, early detection of NAFLD is an utmost necessity. Potentially helpful tools for the prediction of NAFLD are liver fat indices. The fatty liver index (FLI) and the NAFLD-liver fat score (NAFLD-LFS) have been recently introduced for this aim. However, both indices have been shown to correlate with liver fat status, but there is neither sufficient data on the longitudinal representation of liver fat change, nor proof of a diet-independent correlation between actual liver fat change and change of index values. While few data sets on low-fat diets have been published recently, low-carb diets have not been yet assessed in this context. We aim to provide such data from a highly effective short-term intervention to reduce liver fat, comparing a low-fat and a low-carb diet in subjects with prediabetes. Anthropometric measurements, magnetic resonance (MR)-based intrahepatic lipid (IHL) content, and several serum markers for liver damage have been collected in 140 subjects, completing the diet phase in this trial. Area-under-the-responder-operator-curves (AUROC) calculations as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal Spearman correlations were used. Both FLI and NAFLD-LFS predict liver fat with moderate accuracy at baseline (AUROC 0.775-0.786). These results are supported by correlation analyses. Changes in liver fat, achieved by the dietary intervention, correlate moderately with changes in FLI and NAFLD-LFS in the low-fat diet, but not in the low-carb diet. A correlation analysis between change of actual IHL content and change of single elements of the liver fat indices revealed diet-specific moderate to strong correlations between ΔIHL and

Optimal changes in portal hemodynamics induced by splenectomy during living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huanlin; Ikegami, Toru; Harada, Noboru; Yoshizumi, Tomoharu; Soejima, Yuji; Uchiyama, Hideaki; Yamashita, Yo-Ichi; Itoh, Shinji; Harimoto, Norifumi; Kawanaka, Hirofumi; Shirabe, Ken; Maehara, Yoshihiko

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of splenectomy in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Adult-to-adult LDLTs (n = 276) were divided into those with simultaneous splenectomy during LDLT (Splenectomy group, n = 154) and those without (Non-Splenectomy group, n = 122). In the Splenectomy group, splenectomy decreased the portal venous pressure from 24.0 to 19.1 mmHg (p Splenectomy group compared with the Non-Splenectomy group. The graft portal venous flow was also better in the Splenectomy group (y = 625-5.1x; r (2) = 0.08, p Splenectomy group (y = 470-2.9x; r (2) = 0.04, p = 0.03). Fourteen days after LDLT, the total bilirubin and ascites output were lower in the Splenectomy group than in the Non-Splenectomy group. Among the patients with hepatitis C, splenectomy was associated with a significantly higher rate of a sustained viral response (59.4 vs. 35.9%, p = 0.020) than was noted in those without splenectomy (n = 39). There were no patients with post-splenectomy sepsis under vaccination. By decreasing the portal pressure and increasing the graft vascular compliance, splenectomy conferred better graft outcomes in adult-to-adult LDLT.

Effect of transversus abdominis plane block in combination with general anesthesia on perioperative opioid consumption, hemodynamics, and recovery in living liver donors: The prospective, double-blinded, randomized study.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdogan, Mehmet A; Ozgul, Ulku; Uçar, Muharrem; Yalin, Mehmet R; Colak, Yusuf Z; Çolak, Cemil; Toprak, Huseyin I

2017-04-01

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block provides effective postoperative analgesia after abdominal surgeries. It can be also a useful strategy to reduce perioperative opioid consumption, support intraoperative hemodynamic stability, and promote early recovery from anesthesia. The aim of this prospective randomized double-blind study was to assess the effect of subcostal TAP blocks on perioperative opioid consumption, hemodynamic, and recovery time in living liver donors. The prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled study was conducted with 49 living liver donors, aged 18-65 years, who were scheduled to undergo right hepatectomy. Patients who received subcostal TAP block in combination with general anesthesia were allocated into Group 1, and patients who received general anesthesia alone were allocated into Group 2. The TAP blocks were performed bilaterally by obtaining an image with real-time ultrasound guidance using 0.5% bupivacaine diluted with saline to reach a total volume of 40 mL. The primary outcome measure in our study was perioperative remifentanil consumption. Secondary outcomes were mean blood pressure (MBP), heart rate (HR), mean desflurane requirement, anesthesia recovery time, frequency of emergency vasopressor use, total morphine use, and length of hospital stay. Total remifentanil consumption and the anesthesia recovery time were significantly lower in Group 1 compared with Group 2. Postoperative total morphine use and length of hospital stay were also reduced. Changes in the MAP and HR were similar in the both groups. There were no significant differences in HR and MBP between groups at any time. Combining subcostal TAP blocks with general anesthesia significantly reduced perioperative and postoperative opioid consumption, provided shorter anesthesia recovery time, and length of hospital stay in living liver donors. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Incidence of and risk factors for bile duct stones after living donor liver transplantation: An analysis of 100 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Senoo, Takemasa; Ichikawa, Tatsuki; Taura, Naota; Miyaaki, Hisamitsu; Miuma, Satoshi; Shibata, Hidetaka; Honda, Takuya; Takatsuki, Mitsuhisa; Hidaka, Masaaki; Soyama, Akihiko; Eguchi, Susumu; Nakao, Kazuhiko

2015-09-01

Although bile duct stone (BDS) is one of the biliary complications of liver transplantation, analytical studies, particularly on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) cases, are rare. This study aimed to clarify the incidence of and risk factors for BDS following LDLT. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 100 patients who underwent LDLT at our institute from August 2000 to May 2012, and analyzed their clinical characteristics and risk factors for BDS. Of these, 10 patients (10.0%) developed BDS during the observation period. The median follow-up period to BDS diagnosis was 45.5 months (range, 5-84) after LDLT. Univariate analysis revealed male sex, right lobe graft and bile duct strictures as factors that significantly correlated with BDS formation. Multivariate analysis revealed bile duct strictures (odds ratio, 7.17; P = 0.011) and right lobe graft (odds ratio, 10.20; P = 0.040) to be independent risk factors for BDS formation. One patient with BDS and biliary strictures succumbed to sepsis from cholangitis. In the present study, right lobe graft and bile duct strictures are independent risk factors for BDS formation after LDLT. More careful observation and monitoring are required in the patients with high-risk factors. © 2014 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

Liver transplantations in Bulgaria--initial experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Vladov, N; Mihaylov, V; Takorov, I; Vasilevski, I; Lukanova, T; Odisseeva, E; Katzarov, K; Simonova, M; Tomova, D; Konakchieva, M; Petrov, N; Mladenov, N; Sergeev, S; Mutafchiiski, V

2014-01-01

The filed of liver transplantation (LT) continues to evolve and is highly effective therapy for many patients with acute and chronic liver failure resulting from a variety of causes. Improvement of perioperative care, surgical technique and immunosuppression in recent years has led to its transformation into a safe and routine procedure with steadily improving results. The aim of this paper is to present the initial experience of the transplant team at Military Medical Academy - Sofia, Bulgaria. For the period of April 2007 - August 2014 the team performed 38 liver transplants in 37 patients (one retransplantation). Patients were followed up prospectively and retrospectively. In 36 (95%) patients a graft from a cadaveric donor was used and in two cases--a right liver grafts from live donor. The mean MELD score of the transplanted patients was 17 (9-40). The preferred surgical technique was "piggyback" with preservation of inferior vena cava in 33 (86%) of the cases and classical technique in 3 (8%) patients. The overall complication rate was 48%. Early mortality rate was 13% (5 patients). The overall 1- and 5-year survival is 81% and 77% respectivelly. The setting of a new LT program is a complex process which requires the effort and effective colaboration of a wide range of speciacialists (hepatologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, psychologists, therapists, coordinators, etc.) and institutions. The good results are function of a proper selection of the donors and the recipients. Living donation is an alternative in the shortage of cadaveric donors.

Histopathology of liver and kidneys of wild living Mallards Anas platyrhynchos and Coots Fulica atra with considerable concentrations of lead and cadmium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Binkowski, Łukasz J., E-mail: ljbinkowski@gmail.com [Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Podbrzezie 3, 31-054 Cracow (Poland); Sawicka-Kapusta, Katarzyna, E-mail: katarzyna.sawicka-kapusta@uj.edu.pl [Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Cracow (Poland); Szarek, Józef, E-mail: szarek@uwm.edu.pl [Department of Pathophysiology, Forensic Veterinary Medicine and Administration, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-719 Olsztyn (Poland); Strzyżewska, Emilia, E-mail: emijel@wp.pl [Department of Pathophysiology, Forensic Veterinary Medicine and Administration, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-719 Olsztyn (Poland); Felsmann, Mariusz, E-mail: felsmann.mariusz@wp.pl [Department of Pathophysiology, Forensic Veterinary Medicine and Administration, University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-719 Olsztyn (Poland)

2013-04-15

Concentrations of cadmium and lead were measured in liver and kidneys of Mallard (n = 60) and Coot (n = 50). Free living birds were collected by hunters in years 2006–2008 in the area of fishponds near Zator in southern Poland. Age group was determined according to the appearance of the plumage (Mallards) and iris color (Coot). Concentrations of metals were measured with ET-AA spectrometer. Among all birds specimens with negligible (n = 5) and high concentrations (Mallards n = 18 and Coots n = 17) of cadmium and lead were chosen for further analysis. Histopathological alterations were observed, ranging from circulatory disturbances, retrogressive changes, inflammations to leukocytic infiltration in liver and kidney. They dominated among birds with the highest concentrations of metals. The control group of birds was characterized by a very small number of mentioned lesions. Probably the higher cadmium and lead concentrations in tissues are co-factors in the development of lesions. - Highlights: ► High levels of Cd and Pb were found in liver and kidneys of Mallard and Coot. ► Lower concentrations were found in young birds. ► Amount of metals exceeded the safety threshold established for edible poultry. ► Histopathological alterations were found in studied tissues. ► Lesions in birds with the highest concentrations of metals were numerous.

Is portal venous pressure modulation still indicated for all recipients in living-donor liver transplantation?

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Siyuan; Kaido, Toshimi; Uozumi, Ryuji; Yagi, Shintaro; Miyachi, Yosuke; Fukumitsu, Ken; Anazawa, Takayuki; Kamo, Naoko; Taura, Kojiro; Okajima, Hideaki; Uemoto, Shinji

2018-04-30

There is a consensus that portal venous pressure (PVP) modulation prevents portal hypertension (PHT) and consequent complications after adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT). However, PVP-modulation strategies need updating based on most recent findings. We examined our 10-year experience of PVP modulation and reevaluate whether it is necessary for all recipients or selected recipients in ALDLT. In this retrospective study, 319 patients who underwent ALDLT from 2007 to 2016 were divided into three groups according to the necessity and results of PVP modulation: not indicated (n=189), indicated and successful (n=92), and indicated but failed (n=38). Graft survival and associations with various clinical factors were investigated. PVP modulation was performed mainly by splenectomy to lower final PVP to ≤15 mmHg. Successful PVP modulation improved prognosis that was equivalent to that of patients who did not need modulation, whereas failed modulation was associated with increased incidence of small-for-size syndrome (SFSS) (p=0.003), and early graft loss (EGL) (p=0.006). Among patients with failed modulation, donor age ≥45 years (hazard ratio [HR], 3.67; p=0.02) and ABO incompatibility (HR, 3.90; p=0.01) were independent risk factors for graft loss. Survival analysis showed that PVP >15 mmHg was related to poor prognosis in grafts from either ABO-incompatible or older donor aged ≥45 years (pmodulation is not necessarily required in all recipients. While grafts from both ABO-compatible/identical and young donor can tolerate PHT, lowering PVP to ≤15 mmHg is a key to preventing SFSS and consequent EGL with grafts from either ABO-incompatible or older donors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Predisposing risk factors for delirium in living donor liver transplantation patients in intensive care units.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Szu-Han Wang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Delirium is one of the main causes of increased length of intensive care unit (ICU stay among patients who have undergone living donor liver transplantation (LDLT. We aimed to evaluate risk factors for delirium after LDLT as well as to investigate whether delirium impacts the length of ICU and hospital stay. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients who underwent LDLT during the period January 2010 to December 2012 at a single medical center were enrolled. The Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU scale was used to diagnose delirium. Preoperative, postoperative, and hematologic factors were included as potential risk factors for developing delirium. RESULTS: During the study period, delirium was diagnosed in 37 (47.4% patients after LDLT. The mean onset of symptoms occurred 7.0±5.5 days after surgery and the mean duration of symptoms was 5.0±2.6 days. The length of stay in the ICU for patients with delirium (39.8±28.1 days was significantly longer than that for patients without delirium (29.3±19.0 days (p<0.05. Risk factors associated with delirium included history of alcohol abuse [odds ratio (OR = 6.40, 95% confidence interval (CI: 1.85-22.06], preoperative hepatic encephalopathy (OR = 4.45, 95% CI: 1.36-14.51, APACHE II score ≥16 (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.71-2.56, and duration of endotracheal intubation ≥5 days (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.52-2.23. CONCLUSIONS: History of alcohol abuse, preoperative hepatic encephalopathy, APACHE II scores ≥16 and endotracheal intubation ≥5 days were predictive of developing delirium in the ICU following liver transplantation surgery and were associated with increased length of ICU and hospital stay.

Relationship Between Bile Duct Reconstruction and Complications in Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

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Miyagi, S; Kawagishi, N; Kashiwadate, T; Fujio, A; Tokodai, K; Hara, Y; Nakanishi, C; Kamei, T; Ohuchi, N; Satomi, S

2016-05-01

In living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), the recipient bile duct is thin and short. Bile duct complications often occur in LDLT, with persistent long-term adverse effects. Recently, we began to perform microsurgical reconstruction of the bile duct. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between bile duct reconstruction methods and complications in LDLT. From 1991 to 2014, we performed 161 LDLTs (pediatric:adult = 90:71; left lobe:right lobe = 95:66). In this study, we retrospectively investigated the initial bile duct complications in LDLT and performed univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the independent risk factors for complications. The most frequent complication was biliary stricture (9.9%), followed by biliary leakage (6.8%). On univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis, the independent risk factors for biliary stricture were bile leakage (P = .0103) and recurrent cholangitis (P = .0077). However, there were no risk factors for biliary leakage on univariate analysis in our study. The reconstruction methods (hepaticojejunostomy or duct-to-duct anastomosis) and reconstruction technique (with or without microsurgery) were not risk factors for biliary stricture and leakage. In this study, the most frequent complication of LDLT was biliary stricture. The independent risk factors for biliary stricture were biliary leakage and recurrent cholangitis. Duct-to-duct anastomosis and microsurgical reconstruction of the bile duct were not risk factors for biliary stricture and leakage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of different magnetic resonance cholangiography techniques in living liver donors including Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced T1-weighted sequences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonja Kinner

Full Text Available Preoperative evaluation of potential living liver donors (PLLDs includes the assessment of the biliary anatomy to avoid postoperative complications. Aim of this study was to compare T2-weighted (T2w and Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced T1-weighted (T1w magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC techniques in the evaluation of PLLDs.30 PLLDs underwent MRC on a 1.5 T Magnetom Avanto (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany using (A 2D T2w HASTE (Half Fourier Acquisition Single Shot Turbo Spin Echo fat saturated (fs in axial plane, (B 2D T2w HASTE fs thick slices in coronal plane, (C free breathing 3D T2w TSE (turbo spin echo RESTORE (high-resolution navigator corrected plus (D maximum intensity projections (MIPs, (E T2w SPACE (sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolutions plus (F MIPs and (G T2w TSE BLADE as well as Gd-EOB-DTPA T1w images without (G and with (H inversion recovery. Contrast enhanced CT cholangiography served as reference imaging modality. Two independent reviewers evaluated the biliary tract anatomy on a 5-point scale subjectively and objectively. Data sets were compared using a Mann-Whitney-U-test. Kappa values were also calculated.Source images and maximum intensity projections of 3D T2w TSE sequences (RESTORE and SPACE proved to be best for subjective and objective evaluation directly followed by 2D HASTE sequences. Interobserver variabilities were good to excellent (k = 0.622-0.804.3D T2w sequences are essential for preoperative biliary tract evaluation in potential living liver donors. Furthermore, our results underline the value of different MRCP sequence types for the evaluation of the biliary anatomy in PLLDs including Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced T1w MRC.

Biliary anatomy in potential right hepatic lobe living donor liver transplantation (LDLT): The utility of CT cholangiography in the setting of inconclusive MRCP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McSweeney, Sean E.; Kim, Tae Kyoung; Jang, Hyun-Jung; Khalili, Korosh

2012-01-01

Objective: To determine the utility of CT cholangiography (CT-Ch) in preoperative evaluation of the biliary anatomy of living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) donors when magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is inconclusive. Materials and methods: Over a 2-year period, 22 potential living liver donors underwent contrast-enhanced CT-Ch for preoperative evaluating biliary anatomy due to inconclusive results on MRCP and subsequently donated their right hepatic lobe. Nineteen of them underwent intraoperative cholangiography and were included in this study. Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed both MRCP and CT-Ch with 1-month interval and documented the types of bile duct branching patterns and visualization score of intrahepatic bile ducts (4-point scale). Results: There were no complications associated with CT-Ch examinations. CT-Ch was concordant with the reference standard in 18/19 (95%) including 7/8 typical branching type and 11/11 anomalous branching types. MRCP was concordant with the reference standard in 14/19 (74%) including 4/8 typical branching types and 10/11 anomalous branching types. The discordant case by CT-Ch was the identification of a tiny accessory right intrahepatic duct joining the common bile duct which was not visualized on intraoperative cholangiography. CT-Ch showed higher visualization score (mean, 3.9) than MRCP (mean, 2.6) (P < .001). Conclusion: CT-Ch can be effectively used for the depiction of the branching pattern of the bile duct at the hepatic hilum when MRCP is inconclusive.

Living organ donation: the effect of message frame on an altruistic behaviour.

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McGregor, Lesley M; Ferguson, Eamonn; O'Carroll, Ronan E

2012-09-01

This experimental study investigates the impact of message frame and risk perceptions upon willingness to consider living organ donation. A 2 (gain vs. loss) by 2 (liver vs. kidney) by 2 (involved vs. not involved) between-group study was conducted. Eighty-seven participants completed a questionnaire after reading a vignette designed to invite participants to consider living kidney or liver donation. Within a gain frame scenario, willingness to donate was significantly higher when the risk of donating was lower. The results have important implications for the generalizability of framing theories and the promotion of living organ donation.

Non-invasive quantification of hepatic steatosis in living, related liver donors using dual-echo Dixon imaging and single-voxel proton spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishan, S.; Jain, D.; Bathina, Y.; Kale, A.; Saraf, N.; Saigal, S.; Choudhary, N.; Baijal, S.S.; Soin, A.

2016-01-01

dual-echo Dixon imaging and proton MRS is a useful tool for the preoperative diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in potential living liver donors. This can help avoid unnecessary biopsies in these patients. - Highlights: • This paper highlights repeatability and reproducibility of MR based fat quantification using dual echo Dixon imaging and MR spectroscopy. • MR based fat quantification can safely preclude the need for biopsy in patients with less than 5% fat on MR. • MR is a promising tool for evaluation of liver fat in patients and avoiding the need for liver biopsy.

Interfacing biomembrane mimetic polymer surfaces with living cells - Surface modification for reliable bioartificial liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwasaki, Yasuhiko; Takami, Utae; Sawada, Shin-ichi; Akiyoshi, Kazunari

2008-01-01

The surface design used for reducing nonspecific biofouling is one of the most important issues for the fabrication of medical devices. We present here a newly synthesized a carbohydrate-immobilized phosphorylcholine polymer for surface modification of medical devices to control the interface with living cells. A random copolymer composed of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), n-butyl methacrylate (BMA), and 2-lactobionamidoethyl methacrylate (LAMA) was synthesized by conventional radical polymerization. The monomer feeding ratio in the copolymer was adjusted to 24/75/1 (MPC/BMA/LAMA). The copolymer (PMBL1.0) could be coated by solvent evaporation from an ethanol solution. Cells of the human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2) having asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGPRs) were seeded on PMBL1.0 or poly(BMA) (PBMA)-coated PET plates. On PBMA, many adherent cells were observed and were well spread with monolayer adhesion. HepG2 adhesion was observed on PMBL1.0 because the cell has ASGPRs. Furthermore, some of the cells adhering to PMBL1.0 had a spheroid formation and similarly shaped spheroids were scattered on the surface. According to confocal laser microscopic observation after 96 h cultivation, it was found that albumin production preferentially occurred in the center of the spheroid. The albumin production of the cells that adhered to PBMA was sparse. The amount of albumin production per unit cell that adhered to PMBL1.0 was determined by ELISA and was significantly higher than that which adhered to PBMA. Long-term cultivation of HepG2 was also performed using hollow fiber mini-modules coated with PMBL1.0. The concentration of albumin produced from HepG2 increased continuously for one month. In the mini-module, the function of HepG2 was effectively preserved for that period. On the hollow fiber membrane, spheroid formation of HepG2 cells was also observed. In conclusion, PMBL1.0 can provide a suitable surface for the cultivation of

Quantification of liver fat: A comprehensive review.

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Goceri, Evgin; Shah, Zarine K; Layman, Rick; Jiang, Xia; Gurcan, Metin N

2016-04-01

Fat accumulation in the liver causes metabolic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia by affecting insulin resistance, and increasing the risk of cardiac complications and cardiovascular disease mortality. Fatty liver diseases are often reversible in their early stage; therefore, there is a recognized need to detect their presence and to assess its severity to recognize fat-related functional abnormalities in the liver. This is crucial in evaluating living liver donors prior to transplantation because fat content in the liver can change liver regeneration in the recipient and donor. There are several methods to diagnose fatty liver, measure the amount of fat, and to classify and stage liver diseases (e.g. hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis and cirrhosis): biopsy (the gold-standard procedure), clinical (medical physics based) and image analysis (semi or fully automated approaches). Liver biopsy has many drawbacks: it is invasive, inappropriate for monitoring (i.e., repeated evaluation), and assessment of steatosis is somewhat subjective. Qualitative biomarkers are mostly insufficient for accurate detection since fat has to be quantified by a varying threshold to measure disease severity. Therefore, a quantitative biomarker is required for detection of steatosis, accurate measurement of severity of diseases, clinical decision-making, prognosis and longitudinal monitoring of therapy. This study presents a comprehensive review of both clinical and automated image analysis based approaches to quantify liver fat and evaluate fatty liver diseases from different medical imaging modalities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Q-FISH measurement of hepatocyte telomere lengths in donor liver and graft after pediatric living-donor liver transplantation: donor age affects telomere length sustainability.

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Youichi Kawano

Full Text Available Along with the increasing need for living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT, the issue of organ shortage has become a serious problem. Therefore, the use of organs from elderly donors has been increasing. While the short-term results of LDLT have greatly improved, problems affecting the long-term outcome of transplant patients remain unsolved. Furthermore, since contradictory data have been reported with regard to the relationship between donor age and LT/LDLT outcome, the question of whether the use of elderly donors influences the long-term outcome of a graft after LT/LDLT remains unsettled. To address whether hepatocyte telomere length reflects the outcome of LDLT, we analyzed the telomere lengths of hepatocytes in informative biopsy samples from 12 paired donors and recipients (grafts of pediatric LDLT more than 5 years after adult-to-child LDLT because of primary biliary atresia, using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH. The telomere lengths in the paired samples showed a robust relationship between the donor and grafted hepatocytes (r = 0.765, p = 0.0038, demonstrating the feasibility of our Q-FISH method for cell-specific evaluation. While 8 pairs showed no significant difference between the telomere lengths for the donor and the recipient, the other 4 pairs showed significantly shorter telomeres in the recipient than in the donor. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the donors in the latter group were older than those in the former (p = 0.001. Despite the small number of subjects, this pilot study indicates that donor age is a crucial factor affecting telomere length sustainability in hepatocytes after pediatric LDLT, and that the telomeres in grafted livers may be elongated somewhat longer when the grafts are immunologically well controlled.

Telework: timesaving or time-consuming? An investigation into actual working hours

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peters, P.; Wetzels, C.; Tijdens, K.

2008-01-01

This paper aims to clarify the relationship between telework and the actual time employees put into their jobs. One of the reported threats to teleworkers’ personal lives is that in order to finish their work, they not only use up saved commuting time, but also part of their non-working hours, even

Identifying areas of need relative to liver disease: geographic clustering within a health service district.

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El-Atem, Nathan; Irvine, Katharine M; Valery, Patricia C; Wojcik, Kyle; Horsfall, Leigh; Johnson, Tracey; Janda, Monika; McPhail, Steven M; Powell, Elizabeth E

2017-08-01

Background Many people with chronic liver disease (CLD) are not detected until they present to hospital with advanced disease, when opportunities for intervention are reduced and morbidity is high. In order to build capacity and liver expertise in the community, it is important to focus liver healthcare resources in high-prevalence disease areas and specific populations with an identified need. The aim of the present study was to examine the geographic location of people seen in a tertiary hospital hepatology clinic, as well as ethnic and sociodemographic characteristics of these geographic areas. Methods The geographic locations of hepatology out-patients were identified via the out-patient scheduling database and grouped into statistical area (SA) regions for demographic analysis using data compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Results During the 3-month study period, 943 individuals from 71 SA Level 3 regions attended clinic. Nine SA Level 3 regions accounted for 55% of the entire patient cohort. Geographic clustering was seen especially for people living with chronic hepatitis B virus. There was a wide spectrum of socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage in areas with high liver disease prevalence. Conclusions The geographic area from which people living with CLD travel to access liver health care is extensive. However, the greatest demand for tertiary liver disease speciality care is clustered within specific geographic areas. Outreach programs targeted to these areas may enhance liver disease-specific health service resourcing. What is known about the topic? The demand for tertiary hospital clinical services in CLD is rising. However, there is limited knowledge about the geographic areas from which people living with CLD travel to access liver services, or the ethnic, socioeconomic and education characteristics of these areas. What does this paper add? The present study demonstrates that a substantial proportion of people living with CLD and

Maternal coping with the prospect of liver transplant among their school-age children.

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Hiratsuka, Katsuhiro; Nakamura, Nobue; Sato, Naho

2017-06-01

The purpose of the current study was to describe the following: maternal coping with the prospect of becoming the living-donor liver transplant for their child; the daily lives of school-age children surviving biliary atresia with their native liver; and to explore the relationship between these individuals. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 6 school-age children surviving biliary atresia with their native liver and their mothers. The interviews were conducted from June to August 2014, and a qualitative content analysis was used. Results showed that mothers realized a possible need for transplantation in the future, which contributes to emotional and practical uncertainties. The mothers coexisted with this uncertainty and preferred to use a buffering strategy. In contrast, the children did not consider their illness and future and did not adhere to a therapeutic regimen. It is suggested that living with uncertainty about the health and survival of their children is advantageous for mothers. However, problems related to the psychosocial aspect and child's adherence may occur in the future. In addition, problem-solving coping strategies for mothers and the independence of chronically ill children with liver disease should be promoted. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Qualidade de vida do doador após transplante hepático intervivos Donor quality of life after living donor liver transplantation

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Júlio Cezar Uili Coelho

2005-06-01

Full Text Available RACIONAL: A qualidade de vida do doador após transplante hepático intervivos ainda não foi avaliada em nosso meio. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade de vida do doador após transplante hepático intervivos. MÉTODOS: De um total de 300 transplantes hepáticos, 51 foram de doadores vivos. Doadores com seguimento menor do que 6 meses e os que não quiseram participar do estudo foram excluídos. Os doadores responderam a um questionário de 28 perguntas abordando os vários aspectos da doação, sendo também avaliados dados demográficos e clínicos dos mesmos. RESULTADOS: Trinta e sete doadores aceitaram participar do estudo. Destes, 32 eram parentes de primeiro ou de segundo grau do receptor. O esclarecimento sobre o caráter voluntário da doação foi adequado para todos pacientes. Apenas um (2% não doaria novamente. A dor pós-operatória foi pior do que o esperado para 22 doadores (59%. O retorno às atividades normais ocorreu em menos de 3 meses para 21 doadores (57%. Vinte e um doadores (57% tiveram perda financeira com a doação devido a gastos com medicamentos, exames, transporte ou perda de rendimentos. Trinta e três (89% não tiveram modificação ou limitação na sua vida após a doação. Os aspectos mais negativos da doação foram a dor pós-operatória e a presença de cicatriz cirúrgica. A maioria das complicações pós-operatória foi resolvida com o tratamento clínico, mas complicações graves ou potencialmente fatais ocorreram em dois pacientes. CONCLUSÕES: A maioria dos doadores apresentou boa recuperação e retornou completamente as suas atividades normais poucos meses após a doação. O aspecto mais negativo da doação foi a dor pós-operatória.BACKGROUND: Quality of life of the donor after living donor liver transplantation has not been evaluated in Brazil yet. AIM: To evaluate the quality of live of the donor after living donor liver transplantation. METHODS: Of a total of 300 liver transplantations, 51 were

Review of Natural History, Benefits and Risk Factors Pediatric Liver Transplantation

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Manoochehr Karjoo

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Liver or hepatic transplantation (LT is the replacement of a diseased liver with part or whole healthy liver from another person (allograft. Human liver transplants were first performed by Thomas Starzl in the United States and Roy Calne in Cambridge, England in 1963 and 1967, respectively. Liver transplantation is a viable treatment option for end-stage liver disease and acute liver failure. Pediatric patients account for about 12.5% of liver transplant recipients. The most commonly used technique is orthotopic transplantation, in which the native liver is removed and replaced by the donor organ in the same anatomic location as the original liver. Cirrhosis, or liver injury, is a common reason why adults need liver transplants and children with bile duct disease issues are often the candidates. Survival statistics depend greatly on the age of donor, age of recipient, skill of the transplant center, compliance of the recipient, whether the organ came from a living or cadaveric donor and overall health of the recipient. Survival rates improve almost yearly, due to improved techniques and medications.

Visualizing liver anatomy, physiology and pharmacology using multiphoton microscopy.

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Wang, Haolu; Liang, Xiaowen; Gravot, Germain; Thorling, Camilla A; Crawford, Darrell H G; Xu, Zhi Ping; Liu, Xin; Roberts, Michael S

2017-01-01

Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) has become increasingly popular and widely used in both basic and clinical liver studies over the past few years. This technology provides insights into deep live tissues with less photobleaching and phototoxicity, which helps us to better understand the cellular morphology, microenvironment, immune responses and spatiotemporal dynamics of drugs and therapeutic cells in the healthy and diseased liver. This review summarizes the principles, opportunities, applications and limitations of MPM in hepatology. A key emphasis is on the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) to add additional quantification and specificity to the detection of endogenous fluorescent species in the liver as well as exogenous molecules and nanoparticles that are applied to the liver in vivo. We anticipate that in the near future MPM-FLIM will advance our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver diseases, and will be evaluated from bench to bedside, leading to real-time histology of human liver diseases. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Automatic segmentation of liver structure in CT images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, K.T.; Giger, M.L.; Chen, C.; Kahn, C.E. Jr.

1993-01-01

The segmentation and three-dimensional representation of the liver from a computed tomography (CT) scan is an important step in many medical applications, such as in the surgical planning for a living-donor liver transplant and in the automatic detection and documentation of pathological states. A method is being developed to automatically extract liver structure from abdominal CT scans using a priori information about liver morphology and digital image-processing techniques. Segmentation is performed sequentially image-by-image (slice-by-slice), starting with a reference image in which the liver occupies almost the entire right half of the abdomen cross section. Image processing techniques include gray-level thresholding, Gaussian smoothing, and eight-point connectivity tracking. For each case, the shape, size, and pixel density distribution of the liver are recorded for each CT image and used in the processing of other CT images. Extracted boundaries of the liver are smoothed using mathematical morphology techniques and B-splines. Computer-determined boundaries were compared with those drawn by a radiologist. The boundary descriptions from the two methods were in agreement, and the calculated areas were within 10%

Associations between Zinc Deficiency and Metabolic Abnormalities in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

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Takashi Himoto

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Zinc (Zn is an essential trace element which has favorable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic effects. The liver mainly plays a crucial role in maintaining systemic Zn homeostasis. Therefore, the occurrence of chronic liver diseases, such as chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, or fatty liver, results in the impairment of Zn metabolism, and subsequently Zn deficiency. Zn deficiency causes plenty of metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis and hepatic encephalopathy. Inversely, metabolic abnormalities like hypoalbuminemia in patients with liver cirrhosis often result in Zn deficiency. Recent studies have revealed the putative mechanisms by which Zn deficiency evokes a variety of metabolic abnormalities in chronic liver disease. Zn supplementation has shown beneficial effects on such metabolic abnormalities in experimental models and actual patients with chronic liver disease. This review summarizes the pathogenesis of metabolic abnormalities deriving from Zn deficiency and the favorable effects of Zn administration in patients with chronic liver disease. In addition, we also highlight the interactions between Zn and other trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, or hormones in such patients.

Heterozygote to homozygote related living donor liver transplantation in maple syrup urine disease: a case report.

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Patel, N; Loveland, J; Zuckerman, M; Moshesh, P; Britz, R; Botha, J

2015-05-01

Liver transplantation is an accepted treatment modality in the management of MSUD. To our knowledge, ours is only the second successful case to date of a patient with MSUD receiving an allograft from an RLD who is a heterozygous carrier for the disease. In view of the worldwide shortage of available organs for transplantation, heterozygote to homozygote transplantation in the setting of MSUD may provide a viable alternative for those awaiting transplantation. We report on the case of a two-yr-old infant with MSUD, who received a left lateral segment (segments II and III) liver transplant from his mother, a heterozygote carrier of one of the three abnormal genes implicated in MSUD. Post-operative BCAA levels normalized in our patient and remained so on an unrestricted protein diet and during times of physiological stress. To date, this is only the second case of a successful RLD liver transplant in a child with MSUD. Preliminary results indicate that RLD liver transplants are at least equivalent to deceased donor liver transplants in the treatment of MSUD, although longer term follow-up is required. Heterozygote to homozygote RLD transplant in patients with MSUD presents a new pool of potential liver donors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Graft-to-recipient weight ratio lower to 0.7% is safe without portal pressure modulation in right-lobe living donor liver transplantation with favorable conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung Duk; Kim, Seong Hoon; Kim, Young-Kyu; Lee, Soon-Ae; Park, Sang-Jae

2014-02-01

The low graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is one of the major risk factors affecting graft survival. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether the lower limit of the GRWR can be safely reduced without portal pressure modulation in right-lobe LDLT. From 2005 to 2011, 317 consecutive patients from a single institute underwent LDLT with right-lobe grafts without portal pressure modulation. Of these, 23 had a GRWR of less than 0.7% (group A), 27 had a GRWR of ≥0.7%, recipient, donor, operation factors, laboratory findings and complications were reviewed retrospectively. The baseline demographics showed low model for end-stage liver disease score (mean 16.3+/-8.9) and high percentage of hepatocellular carcinoma (231 patients, 72.9%). Three groups by GRWR demonstrated similar characteristics except recipient body mass index and donor gender. For small-for-size syndrome, there were 3 (13.0%) in group A, 1 (3.7%) in group B, and 2 patients (0.7%) in group C (Pneed to modulate portal pressure in adult-to-adult LDLT using the right-lobe in favorable conditions including low model for end-stage liver disease score.

CT volumetry of the liver: Where does it stand in clinical practice?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, M.C.; Tan, C.H.; Cai, J.; Zheng, J.; Kow, A.W.C.

2014-01-01

Imaging-based volumetry has been increasingly utilised in current clinical practice to obtain accurate measurements of the liver volume. This is particularly useful prior to major hepatic resection and living donor liver transplantation where the size of the remnant liver and liver graft, respectively, affects procedural success and postoperative mortality and morbidity. The use of imaging-based volumetry, with emphasis on computed tomography, will be reviewed. We will explore the various technical factors that contribute to accurate volumetric measurements, and demonstrate how the accuracies of these techniques are influenced by their methodologies. The strengths and limitations of using anatomical imaging to estimate liver volume will be discussed, in relation to laboratory and functional imaging methods of assessment

Clearance of iron oxide particles in rat liver: effect of hydrated particle size and coating material on liver metabolism.

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Briley-Saebo, Karen C; Johansson, Lars O; Hustvedt, Svein Olaf; Haldorsen, Anita G; Bjørnerud, Atle; Fayad, Zahi A; Ahlstrom, Haakan K

2006-07-01

We sought to evaluate the effect of the particle size and coating material of various iron oxide preparations on the rate of rat liver clearance. The following iron oxide formulations were used in this study: dextran-coated ferumoxide (size = 97 nm) and ferumoxtran-10 (size = 21 nm), carboxydextran-coated SHU555A (size = 69 nm) and fractionated SHU555A (size = 12 nm), and oxidized-starch coated materials either unformulated NC100150 (size = 15 nm) or formulated NC100150 injection (size = 12 nm). All formulations were administered to 165 rats at 2 dose levels. Quantitative liver R2* values were obtained during a 63-day time period. The concentration of iron oxide particles in the liver was determined by relaxometry, and these values were used to calculate the particle half-lives in the liver. After the administration of a high dose of iron oxide, the half-life of iron oxide particles in rat liver was 8 days for dextran-coated materials, 10 days for carboxydextran materials, 14 days for unformulated oxidized-starch, and 29 days for formulated oxidized-starch. The results of the study indicate that materials with similar coating but different sizes exhibited similar rates of liver clearance. It was, therefore, concluded that the coating material significantly influences the rate of iron oxide clearance in rat liver.

CD4 T lymphocyte counts in patients undergoing splenectomy during living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Natsuda, Koji; Eguchi, Susumu; Takatsuki, Mistuhisa; Soyama, Akihiko; Hidaka, Masaaki; Hara, Takanobu; Kugiyama, Tota; Baimakhanov, Zhassulan; Ono, Shinichiro; Kitasato, Amane; Fujita, Fumihiko; Kanetaka, Kengo; Kuroki, Tamotsu

2016-02-01

The role of splenectomy in increasing the CD4-positive T lymphocyte counts (hereafter: CD4 counts) and the CD4 to CD8 ratio have not yet been fully investigated, especially in the case of HIV-positive patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT). The change in the total lymphocyte counts of 32 patients who underwent one-stage splenectomy with living donor (LD) LT with (n=13) or without rituximab (RTX, n=19) therapy were examined to validate our cohort of ABO-incompatible LDLT with RTX. Subsequently, perioperative changes in CD4 counts and the CD 4 to CD8 ratio were measured in 13 patients who underwent ABO-incompatible LDLT/RTX with splenectomy. (1) The administration of RTX did not significantly affect the total lymphocyte counts of patients after LDLT/splenectomy in any of the observation periods. (2) The CD4 counts were significantly higher at 2years after LDLT in comparison to the perioperative CD4 counts but not within the 3-month period (p=0.039). The CD4/CD8 ratio gradually decreased after LDLT/splenectomy under RTX treatment. An immediate increase in the CD4 counts therefore cannot be expected after LDLT with splenectomy. The total lymphocyte and CD4 counts were rather stable in the peritransplant period even in ABO incompatible LDLT with RTX. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Liver hanging maneuver for right hemiliver in situ donation – anatomical considerations

OpenAIRE

Trotovšek, B.; Gadžijev, E.M.; Ravnik, D.; Hribernik, M.

2006-01-01

Background. An anatomical study was carried out to evaluate the safety of the liver hanging maneuver for the right hemiliver in living donor and in situ splitting transplantation. During this procedure a 4–6 cm blind dissection is performed between the inferior vena cava and the liver. Short subhepatic veins entering the inferior vena cava from segments 1 and 9 could be torn with consequent hemorrhage. Materials and methods. One hundred corrosive casts of livers were evaluated to establish th...

Alternative Techniques for Cannulation of Biliary Strictures Resistant to the 0.035 System Following Living Donor Liver Transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Hee Mang; Kim, Jin Hyoung; Ko, Gi Young; Song, Ho Young; Gwon, Dong Il; Sung, Kyu Bo

2012-01-01

To assess the clinical efficacy of alternative techniques for biliary stricture cannulation in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), after cannulation failure with a conventional (0.035-inch guidewire) technique. Of 293 patients with biliary strictures after LDLT, 19 (6%) patients, 11 men and 8 women of mean age 48.5 years, had the failed cannulation of the stricture by conventional techniques. Recannulation was attempted by using two alternative methods, namely a micro-catheter set via percutaneous access and a snare (rendezvous) technique using percutaneous and endoscopic approaches. Strictures were successfully cannulated in 16 (84%) of the 19 patients. A microcatheter set was used in 12 and a snare technique in four patients. Stricture cannulation failed in the remaining three patients, who finally underwent surgical revision. Most technical failures using a conventional technique for biliary stricture cannulation after LDLT can be overcome by using a microcatheter set or a snare (rendezvous) technique.

Alternative Techniques for Cannulation of Biliary Strictures Resistant to the 0.035 System Following Living Donor Liver Transplantation

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Yoon, Hee Mang; Kim, Jin Hyoung; Ko, Gi Young; Song, Ho Young; Gwon, Dong Il; Sung, Kyu Bo [Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-03-15

To assess the clinical efficacy of alternative techniques for biliary stricture cannulation in patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), after cannulation failure with a conventional (0.035-inch guidewire) technique. Of 293 patients with biliary strictures after LDLT, 19 (6%) patients, 11 men and 8 women of mean age 48.5 years, had the failed cannulation of the stricture by conventional techniques. Recannulation was attempted by using two alternative methods, namely a micro-catheter set via percutaneous access and a snare (rendezvous) technique using percutaneous and endoscopic approaches. Strictures were successfully cannulated in 16 (84%) of the 19 patients. A microcatheter set was used in 12 and a snare technique in four patients. Stricture cannulation failed in the remaining three patients, who finally underwent surgical revision. Most technical failures using a conventional technique for biliary stricture cannulation after LDLT can be overcome by using a microcatheter set or a snare (rendezvous) technique.

Surgical rationalization of living donor liver transplantation by abolition of hepatic artery reconstruction under a fixed microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Yagi, Takahito; Shinoura, Susumu; Umeda, Yuzo; Sato, Daisuke; Yoshida, Ryuichi; Yoshida, Kazuhiro; Utsumi, Masashi; Nobuoka, Daisuke; Sadamori, Hiroshi; Fujiwara, Toshiyoshi

2012-01-01

The small diameter of the hepatic artery is one of the complexities of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We analyzed whether the direct suture technique using surgical loupes can simplify the operative process for LDLT compared with fixed microscopic reconstruction. We applied the direct technique to rationalize the operative process and abolished routine microsurgery from 2004. Two hundred and nine LDLT with a postoperative period over 34 months were carried out from 1996 to 2008. The patients were divided into two groups: the micro group (children: 20, adults: 72) and the non-micro group (children: 12, adults: 97). Running anastomosis was undertaken in the non-micro group. The anastomotic size of the children was significantly smaller than that of the adults, but larger than 2 mm (2.38±0.4 vs. 2.7±0.47 mm, p=0.0005). By appropriate choice of the proximal artery, direct anastomosis is possible even in children. Early complications occurred in seven cases in the micro group, but none occurred in the non-micro group (prationalization of LDLT. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Effect of evacuation on liver function after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident: The Fukushima Health Management Survey.

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Takahashi, Atsushi; Ohira, Tetsuya; Hosoya, Mitsuaki; Yasumura, Seiji; Nagai, Masato; Ohira, Hiromasa; Hashimoto, Shigeatsu; Satoh, Hiroaki; Sakai, Akira; Ohtsuru, Akira; Kawasaki, Yukihiko; Suzuki, Hitoshi; Kobashi, Gen; Ozasa, Kotaro; Yamashita, Shunichi; Kamiya, Kenji; Abe, Masafumi

2017-04-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident caused residents to switch from their normal lives to lives focused on evacuation. We evaluated liver function before and after this disaster to elucidate the effects of evacuation on liver function. This study was a longitudinal survey of 26,006 Japanese men and women living near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This study was undertaken using data from annual health checkups conducted for persons aged 40-90 years between 2008 and 2010. Follow-up examinations were conducted from June 2011 to the end of March 2013, with a mean follow up of 1.6 years. Changes in liver function before and after the disaster were compared among evacuees and non-evacuees. We also assessed groups according to alcohol drinking status. The prevalence of liver dysfunction significantly increased in all participants from 16.4% before to 19.2% after the disaster. The incidence of liver dysfunction was significantly higher in evacuees than in non-evacuees. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that evacuation was significantly associated with liver dysfunction among residents. This is the first study to show that evacuation due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster was associated with an increase in liver dysfunction. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical analysis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after living-donor liver transplantation.

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Na, Gun Hyung; Hong, Tae Ho; You, Young Kyoung; Kim, Dong Goo

2016-07-07

To evaluated patterns and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). From 2001 to 2014, 293 patients underwent LDLT for HCC at our transplant center. We retrospectively reviewed 54 (18.4%) patients with HCC recurrence after LDLT. We evaluated patterns and outcomes of HCC recurrence after LDLT, with particular attention to the Milan criteria at transplantation, treatments for HCC-recurrent patients, and factors related to survival after HCC recurrence. Furthermore, we evaluated the efficacy of combination treatment of sorafenib and an mTOR inhibitor. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates after HCC recurrence were 41.1%, 20.5%, and 15.4%, respectively. The median time interval between LDLT and HCC recurrence was 6.5 mo. Although recurrence rates according to the Milan criteria at LDLT were significantly different, HCC recurrence patterns and survival rates after HCC recurrence were not significantly different between the two groups. Time to recurrence < 12 mo (P = 0.048), multiple recurrences at HCC recurrence (P = 0.038), and palliative treatment for recurrent tumors (P = 0.003) were significant independent prognostic factors for poor survival after HCC recurrence in a multivariate analysis. The combination treatment of sorafenib and sirolimus showed survival benefits in the palliative treatment group (P = 0.005). Curative treatment for recurrent HCC after LDLT is the most important factor in survival rates after HCC recurrence and combination treatments of sorafenib and an mTOR inhibitor could have survival benefits in patients with HCC recurrence after LT in the palliative treatment group.

Liver-lung scan in the diagnosis of right subphrenic abscess

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Middleton, H.M. III; Patton, D.D.; Hoyumpa, A.M. Jr.; Schenker, S.

1976-01-01

To assess the value of liver-lung scanning in the diagnosis of right subphrenic abscess, 148 scans were reviewed against corresponding charts. Of 91 scans with adequate clinical data, overall scanning error was 19.3 percent with 14 false positive and 3 false negative scans. Among 49 scans (of the initial group of 91 studies) with presence or absence of actual pathology proved by surgery and/or autopsy, there were 3 true positive, 12 false positive, 29 true negative, and 3 false negative scans. Analysis of data indicated lower accuracy of scan interpretation than generally reported, low specificity for positive scans and high specificity for negative scans, correlation of false interpretations with atypical degrees of liver-lung separation and with scanning defects in liver and lung, and failure of rereading significantly to improve accuracy of interpretation

Total body propofol clearance (TBPC) after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) surgery is decreased in patients with a long warm ischemic time.

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Al-Jahdari, Wael S; Kunimoto, Fumio; Saito, Shigeru; Yamamoto, Koujirou; Koyama, Hiroshi; Horiuchi, Ryuya; Goto, Fumio

2006-01-01

Metabolic capacity after liver transplant surgery may be affected by the graft size and by hepatic injury during the surgery. This study was carried out to investigate the postoperative total body propofol clearance (TBPC) in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) patients and to investigate the major factors that contribute to decreased postoperative TBPC in LDLT patients. Fourteen patients scheduled for LDLT were included in this study. Propofol was administered at a rate of 2.0 mg.kg(-1).h(-1) as a sedative in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. To calculate TBPC, propofol arterial blood concentration was measured by HPLC. Five variables were selected as factors affecting postoperative TBPC; bleeding volume (BLD), warm ischemic time (WIT), cold ischemic time (CIT), graft weight/standard liver volume ratio (GW/SLV), and portal blood flow after surgery (PBF). After factor analysis of six variables, including TBPC, varimax rotation was carried out, and this yielded three interpretable factors that accounted for 75.5% of the total variance in the data set. TBPC, WIT, CIT, and BLD were loaded on the first factor, PBF on the second factor, and GW/SLV on the third factor. The adjusted correlation coefficient between TBPC and WIT showed the highest value (r = -0.61) in the first factor. The LDLT patients were divided into two groups according to WIT; group A (WIT > 100 min) and group B (WIT < 100 min). Mean TBPC values in group A and group B were 14.6 +/- 2.1 and 28.5 +/- 4.1 ml.kg(-1).min(-1), respectively (P < 0.0001). These data suggest that LDLT patients with a long WIT have a risk of deteriorated drug metabolism.

The Impact of Liver Graft Injury on Cancer Recurrence Posttransplantation.

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Li, Chang-Xian; Man, Kwan; Lo, Chung-Mau

2017-11-01

Liver transplantation is the most effective treatment for selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. However, cancer recurrence, posttransplantation, remains to be the critical issue that affects the long-term outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma recipients. In addition to tumor biology itself, increasing evidence demonstrates that acute-phase liver graft injury is a result of hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (which is an inevitable consequence during liver transplantation) and may promote cancer recurrence at late phase posttransplantation. The liver grafts from living donors, donors after cardiac death, and steatotic donors have been considered as promising sources of organs for liver transplantation and are associated with high incidence of liver graft injury. The acute-phase liver graft injury will trigger a series of inflammatory cascades, which may not only activate the cell signaling pathways regulating the tumor cell invasion and migration but also mobilize the circulating progenitor and immune cells to facilitate tumor recurrence and metastasis. The injured liver graft may also provide the favorable microenvironment for tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion through the disturbance of microcirculatory barrier function, induction of hypoxia and angiogenesis. This review aims to summarize the latest findings about the role and mechanisms of liver graft injury resulted from hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury on tumor recurrence posttransplantation, both in clinical and animal cohorts.

Bile duct evaluation of potential living liver donors with Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced MR cholangiography: Single-dose, double dose or half-dose contrast enhanced imaging

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Kinner, Sonja, E-mail: Sonja.Kinner@uni-due.de [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen (Germany); Steinweg, Verena [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen (Germany); Maderwald, Stefan [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen (Germany); Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Essen (Germany); Radtke, Arnold; Sotiropoulos, Georgios [Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Essen (Germany); Forsting, Michael; Schroeder, Tobias [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen (Germany)

2014-05-15

Introduction: Detailed knowledge of the biliary anatomy is essential to avoid complications in living donor liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal dosage of Gd-EOB-DTPA for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiography (ce-MRC) with reference to contrast-enhanced CT cholangiography (ce-CTC). Materials and methods: 30 potential living liver donors (PLLD) underwent both ce-CTC and ce-MRC. Ten candidates each received single, double or half-dose Gd-EOB-DTPA. Ce-MRC images with and without inversion recovery pulses (T1w ± IR) were acquired 20–30 min after intravenous contrast injection. Image data was quantitatively and qualitatively reviewed by two radiologists based on a on a 5-point scale. Data sets were compared using a Mann–Whitney-U-test or Wilcoxon-rank-sum-test. Kappa values were also calculated. Results: All image series provided sufficient diagnostic information both showing normal biliary anatomy and variant bile ducts. Ce-CTC showed statistically significant better results compared to all ce-MRC data sets. T1w MRC with single dose Gd-EOB-DTPA proved to be superior to half and double dose in subjective and objective evaluation without a statistically significant difference. Conclusions: Ce-MRC is at any dosage inferior to ce-CTC. As far as preoperative planning of bile duct surgery is focused on the central biliary anatomy, ce-MRC can replace harmful ce-CTC strategies, anyway. Best results were seen with single dose GD-EOB-DTPA on T1w MRC+IR.

Alpha-fetoprotein and (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography predict tumor recurrence better than Milan criteria in living donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Geun; Suh, Kyung-Suk; Suh, Suk-Won; Yoo, Tae; Kim, Hyeyoung; Park, Min-Su; Choi, YoungRok; Paeng, Jin Chul; Yi, Nam-Joon; Lee, Kwang-Woong

2016-04-01

Given the organ shortage for liver transplantation (LT) and the limitations of the current morphology-based selection criteria, improved criteria are needed to achieve the maximum benefit of LT for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We hypothesized that a combination of biological markers may better predict the prognosis than the Milan criteria. HCC patients (n=123) with preoperative data on serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) positivity underwent live-donor LT between January 2003 and December 2009. The cut-off values for serum AFP levels (200 ng/ml) and (18)F-FDG PET positivity (1.10) for tumor recurrence were determined by c-statistics using receiver operating characteristic curves. Univariate and multivariate analyses with preoperative variables were performed to find pre-transplant prognostic factors. Disease-free survival rates and overall survival rates were analysed with regard to serum AFP levels and (18)F-FDG PET positivity. The 5-year disease-free survival rates and overall survival rates were 80.3% and 81.6% respectively. (18)F-FDG PET positivity (hazard ratio (HR) 9.766, 95% CI 3.557-26.816; p<0.001) and serum AFP level (HR 6.234, 95% CI 2.643-14.707; p<0.001) were the only significant pre-transplant prognostic factors in the multivariate analysis; tumor number and size were not significant. A combination of criteria showed that the biologically high-risk group (AFP level ⩾200 ng/ml and PET-positive) had an HR of 29.069 (95% CI 8.797-96.053; p<0.001) compared with the double-negative group. Use of the Milan criteria yielded an HR of 1.351 (95% CI 0.500-3.652; p=0.553). The combination of the serum AFP level and (18)F-FDG PET data predicted better outcomes than those using the Milan criteria, improving objectivity when adult-to-adult living donor LT is contemplated. Copyright © 2015 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioartificial liver and liver transplantation: new modalities for the treatment of liver failure

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DING Yitao

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The main features of liver failure are extensive necrosis of hepatocytes, rapid disease progression, and poor prognosis, and at present, there are no effective drugs and methods for the treatment of liver failure. This article summarizes four treatment methods for liver failure, i.e., medical treatment, cell transplantation, liver transplantation, and artificial liver support therapy, and elaborates on the existing treatment methods. The current medical treatment regimen should be optimized; cell transplantation has not been used in clinical practice; liver transplantation is the most effective method, but it is limited by donor liver shortage and high costs; artificial liver can effectively remove toxic substances in human body. Therefore, this article puts forward artificial liver as a transition for liver transplantation; artificial liver can buy time for liver regeneration or liver transplantation and prolong patients′ survival time and thus has a promising future. The new treatment modality of bioartificial liver combined with liver transplantation may bring good news to patients with liver failure.

Accuracy of self-reported versus actual online gambling wins and losses.

Science.gov (United States)

Braverman, Julia; Tom, Matthew A; Shaffer, Howard J

2014-09-01

This study is the first to compare the accuracy of self-reported with actual monetary outcomes of online fixed odds sports betting, live action sports betting, and online casino gambling at the individual level of analysis. Subscribers to bwin.party digital entertainment's online gambling service volunteered to respond to the Brief Bio-Social Gambling Screen and questions about their estimated gambling results on specific games for the last 3 or 12 months. We compared the estimated results of each subscriber with his or her actual betting results data. On average, between 34% and 40% of the participants expressed a favorable distortion of their gambling outcomes (i.e., they underestimated losses or overestimated gains) depending on the time period and game. The size of the discrepancy between actual and self-reported results was consistently associated with the self-reported presence of gambling-related problems. However, the specific direction of the reported discrepancy (i.e., favorable vs. unfavorable bias) was not associated with gambling-related problems. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The live album or many ways of representing performance

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Mazzanti Sergio

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The analysis of live albums can clarify the dialectic between studio recordings and live performances. After discussing key concepts such as authenticity, space, time and place, and documentation, the author gives a preliminary definition of live albums, combining available descriptions and comparing them with different typologies and functions of these recordings. The article aims to give a new definition of the concept of live albums, gathering their primary elements: “A live album is an officially released extended recording of popular music representing one or more actually occurred public performances”.

Actualizing Unique Type and Token Values as a Solution to the Problem of Evil

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Atle Ottesen Søvik

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Concerning the problem of evil, I suggest that God's goodness and omnipotence causes God to want to actualize many different values and things, not solely angels in heaven, but also type unique values like independence, self-formation, creativity, and surprise, and token unique goods like animals and human beings. Such a universe as ours, though, requires undisturbed indeterministic self-formation as actualized by a good God to give those token unique beings access to those type unique values and allow them the opportunity to live forever with God after completion of this self-formation.

Bioartificial liver assist devices in support of patients with liver failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Patzer II, John F; Lopez, Roberto C; Zhu, Yue; Wang, Zi-Fa; Mazariegos, George V; Fung, John J

2002-02-01

Bioartificial liver assist devices (BALs) offer an opportunity for critical care physicians and transplant surgeons to stabilize patients prior to orthotopic liver transplantation. Such devices may also act as a bridge to transplant, providing liver support to patients awaiting transplant, or as support for patients post living-related donor transplant. Four BAL devices that rely on hepatocytes cultured in hollow fiber membrane cartridges (Circe Biomedical HepatAssist(r), Vitagen ELADTM, Gerlach BELS, and Excorp Medical BLSS) are currently in various stages of clinical evaluation. Comparison of the four devices shows that several unique approaches based upon the same overall system architecture are possible. Preliminary results of the Excorp Medical BLSS Phase I safety evaluation at the University of Pittsburgh, after treating four patients (F, 41, acetominophen-induced, two support periods; M, 50, Wilson's disease, one support period; F, 53, acute alcoholic hepatitis, two support periods; F, 24, chemotherapy-induced, one support period, are presented. All patients presented with hypoglycemia and transient hypotension at the start of extracorporeal perfusion. Hypoglycemia was treated by IV dextrose and the transient hypotension responded positively to IV fluid bolus. Heparin anticoagulation was used only in the second patient. No serious or adverse events were noted in the four patients. Moderate Biochemical response to support was noted in all patients. More complete characterization of the safety of the BLSS requires completion of the Phase I safety evaluation.

The effect of perceived and actual social support on the mental health of HIV-positive persons

OpenAIRE

MCDOWELL, T. L.; SEROVICH, J. M.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare the ways in which perceived and actual social support affect the mental health of gay men, straight or bisexual men, and women living with HIV/AIDS. Participants included 125 women and 232 men with an HIV-positive or AIDS diagnosis involved in three larger investigations of HIV, disclosure and mental health. Results suggest each sub-group experienced perceived social support as significantly predictive of better mental health while the effect of actual ...

Impact of Short Hepatic Vein Reconstruction in Living Donor Adult Liver Transplantation Using a Left Liver Plus Caudate Lobe Graft

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Koji Mikami

2010-01-01

Conclusion: Although no definite advantage from the V1 reconstruction was demonstrated, hepatic vein reconstruction with a significantly-sized short hepatic vein might provide an additional margin of safety for marginally-sized liver grafts during the early phase of graft regeneration.

Role of scintigraphy in focally abnormal sonograms of fatty livers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lisbona, R.; Mishkin, S.; Derbekyan, V.; Novales-Diaz, J.A.; Roy, A.; Sanders, L.

1988-01-01

Fatty infiltration of the liver may cause a range of focal abnormalities on hepatic sonography which may simulate hepatic nodular lesions. Discrete deposits of fat or islands of normal tissue which are uninvolved by fatty infiltration may stand out as potential space-occupying lesions on the sonograms. Twelve patients with such focally abnormal ultrasound images were referred for liver scintigraphy with 133 Xe and /sup 99m/Tc colloidal SPECT studies to clarify the issue. These examinations helped identify, in nine of 12 patients, the innocent nature of the sonographic abnormalities which were simply related to the fat deposition process. Further, [/sup 99m/Tc]RBC scans defined the additional pathologic process in three patients in whom actual space-occupying lesions were indeed present in the liver. Scintigraphy has an important role to play in the understanding of focal hepatic ultrasound abnormalities particularly in unsuspected hepatic steatosis

Role of scintigraphy in focally abnormal sonograms of fatty livers

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Lisbona, R.; Mishkin, S.; Derbekyan, V.; Novales-Diaz, J.A.; Roy, A.; Sanders, L.

1988-06-01

Fatty infiltration of the liver may cause a range of focal abnormalities on hepatic sonography which may simulate hepatic nodular lesions. Discrete deposits of fat or islands of normal tissue which are uninvolved by fatty infiltration may stand out as potential space-occupying lesions on the sonograms. Twelve patients with such focally abnormal ultrasound images were referred for liver scintigraphy with /sup 133/Xe and /sup 99m/Tc colloidal SPECT studies to clarify the issue. These examinations helped identify, in nine of 12 patients, the innocent nature of the sonographic abnormalities which were simply related to the fat deposition process. Further, (/sup 99m/Tc)RBC scans defined the additional pathologic process in three patients in whom actual space-occupying lesions were indeed present in the liver. Scintigraphy has an important role to play in the understanding of focal hepatic ultrasound abnormalities particularly in unsuspected hepatic steatosis.

Diagnosis of liver lesions in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, T.; Juengling, F.

2003-01-01

With the introduction of new imaging protocols for ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the importance of conventional nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures has changed fundamentally. With the introduction of positron emission tomography (PET) into routine diagnostics, the assessment of tissue-specific function adds on to the modern, morphological imaging procedures and in principle allows for differentiating benign from malignant lesions. The actual clinical value of nuclear medicine procedures for the diagnostic workup of focal liver lesions is discussed. (orig.) [de

Drug-induced liver toxicity and prevention by herbal antioxidants: an overview

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Divya eSingh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The liver is the center for drug and xenobiotic metabolism, which is influenced most with medication/xenobiotic-mediated toxic activity. Drug-induced hepatotoxicity is common and its actual frequency is hard to determine due to underreporting, difficulties in detection or diagnosis, and incomplete observation of exposure. The death rate is high, up to about 10% for medication instigated liver danger. Endorsed medications (counting acetaminophen represented >50% of instances of intense liver failure in a study from the Acute Liver Failure Study Group (ALFSG of the patients admitted in 17 US healing facilities. Albeit different studies are accessible uncovering the mechanistic aspects of medication prompted hepatotoxicity, we are in the dilemma about the virtual story. The expanding prevalence and effectiveness of Ayurveda and herbal products in the treatment of various disorders led the investigators to look into their potential in countering drug-induced liver toxicity. Several plant products have been reported to date to mitigate the drug-induced toxicity. The dietary nature and less side reactions of the herbs provide them an extra edge over other candidates of supplementary medication. In this paper, we have discussed on the mechanism involved in drug-induced liver toxicity and the potential of herbal antioxidants as supplementary medication.

Insulin resistance and delayed clearance of peptide hormones in cirrhotic rat liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shankar, T.P.; Drake, S.; Solomon, S.S.

1987-01-01

Clearance of porcine insulin, glucagon, and human growth hormone was measured in intact perfused cirrhotic and normal rat livers. Binding and degradation of 125 I-insulin by hepatocytes isolated from cirrhotic and normal livers were also studied. The half-lives (t/sub 1/2/) of immunoreactive insulin and glucagon were 14.0 +/- 3.1 and 9.6 +/- 2.1 min in normal livers and 26.0 +/- 6.1 and 25.0 +/- 7.1 min in cirrhotic livers. Insulin binding and degradation by hepatocytes from control and cirrhotic livers showed no significant differences. Intraportal insulin infusion in perfusion studies suppressed glucagon-stimulated increases in glucose output from control livers but failed to suppress glucose production by cirrhotic livers, suggesting the presence of hepatic insulin resistance in cirrhosis. Impaired clearance of insulin and glucagon by the intact cirrhotic liver and normal binding and degradation of insulin by isolated hepatocytes suggest that factors such as intrahepatic fibrosis and shunting and postbinding defects may be responsible for the impaired hormone clearance and hepatic insulin resistance

Liver Status Assessment by Spectrally and Time Resolved IR Detection of Drug Induced Breath Gas Changes

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Tom Rubin

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The actual metabolic capacity of the liver is crucial for disease identification, liver therapy, and liver tumor resection. By combining induced drug metabolism and high sensitivity IR spectroscopy of exhaled air, we provide a method for quantitative liver assessment at bedside within 20 to 60 min. Fast administration of 13C-labelled methacetin induces a fast response of liver metabolism and is tracked in real-time by the increase of 13CO2 in exhaled air. The 13CO2 concentration increase in exhaled air allows the determination of the metabolic liver capacity (LiMAx-test. Fluctuations in CO2 concentration, pressure and temperature are minimized by special gas handling, and tracking of several spectrally resolved CO2 absorption bands with a quantum cascade laser. Absorption measurement of different 12CO2 and 13CO2 rotation-vibration transitions in the same time window allows for multiple referencing and reduction of systematic errors. This FLIP (Fast liver investigation package setup is being successfully used to plan operations and determine the liver status of patients.

One-step reconstruction of the right inferior hepatic veins using auto-venous grafts in living-donor liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikegami, Toru; Shirabe, Ken; Yoshiya, Shohei; Soejima, Yuji; Yoshizumi, Tomoharu; Uchiyama, Hideaki; Toshima, Takeo; Motomura, Takashi; Maehara, Yoshihiko

2013-07-01

Reconstruction of the right inferior hepatic vein (RIHV) presents a major technical challenge in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) using right lobe grafts. We studied 47 right lobe LDLT grafts with RIHV revascularization, comparing one-step reconstruction, performed post-May 2007 (n = 16), with direct anastomosis, performed pre-May 2007 (n = 31). In the one-step reconstruction technique, the internal jugular vein (n = 6), explanted portal vein (n = 5), inferior vena cava (n = 3), and shunt vessels (n = 2) were used as venous patch grafts for unifying the right hepatic vein, RIHVs, and middle hepatic vein tributaries. By 6 months after LDLT, there was no case of occlusion of the reconstructed RIHVs in the one-step reconstruction group, but a cumulative occlusion rate of 18.2 % in the direct anastomosis group. One-step reconstruction required a longer cold ischemic time (182 ± 40 vs. 115 ± 63, p one-step reconstruction and 83.9 % with direct anastomosis, respectively. One-step reconstruction of the RIHVs using auto-venous grafts is an easy and feasible technique promoting successful right lobe LDLT.

Low central venous pressure with milrinone during living donor hepatectomy.

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Ryu, H-G; Nahm, F S; Sohn, H-M; Jeong, E-J; Jung, C-W

2010-04-01

Maintaining a low central venous pressure (CVP) has been frequently used in liver resections to reduce blood loss. However, decreased preload carries potential risks such as hemodynamic instability. We hypothesized that a low CVP with milrinone would provide a better surgical environment and hemodynamic stability during living donor hepatectomy. Thirty-eight healthy adult liver donors were randomized to receive either milrinone (milrinone group, n = 19) or normal saline (control group, n = 19) infusion during liver resection. The surgical field was assessed using a four-point scale. Intraoperative vital signs, blood loss, the use of vasopressors and diuretics and postoperative laboratory data were compared between groups. The milrinone group showed a superior surgical field (p milrinone group required smaller amounts of vasopressors and less-frequent diuretics to maintain a low CVP. The milrinone group also showed a more rapid recovery pattern after surgery. Milrinone-induced low CVP improves the surgical field with less blood loss during living donor hepatectomy and also has favorable effects on intraoperative hemodynamics and postoperative recovery.

Estimation of cross talk between lungs and liver for 241Am using phoswich detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, Lokpati; Nadar, Minal Y.; Singh, I.S.; Sawant, P.D.

2018-01-01

241 Am is used as a tracer for in-vivo assessment of plutonium (Pu) in the lungs. Internal contamination of 241 Am is estimated by measuring its 59.5 keV photons then activity of Pu is estimated by applying Pu/ 241 Am ratio obtained from radiochemical analysis of fecal/workplace sample. According to ICRP systemic bio-kinetic model, for Type M compounds of 241 Am after 100 days post inhalation intake, 241 Am activity in liver exceeds 241 Am activity present in the lungs and goes on increasing even up to about ten years. In this work, cross talk (CT) between lungs and liver viz. CT (liver to lungs) and CT (lungs to liver) for the actinide monitoring system for 241 Am using realistic thorax Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) phantom were estimated. Also CT has been estimated using voxel phantom by carrying out Monte Carlo simulations in FLUKA code. This study will help in reporting the actual activity present in the individual organ (lungs, liver)

Budd-Chiari syndrome and liver transplantation

Science.gov (United States)

Akamatsu, Nobuhisa; Sugawara, Yasuhiko; Kokudo, Norihiro

2015-01-01

Summary Budd-Chiari syndrome involves obstruction of hepatic venous outflow tracts at various levels from small hepatic veins to the inferior vena cava and is the result of thrombosis or its fibrous sequelae. There is a conspicuous difference in its etiology in the West and the East. Myeloproliferative disease predominates in the West and obstruction of the vena cava predominates in the East. The clinical presentation and clinical manifestations are so varied that it should be suspected in any patient with acute or chronic liver dysfunction. It should be treated with step-wise management. First-line therapy should be anticoagulation with medical treatment of the underlying illness, and interventional revascularization and TIPS are indicated in the event of a lack of response to medical therapy. Liver transplantation may be indicated as a rescue treatment or for fulminant cases with promising results. This step-by-step strategy has achieved a 5-year transplant-free survival rate of 70% and a 5-year overall survival rate of 90%. Living donor liver transplantation can also be used for patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome if deceased donor livers are scarce, but it requires a difficult procedure particularly with regard to venous outflow reconstruction. PMID:25674385

Who is Self-Actualized?

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Roweton, William E.

1981-01-01

In an attempt to clarify Maslow's concept of self-actualization as it relates to human motivation, a class of educational psychology students wrote essays describing a self-actualized person and then attempted to decide whether public schools contribute to the production of self-actualized persons. Two-thirds of the students decided that schools…

Long live the liver: immunohistochemical and stereological study of hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, Kupffer cells and hepatic stellate cells of male and female rats throughout ageing.

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Marcos, Ricardo; Correia-Gomes, Carla

2016-12-01

Male/female differences in enzyme activity and gene expression in the liver are known to be attenuated with ageing. Nevertheless, the effect of ageing on liver structure and quantitative cell morphology remains unknown. Male and female Wistar rats aged 2, 6, 12 and 18 months were examined by means of stereological techniques and immunohistochemical tagging of hepatocytes (HEP), liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC), Kupffer cells (KC) and hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in order to assess the total number and number per gram of these cells throughout life. The mean cell volume of HEP and HSC, the lobular position and the collagen content of the liver were also evaluated with stereological techniques. The number per gram of HSC was similar for both genders and was maintained throughout ageing. The mean volume of HSC was also conserved but differences in the cell body and lobular location were observed. Statistically significant gender differences in HEP were noted in young rats (females had smaller and more binucleated HEP) but were attenuated with ageing. The same occurred for KC and LSEC, since the higher number per gram in young females disappeared in older animals. Liver collagen increased with ageing but only in males. Thus, the numbers of these four cell types are related throughout ageing, with well-defined cell ratios. The shape and lobular position of HSC change with ageing in both males and females. Gender dimorphism in HEP, KC and LSEC of young rat liver disappears with ageing.

Eyewitness identification in actual criminal cases: an archival analysis.

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Behrman, B W; Davey, S L

2001-10-01

This study analyzed 271 actual police cases in order to address several prevalent issues in the eyewitness literature. Suspect identification (SI) rates were obtained for 289 photographic lineups, 258 field showups, 58 live lineups, and 66 lineup identifications preceded by earlier identifications. SI rates were assessed for 3 levels of extrinsic evidence: no extrinsic evidence, evidence of minimal probative value, and evidence of substantial probative value. The SI rates for the photographic lineups were assessed as a function of delay, same vs. cross-race conditions, witness type, and weapon presence. SI rates declined significantly over time; SI rates were significantly greater for the same-race condition. SI rates were much greater for field showups than photographic lineups, 76% vs. 48%. The SI rates for the field showups did not vary as a function of eyewitness conditions. The relation between confidence and suspect/foil identifications for the live lineups was significant and moderately high. The utility of archival identification studies for eyewitness testimony research is discussed.

The Preliminary Study on Procurement Biliary Convergence from Donors with Complicated Bile Duct Variant in Emergency Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

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Ye, Sheng; Dong, Jia-Hong; Duan, Wei-Dong; Ji, Wen-Bing; Liang, Yu-Rong

2017-03-01

The incidence of biliary complications after living donor adult liver transplantation (LDALT) is still high due to the bile duct variation and necessity reconstruction of multiple small bile ducts. The current surgical management of the biliary variants is unsatisfactory. We evaluated the role of a new surgical approach in a complicated hilar bile duct variant (Nakamura type IV and Nakamura type II) under emergent right lobe LDALT for high model for end-stage liver disease score patients. The common hepatic duct (CHD) and the left hepatic duct (LHD) of the donor were transected in a right-graft including short common trunks with right posterior and anterior bile ducts, whereas the LHD of the donor was anastomosed to the CHD and the common trunks of a right-graft bile duct and the recipient CHD was end-to-end anastomosed. Ten of 13 grafts (Nakamura types II, III, and IV) had two or more biliary orifices after right graft lobectomy; seven patients had biliary complications (53.8%). Later, the surgical innovation was carried out in five donors with variant bile duct (four Nakamura type IV and one type II), and, consequently, no biliary or other complications were observed in donors and recipients during 47-53 months of follow-up; significant differences ( P  ducts in a complicated donor bile duct variant may facilitate biliary reconstruction and reduce long-term biliary complications.

Precision targeting of liver lesions using a novel electromagnetic navigation device in physiologic phantom and swine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banovac, Filip; Tang, Jonathan; Xu Sheng; Lindisch, David; Chung, Ho Young; Levy, Elliot B.; Chang, Thomas; McCullough, Michael F.; Yaniv, Ziv; Wood, Bradford J.; Cleary, Kevin

2005-01-01

Radiofrequency ablation of primary and metastatic liver tumors is becoming a potential alternative to surgical resection. We propose a novel system that uses real-time electromagnetic position sensing of the needle tip to help with precision guidance into a liver tumor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this technology in phantom and animal models. Using an electromagnetic navigation device, instrumented 18 g needles were advanced into radioopaque tumor targets in a respiratory liver phantom. The phantom featured a moving liver target that simulated cranio-caudal liver motion due to respiration. Skin-to-target path planning and real-time needle guidance were provided by a custom-designed software interface based on pre-operative 1 mm CT data slices. Needle probes were advanced using only the electromagnetic navigation device and software display. No conventional real-time imaging was used to assist in advancing the needle to the target. Two experienced operators (interventional radiologists) and two inexperienced ones (residents) used the system. The same protocol was then also used in two anesthetized 45 kg Yorkshire swine where radioopaque agar nodules were injected into the liver to serve as targets. A total of 76 tumor targeting attempts were performed in the liver phantom, and 32 attempts were done in the swine. The average time for path planning was 30 s in the phantom, and 63 s in the swine. The median time for the actual needle puncture to reach the desired target was 33 s in the phantom, and 42 s in the swine. The average registration error between the CT coordinate system and electromagnetic coordinate system was 1.4 mm (SD 0.3 mm) in the phantom, and 1.9 mm (SD 0.4 mm) in the swine. The median distance from the final needle tip position to the center of the tumor was 6.4 mm (SD 3.3 mm, n=76) in the phantom, and 8.3 mm (SD 3.7 mm, n=32) in the swine. There was no statistical difference in the planning time, procedure time, or accuracy of needle

Free triiodothyronine as determinant of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in euthyroid subjects: The lifelines cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Den Berg, Eline; van Tienhoven-Wind, Lynnda; Amini, Marzyeh; Schreuder, Tim C.M.A.; Faber, Klaas Nico; Blokzijl, H.; Dullaart, Robin P.F.

2016-01-01

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty live disease (NAFLD) is becoming the leading cause of chronic liver disease in de Western world. The liver plays a crucial role in the metabolism of cholesterol and triglycerides and thyroid hormones interact on hepatic lipid homeostasis. Given the importance of

Fatigue life prediction of autofrettage tubes using actual material behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jahed, Hamid; Farshi, Behrooz; Hosseini, Mohammad

2006-01-01

There is a profound Bauschinger effect in the behaviour of high-strength steels used in autofrettaged tubes. This has led to development of methods capable of considering experimentally obtained (actual) material behaviour in residual stress calculations. The extension of these methods to life calculations is presented here. To estimate the life of autofrettaged tubes with a longitudinal surface crack emanating from the bore more accurately, instead of using idealized models, the experimental loading-unloading stress-strain behaviour is employed. The resulting stresses are then used to calculate stress intensity factors by the weight function method as input to fatigue life determination. Fatigue lives obtained using the actual material behaviour are then compared with the results of frequently used ideal models including those considering Bauschinger effect factors and strain hardening in unloading. Using standard fatigue crack growth relationships, life of the vessel is then calculated based on recommended initial and final crack length. It is shown that the life gain due to autofrettage above 70% overstrain is considerable

Some ethical and psychiatric aspects of right-lobe liver transplantation in the United States and Japan.

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Surman, Owen S; Cosimi, A B; Fukunishi, Isao; Kawaii, Tatsuo; Findley, John; Kita, Yoshiaki; Makuuchi, Masatoshi

2002-01-01

Cadaver sources are insufficient for the increasing demand for liver transplantation. Right-lobe liver transplantation from living donors is fully developed in Japan and has been rapidly increasing in the United States during the past 2 years, although donor risk is greater than in other types of solid organ transplantation. The authors examine the psychiatric and ethical aspects of right-lobe liver transplantation in light of cultural differences between the United States and Japan.

More than a quarter of a century of liver transplantation in Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

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Chen, Chao-Long; Concejero, Allan M; Cheng, Yu-Fan

2011-01-01

Liver transplantation has been an accepted treatment for end-stage liver disease since the 1980s. The development of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was driven by limited deceased donor organ donation and a response to the growing demand for the option of liver replacement. LDLT is now performed with high rates of success due to judicious donor and recipient selection, careful preoperative planning, excellent anesthesia management, and prompt detection and treatment of complications. The first successful liver transplantation in Asia was performed in 1984, in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in a Taiwanese adolescent with Wilson's disease, complicated by end-stage liver cirrhosis. The longest Asian liver transplant survivor has now been living for 26 years and that patient's transplant was also performed in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Through December 31, 2011, a total of 924 (783 living donor, 141 deceased donor) liver transplants have been performed at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, where both graft and patient survivals are excellent. For biliary atresia, hepatitis B virus cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma recipients, our 5-year LDLT survival rates are 98%, 94%, and 90%, respectively. Our overall (deceased and living donor) actuarial 3-year survival rate is 91%. Innovative techniques in LDLT represent technical refinements in hepatic vein, portal vein, hepatic artery, and biliary reconstruction approaches. Hepatic vein reconstruction is highlighted by venoplasty reconstructions in both graft hepatic vein orifices and recipient hepatic veins, to ensure adequate outflow and decrease ischemia times during implantation. Vascular interposition to reconstruct middle hepatic vein tributaries with either fresh or cryopreserved vessels is used when the middle hepatic vein is not routinely harvested with the graft. We have extended the routine use of microsurgical techniques, initially for hepatic artery reconstruction, to biliary reconstruction

Liver transplantation for Wilson disease.

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Catana, Andreea M; Medici, Valentina

2012-01-27

The aim of this paper is to review the current status of liver transplantation (LT) for Wilson disease (WD), focusing on indications and controversies, especially in patients with neuropsychiatric disease, and on identification of acute liver failure (ALF) cases related to WD. LT remains the treatment of choice for patients with ALF, as initial presentation of WD or when anti-copper agents are stopped, and for patients with chronic liver disease progressed to cirrhosis, unresponsive to chelating medications or not timely treated with copper chelating agents. The indication for LT in WD remains highly debated in patients with progressive neurological deterioration and failure to improve with appropriate medical treatment. In case of Wilsonian ALF, early identification is key as mortality is 100% without emergency LT. As many of the copper metabolism parameters are believed to be less reliable in ALF, simple biochemical tests have been proposed for diagnosis of acute WD with good sensitivity and specificity. LT corrects copper metabolism and complications resulting from WD with excellent 1 and 5 year survival. Living related liver transplantation represents an alternative to deceased donor LT with excellent long-term survival, without disease recurrence. Future options may include hepatocyte transplantation and gene therapy. Although both of these have shown promising results in animal models of WD, prospective human studies are much needed to demonstrate their long-term beneficial effects and their potential to replace the need for medical therapy and LT in patients with WD.

Liver Volumetry Plug and Play: Do It Yourself with ImageJ

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Dello, Simon A. W. G.; van Dam, Ronald M.; Slangen, Jules J. G.; van de Poll, Marcel C. G.; Bemelmans, Marc H. A.; Greve, Jan Willem W. M.; Beets-Tan, Regina G. H.; Wigmore, Stephen J.

2007-01-01

Background A small remnant liver volume is an important risk factor for posthepatectomy liver failure and can be predicted accurately by computed tomography (CT) volumetry using radiologic image analysis software. Unfortunately, this software is expensive and usually requires support by a radiologist. ImageJ is a freely downloadable image analysis software package developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and brings liver volumetry to the surgeon’s desktop. We aimed to assess the accuracy of ImageJ for hepatic CT volumetry. Methods ImageJ was downloaded from http://www.rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/. Preoperative CT scans of 15 patients who underwent liver resection for colorectal cancer liver metastases were retrospectively analyzed. Scans were opened in ImageJ; and the liver, all metastases, and the intended parenchymal transection line were manually outlined on each slice. The area of each selected region, metastasis, resection specimen, and remnant liver was multiplied by the slice thickness to calculate volume. Volumes of virtual liver resection specimens measured with ImageJ were compared with specimen weights and calculated volumes obtained during pathology examination after resection. Results There was an excellent correlation between the volumes calculated with ImageJ and the actual measured weights of the resection specimens (r² = 0.98, p volumetry on a personal computer. This application brings CT volumetry to the surgeon’s desktop at no expense and is particularly useful in cases of tertiary referred patients, who already have a proper CT scan on CD-ROM from the referring institution. Most likely the discrepancy between volume and weight results from exsanguination of the liver after resection. PMID:17726630

Administration of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells restores liver regeneration and improves liver function in obese mice with hepatic steatosis after partial hepatectomy.

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Ezquer, Fernando; Bahamonde, Javiera; Huang, Ya-Lin; Ezquer, Marcelo

2017-01-28

The liver has the remarkable capacity to regenerate in order to compensate for lost or damaged hepatic tissue. However, pre-existing pathological abnormalities, such as hepatic steatosis (HS), inhibits the endogenous regenerative process, becoming an obstacle for liver surgery and living donor transplantation. Recent evidence indicates that multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) administration can improve hepatic function and increase the potential for liver regeneration in patients with liver damage. Since HS is the most common form of chronic hepatic illness, in this study we evaluated the role of MSCs in liver regeneration in an animal model of severe HS with impaired liver regeneration. C57BL/6 mice were fed with a regular diet (normal mice) or with a high-fat diet (obese mice) to induce HS. After 30 weeks of diet exposure, 70% hepatectomy (Hpx) was performed and normal and obese mice were divided into two groups that received 5 × 10 5 MSCs or vehicle via the tail vein immediately after Hpx. We confirmed a significant inhibition of hepatic regeneration when liver steatosis was present, while the hepatic regenerative response was promoted by infusion of MSCs. Specifically, MSC administration improved the hepatocyte proliferative response, PCNA-labeling index, DNA synthesis, liver function, and also reduced the number of apoptotic hepatocytes. These effects may be associated to the paracrine secretion of trophic factors by MSCs and the hepatic upregulation of key cytokines and growth factors relevant for cell proliferation, which ultimately improves the survival rate of the mice. MSCs represent a promising therapeutic strategy to improve liver regeneration in patients with HS as well as for increasing the number of donor organs available for transplantation.

Preoperative evaluation of hepatic arterial and portal venous anatomy using the time resolved echo-shared MR angiographic technique in living liver donors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Min Woo; Lee, Jeong Min; Lee, Jae Young; Kim, Se Hyung; Park, Eun-Ah; Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Jin-Young; Choi, Byung Ihn; Kim, Young Jun; Suh, Kyung-Suk

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether MR angiography utilizing the time resolved echo-shared angiographic technique (TREAT) can provide an effective assessment of the hepatic artery (HA) and portal vein (PV) in living donor candidates. MR angiography (MRA)was performed in 27 patients (23 men and 4 women; mean age, 31 years) by using TREAT. Two blinded radiologists evaluated HA anatomy, origin of segment IV feeding artery and PV anatomy in consensus. Qualitative evaluations of MRA images were performed using the following criteria: (a) overall image quality, (b) presence of artifacts, and (c) degree of venous contamination of the arterial phase. Using intraoperative findings as a standard of reference, the accuracy for the HA anatomy, origin of segment IV feeding artery and PV anatomy on TREAT-MRA were 93% (25/27), 85% (23/27), and 96% (26/27), respectively. Overall image qualities were as follows: excellent (n=22, 81%), good (n=4, 15%), and fair (n=1, 4%). Significant artifacts or venous contamination of the arterial phase images was not noted in any patient. TREAT-MRA can provide a complete evaluation of HA and PV anatomy during preoperative evaluation of living liver donors. Furthermore, it provides a more detailed anatomy of the HA without venous contamination. (orig.)

Temporal Changes in Rat Liver Gene Expression after Acute Cadmium and Chromium Exposure

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-19

g). Hydroxyl radical measurements Electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping was used to detect short-lived free radical inter- mediates. Flash ...Grand Island, NY) from samples of liver tissue flash frozen in liquid N2, followed by purification with an RNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen, Liver Gene...Tripartite motif 24 (Trim24/Tif1alpha) tumor suppressor protein is a novel negative regulator of interferon (IFN)/signal transducers and activators of

Prognos is of living donor liver transplantation performed during different periods in infants with biliary atresia: a single-center experience with 101 cases

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HUA Xiangwei

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo compared the prognosis between infants with biliary atresia (BA who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT during 2006-2009 and 2010-2012 in the Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and to evaluate the prognos is of LDLT performed during different periods. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 101 infants with BA who underwent LDLT from October 2006 to December 2012. These patients were divided into 2006-2009 group and 2010-2012 group according to the year the procedure was performed. The two groups were compared in terms of preoperative general data, intraoperative status, and treatment outcome. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis; measurement data were analyzed by t test, and enumeration data were analyzed by Fisher exact probability test and chi-square test. ResultsThe preoperative general data showed no significant difference between the two groups. Compared with the 2006-2009 group, the 2010-2012 group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss (t=2.05, P=0.04, a significantly shorter cold ischemia time of donor liver (t=3.25, P＜0.01, and significantly lower incidence of postoperative biliary complications (χ2=4.27, P=0.04, pulmonary infection (χ2=4.47, P=0.03, and acute rejection (P=0.03. The 2010-2012 group had significantly improved survival compared with the 2006-2009 group; the 1 and 2 year cumulative survival rates for the 2010-2012 group were 884% and 88.4%, respectively, versus 84.4% and 75% for the 2006-2009 group. ConclusionThe development of surgical techniques, improvement in perioperative management, and standardized follow-up can significantly increase the success rate of surgery and survival rate and reduce postoperative complications in BA patients.

Liver transplant for cholestatic liver diseases.

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Carrion, Andres F; Bhamidimarri, Kalyan Ram

2013-05-01

Cholestatic liver diseases include a group of diverse disorders with different epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical course, and prognosis. Despite significant advances in the clinical care of patients with cholestatic liver diseases, liver transplant (LT) remains the only definitive therapy for end-stage liver disease, regardless of the underlying cause. As per the United Network for Organ Sharing database, the rate of cadaveric LT for cholestatic liver disease was 18% in 1991, 10% in 2000, and 7.8% in 2008. This review summarizes the available evidence on various common and rare cholestatic liver diseases, disease-specific issues, and pertinent aspects of LT. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Liver transplant

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Hepatic transplant; Transplant - liver; Orthotopic liver transplant; Liver failure - liver transplant; Cirrhosis - liver transplant ... The donated liver may be from: A donor who has recently died and has not had liver injury. This type of ...

[Orthotopic liver transplantation in adult patients with cadaveric grafts. Experience of the Fundeni Center of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Popescu, I; Ionescu, M; Tulbure, D; Ciurea, S; Băilă, S; Braşoveanu, V; Hrehoreţ, D; Sârbu-Boeţi, P; Pietrăreanu, D; Alexandrescu, S; Dorobanţu, B; Gheorghe, L; Gheorghe, C; Mihăilă, M; Boroş, M; Croitoru, M; Herlea, V

2005-01-01

We analyze the experience of the Center of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation from the Fundeni Clinical Institute (Bucharest, Romania) regarding orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in adult recipients, with whole liver grafts from cadaveric donors, between April 2000 (when the first successful LT was performed in Romania) and December 2004. This series includes 37 OLTs in adult recipients (16 women and 21 men, aged between 29-57 years--average 46 years). Other two LT with whole liver cadaveric grafts and two reduced-size LT were performed in children; also, in the same period, due to the acute organ shortage, other methods of LT were performed in 28 patients (21 living donor LT, 6 split LT and one "do mino" LT), that were not included in the present series. The indications for OLT were HBV cirrhosis--10, HBV+HDV cirrhosis--4, HCV cirrhosis--11, HBV+HCV cirrhosis--2, biliary cirrhosis--5, Wilson disease--2, alcoholic cirrhosis--1, non-alcoholic liver disease--1, autoimmune cirrhosis--1. With three exceptions, in which the classical transplantation technique was used, the liver was grafted following the technique described by Belghiti. Local postoperative complications occurred in 15 patients (41%) and general complications in 17 (46%); late complications were registered in 18 patients (49%) and recurrence of the initial disease in 6 patients (16%). Intrao- and postoperative mortality was 8% (3/37). There were two patients (5%) who died because of immunosuppressive drug neurotoxicity at more than 30 days following LT. Four patients (11%) died lately because of PTLD, liver venoocclusive disease, recurrent autoimmune hepatitis and liver venoocclusive disease, myocardial infarction, respectively. Thirty-four patients survived the postoperative period (92%); according to Kaplan-Meier analysis, actuarial patient-survival rate at month 31 was 75%.

Designing Viable Business Models for Living Labs

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Bernhard R. Katzy

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Over 300 regions have integrated the concept of living labs into their economic development strategy since 2006, when the former Finnish Prime Minister Esko Aho launched the living lab innovation policy initiative during his term of European presidency. Despite motivating initial results, however, success cases of turning research into usable new products and services remain few and uncertainty remains on what living labs actually do and contribute. This practitioner-oriented article presents a business excellence model that shows processes of idea creation and team mobilization, new product development, user involvement, and entrepreneurship through which living labs deliver high-potential investment opportunities. Customers of living labs are identified as investors such as venture capitalists or industrial firms because living labs can generate revenue from them to create their own sustainable business model. The article concludes that living labs provide extensive support “lab” infrastructure and that it remains a formidable challenge to finance it, which calls for a more intensive debate.

Fatty liver disease and lifestyle in youngsters: diet, food intake frequency, exercise, sleep shortage and fashion.

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Trovato, Francesca M; Martines, Giuseppe Fabio; Brischetto, Daniela; Catalano, Daniela; Musumeci, Giuseppe; Trovato, Guglielmo M

2016-03-01

Fatty liver is associated with alcohol habits and/or overweight/obesity. We challenged several lifestyle features associated with fatty liver and, particularly, with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Among them, sleep shortage as a result of nightlife habits and a preference for plus-size fashion were assessed. The latter consists of fashionable plus-sized clothing for actual individuals' size and reflects a frequent attitude of some social or age groups, conceivably indicating more global and widespread trend and behaviour. We studied a group of 708 non-diabetic youngsters, 458 women and 250 men, 21.72 ± 3.71 years old (range 15-35 years), referred for minor digestive ailments for clinical assessment, ultrasound detection of fatty liver and nutritional counselling. Details of personal history regarding lifestyle, food intake frequency and alcohol intake, dietary and physical exercise profile, sleep duration and clothing preferences were recorded. The prevalence of NAFLD in this cohort of youngsters is 67/708 (9.4%). Even if it is quantitatively very low in both groups, the average alcohol intake, always below 20 g/day, is greater in NAFLD subjects (5.83 ± 4.32 g) vs. subjects with normal liver (2.02 ± 3.20 g). The number of meals/day and adherence to a Mediterranean diet profile are smaller in NAFLD subjects. By multiple regression, BMI, sedentary life, plus-sized clothing for their actual size, sleep shortage and lower frequency of daily food intake are associated with the presence of NAFLD. Onset and continuation of fatty liver disease, beyond food and exercise quantity and quality, with their effects on obesity, may also be associated with other aspects of lifestyle. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Role of liver progenitors in liver regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Best, Jan; Manka, Paul; Syn, Wing-Kin; Dollé, Laurent; van Grunsven, Leo A; Canbay, Ali

2015-02-01

During massive liver injury and hepatocyte loss, the intrinsic regenerative capacity of the liver by replication of resident hepatocytes is overwhelmed. Treatment of this condition depends on the cause of liver injury, though in many cases liver transplantation (LT) remains the only curative option. LT for end stage chronic and acute liver diseases is hampered by shortage of donor organs and requires immunosuppression. Hepatocyte transplantation is limited by yet unresolved technical difficulties. Since currently no treatment is available to facilitate liver regeneration directly, therapies involving the use of resident liver stem or progenitor cells (LPCs) or non-liver stem cells are coming to fore. LPCs are quiescent in the healthy liver, but may be activated under conditions where the regenerative capacity of mature hepatocytes is severely impaired. Non-liver stem cells include embryonic stem cells (ES cells) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In the first section, we aim to provide an overview of the role of putative cytokines, growth factors, mitogens and hormones in regulating LPC response and briefly discuss the prognostic value of the LPC response in clinical practice. In the latter section, we will highlight the role of other (non-liver) stem cells in transplantation and discuss advantages and disadvantages of ES cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), as well as MSCs.

Acute Liver Failure among Patients on Efavirenz-Based Antiretroviral Therapy

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Innocent Lule Segamwenge

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. To describe the clinical characteristics of patients presenting with fulminant liver failure after varying periods of exposure to Efavirenz containing antiretroviral medications. Methods. We report a series of 4 patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection who were admitted with acute liver failure (ALF over a 6-month period. All these patients had been treated with a range of Efavirenz containing antiretroviral regimens and were negative for hepatitis A, B, and C infections as well as other opportunistic infections, all were negative for autoimmune hepatitis, and none had evidence of chronic liver disease or use of alcohol or herbal medications. Information on patient clinical characteristics, current antiretroviral regimen, CD4 count, HIV-1 RNA levels, and clinical chemistry parameters was collected. Informed consent was provided. Results. During a 6-month period, four patients without other known risk factors for acute hepatitis presented with symptomatic drug-induced liver injury with varying symptoms and outcomes. The pattern of liver injury was hepatocellular for all the 4 cases. Liver biopsies were done for all the four cases and the results showed a heavy mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate with eosinophils. For three patients withdrawal of Efavirenz from their antiretroviral regimen was sufficient to restore transaminase levels to normal and led to improvement of clinical symptoms. For one patient his clinical course was characterized by fulminant liver failure and fluctuating episodes of hepatic encephalopathy which ultimately resulted in his death. Conclusion. Hepatotoxicity of Efavirenz is not as rare as previously described in the literature and does actually present with fatal outcomes. The key message to note is that frequent monitoring of liver enzymes should be done at initiation of antiretroviral therapy and should continue throughout the treatment period.

Successful Blood Transfusion Management of a Living Donor Liver Transplant Recipient in the Presence of Anti-Jra: A Case Report.

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Kurata, N; Onishi, Y; Kamei, H; Hori, T; Komagome, M; Kato, C; Matsushita, T; Ogura, Y

2017-09-01

A 48-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed with Budd-Chiari syndrome and transferred for possible living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Examinations before LDLT revealed that the recipient had anti-Jr a and preformed donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSA). Rituximab was administrated at 16 days prior to the patient's scheduled LDLT for the prophylaxis of antibody-mediated rejection by DSA. The clinical significance of anti-Jr a has not been clearly established because of the rarity of this antibody, so we discussed blood transfusion strategy with the Department of Blood Transfusion Service and prepared for Jr a -negative packed red blood cells (RBCs). Intraoperative blood salvage was used during LDLT procedures to reduce the use of packed RBCs. Although post-transplantation graft function was excellent, a total of 44 U of Jr a -negative RBCs were transfused during the entire perioperative period. Because sufficient amounts of Jr a -negative packed RBCs were supplied, Jr a mismatched blood transfusion was avoided. The patient was discharged from our hospital on postoperative day 102 without clinical evidence of any blood transfusion-related adverse events. Although there are some controversies of blood transfusion related to anti-Jr a antibodies, the current strategies of blood transfusion for liver transplantation with anti-Jr a are as follows: (1) sufficient supply and transfusion of Jr a -negative matched packed RBCs and (2) application of intraoperative blood salvage to reduce the total amount of rare blood type RBCs. These strategies may be changed when the mechanism of anti-Jr a alloimmunization is fully understood in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real-time histology in liver disease using multiphoton microscopy with fluorescence lifetime imaging

OpenAIRE

Wang, Haolu; Liang, Xiaowen; Mohammed, Yousuf H.; Thomas, James A.; Bridle, Kim R.; Thorling, Camilla A.; Grice, Jeffrey E.; Xu, Zhi Ping; Liu, Xin; Crawford, Darrell H. G.; Roberts, Michael S.

2015-01-01

Conventional histology with light microscopy is essential in the diagnosis of most liver diseases. Recently, a concept of real-time histology with optical biopsy has been advocated. In this study, live mice livers (normal, with fibrosis, steatosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and ischemia-reperfusion injury) were imaged by MPM-FLIM for stain-free real-time histology. The acquired MPM-FLIM images were compared with conventional histological images. MPM-FLIM imaged subsurface cellular and subcellu...

Internal Hernia in a Liver Transplant Recipien: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hironori Hayashi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Biliary complications have great importance for liver transplant recipients because of affecting long-term prognosis. In rare situations, an internal hernia of the Roux-en-Y loop cause graft injury. A 42-year-old woman with a history of living donor liver transplantation 6 years ago presented with prolonged graft injury during the past 6 months. She suddenly developed ileus of the small bowel with internal hernia through the defect of the mesentery around the Roux-en-Y limb of the hepaticojejunostomy. Emergent surgery was performed to reduce the hernia and volvulus; also the mesenteric rent was closed with interrupted suture of silk. Internal hernia of the small bowel after liver transplantation is rare but causes graft injury due to associated biliary complications and rapid deterioration of patient’s condition.

A novel formulation of veggies with potent liver detoxifying activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Mohit M; Kumari, Nirmala; Rai, Geeta

2015-01-01

LXR (encoded by NR1H2 and 3) and FXR (known as bile acid receptor) encoded by NR1H4 (nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group H and member 4) are nuclear receptors in humans and are important regulators of bile acid production, cholesterol, fatty acid and glucose homeostasis hence responsible for liver detoxification. Several strategies for drug design with numerous ligands for this target have failed owing to the inability of the ligand to access the target/receptor or their early metabolisation. In this work, we have evaluated FXR and LXR structure bound with agonist and compared the binding energy affinity of active ligands present in live green-real veggies with reference drugs (ligands) present in the market. A high throughput screening combined with molecular docking, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) predictions, log P values and percentage of human oral absorption value led to the identification of two compounds present in live green-real veggies with strong potential for liver detoxification.

[Portal perfusion with right gastroepiploic vein flow in liver transplant].

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza-Sánchez, Federico; Javier-Haro, Francisco; Mendoza-Medina, Diego Federico; González-Ojeda, Alejandro; Cortés-Lares, José Antonio; Fuentes-Orozco, Clotilde

Liver transplantation in patients with liver cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis, and cavernous transformation of the portal vein, is a complex procedure with high possibility of liver graft dysfunction. It is performed in 2-19% of all liver transplants, and has a significantly high mortality rate in the post-operative period. Other procedures to maintain portal perfusion have been described, however there are no reports of liver graft perfusion using right gastroepiploic vein. A 20 year-old female diagnosed with cryptogenic cirrhosis, with a Child-Pugh score of 7 points (class "B"), and MELD score of 14 points, with thrombosis and cavernous transformation of the portal vein, severe portal hypertension, splenomegaly, a history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to oesophageal varices, and left renal agenesis. The preoperative evaluation for liver transplantation was completed, and the right gastroepiploic vein of 1-cm diameter was observed draining to the infrahepatic inferior vena cava and right suprarenal vein. An orthotopic liver transplantation was performed from a non-living donor (deceased on January 30, 2005) using the Piggy-Back technique. Portal vein perfusion was maintained using the right gastroepiploic vein, and the outcome was satisfactory. The patient was discharged 13 days after surgery. Liver transplantation was performed satisfactorily, obtaining an acceptable outcome. In this case, the portal perfusion had adequate blood flow through the right gastroepiploic vein. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Chronic liver disease in the Hispanic population of the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrion, Andres F; Ghanta, Ravi; Carrasquillo, Olveen; Martin, Paul

2011-10-01

Chronic liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among Hispanic people living in the United States. Environmental, genetic, and behavioral factors, as well as socioeconomic and health care disparities among this ethnic group have emerged as important public health concerns. We review the epidemiology, natural history, and response to therapy of chronic liver disease in Hispanic patients. The review covers nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis B and C, coinfection of viral hepatitis with human immunodeficiency virus, alcoholic cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. For most of these disorders, the Hispanic population has a higher incidence and more aggressive pattern of disease and overall worse treatment outcomes than in the non-Hispanic white population. Clinicians should be aware of these differences in caring for Hispanic patients with chronic liver disease. Copyright © 2011 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vivo, label-free, three-dimensional quantitative imaging of liver surface using multi-photon microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhuo, Shuangmu, E-mail: shuangmuzhuo@gmail.com, E-mail: hanry-yu@nuhs.edu.sg [Biosystems and Micromechanics IRG, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 CREATE Way, #04-13/14 Enterprise Wing, 138602 Singapore (Singapore); Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Yan, Jie [Biosystems and Micromechanics IRG, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 CREATE Way, #04-13/14 Enterprise Wing, 138602 Singapore (Singapore); Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, #04-01, 138669 Singapore (Singapore); Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, MD 11 #04-01A, 117599 Singapore (Singapore); Kang, Yuzhan [Biosystems and Micromechanics IRG, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 CREATE Way, #04-13/14 Enterprise Wing, 138602 Singapore (Singapore); Xu, Shuoyu [Biosystems and Micromechanics IRG, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, 1 CREATE Way, #04-13/14 Enterprise Wing, 138602 Singapore (Singapore); Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, #04-01, 138669 Singapore (Singapore); Computation and System Biology Program, Singapore-MIT Alliance, 4 Engineering Drive 3, E4-04-10, 117576 Singapore (Singapore); Peng, Qiwen [Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, #04-01, 138669 Singapore (Singapore); Computation and System Biology Program, Singapore-MIT Alliance, 4 Engineering Drive 3, E4-04-10, 117576 Singapore (Singapore); Mechanobiology Institute, 5A Engineering Drive 1, T-Lab #05-01, 117411 Singapore (Singapore); and others

2014-07-14

Various structural features on the liver surface reflect functional changes in the liver. The visualization of these surface features with molecular specificity is of particular relevance to understanding the physiology and diseases of the liver. Using multi-photon microscopy (MPM), we have developed a label-free, three-dimensional quantitative and sensitive method to visualize various structural features of liver surface in living rat. MPM could quantitatively image the microstructural features of liver surface with respect to the sinuosity of collagen fiber, the elastic fiber structure, the ratio between elastin and collagen, collagen content, and the metabolic state of the hepatocytes that are correlative with the pathophysiologically induced changes in the regions of interest. This study highlights the potential of this technique as a useful tool for pathophysiological studies and possible diagnosis of the liver diseases with further development.

Correlation of Major Scan Findings and Esophageal Varices in Liver Cirrhosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, J S; Bahk, Y W; Lim, J L [Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1970-03-15

In an endeavor to help understand some typical scan findings and portal hemodynamics in liver cirrhosis, several commonly occurring scan changes and esophageal varices as demonstrated by esophagram were correlated one another from quantitative and qualitative stand points. Clinical materials consisted of 34 patients with proven diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices. Liver scan was performed with colloidal 198-Au and the changes in the size and internal architecture of the Liver, splenic uptake and splenomegaly were graded and scored by repeated double-blind readings. The variceal changes on esophagrams were also graded according to the classification of Shanks and Kerley following modification. Of 34 patients, 91% showed definite reducing in liver volume(shrinkage) constituting the most frequent scan change. The splenic uptake and splenomegaly were noted in 73.5 and 79.4%, respectively. The present study revealed no positive correlation between the graded scan findings including shrinkage of the liver, splenic uptake or splenomegaly and severity of variceal changes of the esophagus. Exceptionally, however, apparently paradoxical correlation was noted between the severity of mottling and varices. Thus, in the majority(73.5%) of patients mottling were either absent or mild. This interesting observation is in favor of the view held by Christie et al. who consider the mottlings to be not faithful expression of actual scarring of the cirrhosis liver. This also would indicate that variceal changes are to be the results of intrahepatic arteriovenous shunting of blood with hypervolemic load to the portal system rather than simple hypertension secondary to fibrosis and shrinkage.

Correlation of Major Scan Findings and Esophageal Varices in Liver Cirrhosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, J. S.; Bahk, Y. W.; Lim, J. L.

1970-01-01

In an endeavor to help understand some typical scan findings and portal hemodynamics in liver cirrhosis, several commonly occurring scan changes and esophageal varices as demonstrated by esophagram were correlated one another from quantitative and qualitative stand points. Clinical materials consisted of 34 patients with proven diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices. Liver scan was performed with colloidal 198-Au and the changes in the size and internal architecture of the Liver, splenic uptake and splenomegaly were graded and scored by repeated double-blind readings. The variceal changes on esophagrams were also graded according to the classification of Shanks and Kerley following modification. Of 34 patients, 91% showed definite reducing in liver volume(shrinkage) constituting the most frequent scan change. The splenic uptake and splenomegaly were noted in 73.5 and 79.4%, respectively. The present study revealed no positive correlation between the graded scan findings including shrinkage of the liver, splenic uptake or splenomegaly and severity of variceal changes of the esophagus. Exceptionally, however, apparently paradoxical correlation was noted between the severity of mottling and varices. Thus, in the majority(73.5%) of patients mottling were either absent or mild. This interesting observation is in favor of the view held by Christie et al. who consider the mottlings to be not faithful expression of actual scarring of the cirrhosis liver. This also would indicate that variceal changes are to be the results of intrahepatic arteriovenous shunting of blood with hypervolemic load to the portal system rather than simple hypertension secondary to fibrosis and shrinkage.

Liver scanning in diffuse liver disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aiginger, P.; Atefie, K.; Scherak, O.; Wolf, A.; Hoefer, R.; Seyfried, H.

1975-01-01

The results of liver scans performed with sup(99m)Tc-sulphur colloid in 169 patients suffering from diffuse liver diseases and in 48 normal controls were evaluated. The patients with reactive hepatitis, acute hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis, fatty liver and fibrosis of the liver show only minimal deviations from the scintigraphic pattern. On the contrary, highly increased colloid uptake in the spleen is found in cases of chronic aggressive hepatitis, whilst the intrahepatic distribution of the colloid is approximately normal. In cases of liver cirrhosis, increased colloid uptake is found in the left lobe of the liver as well as in the spleen and in the bone marrow. Either normal findings or cirrhosis-like changes of the colloid distribution are observed in patients with alcoholic hepatitis. (orig.) [de

Liver regeneration and restoration of liver function after partial hepatectomy in patients with liver tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jansen, P.L.M.; Chamuleau, R.A.F.; Leeuwen, D.J. van; Schippor, H.G.; Busemann-Sokole, E.; Heyde, M.N. van der

1990-01-01

Liver regeneration and restoration of liver function were studied in six patients who underwent partial hepatectomy with removal of 30-70% of the liver. Liver volume and liver regeneration were studied by single photon computed tomography (SPECT), using 99m Tc-colloid as tracer. The method was assessed in 11 patients by comparing the pre- and post-operative volume measurement with the volume of the resected liver mass. Liver function was determined by measuring the galactose elimination capacity and the caffeine clearance. After a postoperative follow-up period of 50 days, the liver had regenerated maximally to a volume of 75 ± 2% of the preoperative liver mass. Maximal restoration of liver function was achieved 120 days after operation and amounted to 75 ± 10% for the caffeine clearance and to 100 ± 25% for the galactose elimination capacity. This study shows that SPECT is a useful method for assessing liver regeneration in patients after partial hepatectomy. The study furthermore shows that caffeine clearance correlates well with total liver volume, whereas the galactose elimination capacity overestimates total liver volume after partial hepatectomy. 22 refs

Epstein-Barr virus infection after pediatric living related liver transplantation:a fourteen cases analysis%儿童亲属活体肝移植术后EB病毒感染14例临床分析

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

康永振; 孙晓叶; 蔡金贞; 高伟; 刘懿禾; 沈中阳

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the incidence of Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)infection after pediatric living related liver transplantation and analyze related treatment and prognosis. Methods The medical records of pediatric liver transplant recipients who received living related liver transplantation because of biliary atresia and biliary cirrhosis in Tianjin First Center Hospital during January 1,2012 and December 31,2013 were analyzed retrospectively,with diagnostic standard of positive blood EBV-DNA. The incidence of Epstein-Barr virus infection after pediatric living related liver transplantation and corresponding treatment and prognosis were analyzed. Results 14(16.3%)out of 86 pediatric liver transplant recipients were turned out to be EBV-DNA positive in blood,which were defined as EBV infection,9 cases occurred within the first 3 months after transplantation and 5 after 3 months;when therapy of reducing immunosuppressants and multi antivirus drugs were applied,a total of 13 recipients acquired favorable prognosis,and one case may turn into chronic EBV infection. Conclusion When appropriate immunosuppressants adjustment and antivirus drugs were applied,most pediatric liver transplant recipients who developed EBV infection can acquire satisfying prognosis.%目的探讨儿童亲属活体肝移植术后EB病毒（EBV）感染的发生、治疗及预后情况。方法回顾性分析2012年1月1日至2013年12月31日因胆道闭锁、胆汁淤积性肝硬化于天津市第一中心医院接受亲属活体肝移植术患儿的病历资料和随访资料，以血EBV-DNA阳性为诊断标准，对其中EBV感染的发生、治疗及预后情况进行综合分析。结果86例接受亲属活体肝移植术的患儿中有14例（占16.3％）血EBV-DNA阳性，发生了EBV感染，其中9例发生在术后3个月内，5例发生在术后3个月以后。在应用了免疫抑制药物减量的基础治疗方案和多种抗病毒药物治疗的个体化方案后，13�

Live kidney donations and the ethic of care.

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Francis; Clement, Grace; Kane, Mary

2008-09-01

In this paper, we seek to re-conceptualize the ethical framework through which ethicists and medical professionals view the practice of live kidney donations. The ethics of organ donation has been understood primarily within the framework of individual rights and impartiality, but we show that the ethic of care captures the moral situation of live kidney donations in a more coherent and comprehensive way, and offers guidance for practitioners that is more attentive to the actual moral transactions among donors and recipients. A final section offers guidelines for the practice of live kidney transplants that emerge from an ethic of care.

Long-lived ames dwarf mice are resistant to chemical stressors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bokov, Alex F; Lindsey, Merry L; Khodr, Christina; Sabia, Marian R; Richardson, Arlan

2009-08-01

To probe the connection between longevity and stress resistance, we compared the sensitivity of Ames long-lived dwarf mice and control littermates with paraquat, diquat, and dobutamine. In young adult animals, 95% of male and 39% of female controls died after paraquat administration, but no dwarf animals died. When the experiment was repeated at an older age or a higher dosage of paraquat, dwarf mice still showed greater resistance. Dwarf mice also were more resistant to diquat; 80% of male and 60% of female controls died compared with 40% and 20% of dwarf mice, despite greater sensitivity of dwarf liver to diquat. Dwarf mice were also less sensitive to dobutamine-induced cardiac stress and had lower levels of liver and lung F(2)-isoprostanes. This is the first direct in vivo evidence that long-lived Ames dwarf mice have enhanced resistance to chemical insult, particularly oxidative stressors.

Proton MR spectroscopic features of the human liver: in-vivo application to the normal condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Soon Gu; Kim, Mi Young; Kim, Young Soo; Choi, Won; Shin, Seok Hwan; Ok, Chul Soo; Suh, Chang Hae

1999-01-01

To determine the feasibility of MR spectroscopy in the living human liver, and to evaluate the corresponding proton MR spectroscopic features. In fifteen normal volunteers with neither previous nor present liver disease, the proton MR spectroscopic findings were reviewed. Twelve subjects were male and three were female ; they were aged between 28 and 32 (mean, 30) years. MR spectroscopy involved the use of a 1.5T GE Signa Horizon system with body coil(GE Medical System, Milwaukee, U.S.A). We used STEAM (Stimulated Echo-Acquisition Mode) with 3000/30 msec of TR/TE for signal acquisition, and the prone position without respiratory interruption. Mean and standard deviation of the ratios of glutamate+glutamine/lipids, phosphomonoesters/lipids, and glycogen+glucose/lipids were calculated from the area of their peaks. The proton MR spectroscopic findings of normal human livers showed four distinctive peaks, i.e. lipids, glutamate and glutamine complex, phosphomonoesters, and glycogen and glucose complex. The mean and standard deviation of the ratios of glutamate+glutamine/lipids, phosphomonoesters/lipids, and glycogen+glucose/lipids were 0.02±0.01, 0.01±0.01, and 0.04±0.03, respectively. In living normal human livers, MR spectroscopy can be successfully applied. When applied to a liver whose condition is pathologic, the findings can be used as a standard

Liver Transplant

Science.gov (United States)

... Liver Function Tests Clinical Trials Liver Transplant FAQs Medical Terminology Diseases of the Liver Alagille Syndrome Alcohol-Related ... the Liver The Progression of Liver Disease FAQs Medical Terminology HOW YOU CAN HELP Sponsorship Ways to Give ...

Diagnostic imaging in liver transplantation. Preoperative evaluation and postoperative complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schroeder, T.; Ruehm, S.G.

2005-01-01

Complimentary to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is increasingly considered a therapeutic option in the therapy of end-stage liver disease. Accurate pre- and postoperative imaging is crucial for the transplantation success and represents an established part of the current evaluation algorithms. This article summarizes the most important requirements and the current imaging standards. Preoperative imaging is important for exclusion of transplantation contraindications in the recipient and for reliable assessment of anatomical variants in the donor. The main purpose of postoperative imaging is the early detection and characterization of complications. In both instances, multislice CT currently represents the most versatile and reliable imaging modality, still superior to MRI. For postoperative follow-up, the imaging modality of first choice is still bedside ultrasound; however, unclear findings usually need to be further assessed by CT. (orig.) [de

Liver regeneration and restoration of liver function after partial hepatectomy in patients with liver tumors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, P. L.; Chamuleau, R. A.; van Leeuwen, D. J.; Schipper, H. G.; Busemann-Sokole, E.; van der Heyde, M. N.

1990-01-01

Liver regeneration and restoration of liver function were studied in six patients who underwent partial hepatectomy with removal of 30-70% of the liver. Liver volume and liver regeneration were studied by single-photon computed tomography (SPECT), using 99mTc-colloid as tracer. The method was

Liver transplant in ethylmalonic encephalopathy: a new treatment for an otherwise fatal disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Dionisi-Vici, Carlo; Diodato, Daria; Torre, Giuliano; Picca, Stefano; Pariante, Rosanna; Giuseppe Picardo, Sergio; Di Meo, Ivano; Rizzo, Cristiano; Tiranti, Valeria; Zeviani, Massimo; De Ville De Goyet, Jean

2016-04-01

Ethylmalonic encephalopathy is a fatal, rapidly progressive mitochondrial disorder caused by ETHE1 mutations, whose peculiar clinical and biochemical features are due to the toxic accumulation of hydrogen sulphide and of its metabolites, including thiosulphate. In mice with ethylmalonic encephalopathy, liver-targeted adeno-associated virus-mediated ETHE1 gene transfer dramatically improved both clinical course and metabolic abnormalities. Reasoning that the same achievement could be accomplished by liver transplantation, we performed living donor-liver transplantation in an infant with ethylmalonic encephalopathy. Unlike the invariably progressive deterioration of the disease, 8 months after liver transplantation, we observed striking neurological improvement with remarkable achievements in psychomotor development, along with dramatic reversion of biochemical abnormalities. These results clearly indicate that liver transplantation is a viable therapeutic option for ETHE1 disease. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Multivariable analysis of clinical influence factors on liver enhancement of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced 3T MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verloh, N.; Haimerl, M.; Stroszczynski, C.; Fellner, C.; Wiggermann, P.; Zeman, F.; Teufel, A.; Lang, S.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify clinical factors influencing Gd-EOB-DTPA liver uptake in patients with healthy liver parenchyma. A total of 124 patients underwent contrast-enhanced MRI with a hepatocyte-specific contrast agent at 3T. T1-weighted volume interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) sequences with fat suppression were acquired before and 20 minutes after contrast injection. The relative enhancement (RE) between plain and contrast-enhanced signal intensity was calculated. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate clinical factors influencing the relative enhancement. Patients were subdivided into three groups according to their relative liver enhancement (HRE, RE ≥ 100 %; MRE, 100 % > RE > 50 %; NRE, RE ≤ 50 %) and were analyzed according to the relevant risk factors. Simple regression analyses revealed patient age, transaminases (AST, ALT, GGT), liver, spleen and delta-liver volume (the difference between the volumetrically measured liver volume and the estimated liver volume based on body weight) as significant factors influencing relative enhancement. In the multiple analysis the transaminase AST, spleen and delta liver volume remained significant factors influencing relative enhancement. Delta liver volume showed a significant difference between all analyzed groups. Liver enhancement in the hepatobiliary phase depends on a variety of factors. Body weight-adapted administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA may lead to inadequate liver enhancement after 20 minutes especially when the actual liver volume differs from the expected volume.

Liver Hemangioma

Science.gov (United States)

Liver hemangioma Overview A liver hemangioma (he-man-jee-O-muh) is a noncancerous (benign) mass in the liver. A liver hemangioma is made up of a tangle of blood vessels. Other terms for a liver hemangioma are hepatic hemangioma and cavernous hemangioma. Most ...

Liver Immunology

Science.gov (United States)

Bogdanos, Dimitrios P.; Gao, Bin; Gershwin, M. Eric

2014-01-01

The liver is the largest organ in the body and is generally regarded by non-immunologists as not having lymphoid function. However, such is far from accurate. This review highlights the importance of the liver as a lymphoid organ. Firstly, we discuss experimental data surrounding the role of liver as a lymphoid organ. The liver facilitates a tolerance rather than immunoreactivity, which protects the host from antigenic overload of dietary components and drugs derived from the gut and is also instrumental to fetal immune tolerance. Loss of liver tolerance leads to autoaggressive phenomena which if are not controlled by regulatory lymphoid populations may lead to the induction of autoimmune liver diseases. Liver-related lymphoid subpopulations also act as critical antigen-presenting cells. The study of the immunological properties of liver and delineation of the microenvironment of the intrahepatic milieu in normal and diseased livers provides a platform to understand the hierarchy of a series of detrimental events which lead to immune-mediated destruction of the liver and the rejection of liver allografts. The majority of emphasis within this review will be on the normal mononuclear cell composition of the liver. However, within this context, we will discus select, but not all, immune mediated liver disease and attempt to place these data in the context of human autoimmunity. PMID:23720323

Potential and Challenges of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Liver Diseases Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yue Yu

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Tens of millions of patients are affected by liver disease worldwide. Many of these patients can benefit from cell therapy involving living metabolically active cells, either by treatment of their liver disease, or by prevention of their disease phenotype. Cell therapies, including hepatocyte transplantation and bioartificial liver (BAL devices, have been proposed as therapeutic alternatives to the shortage of transplantable livers. Both BAL and hepatocyte transplantation are cellular therapies that avoid use of a whole liver. Hepatocytes are also widely used in drug screening and liver disease modelling. However, the demand for human hepatocytes, heavily outweighs their availability by conventional means. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs technology brings together the potential benefits of embryonic stem cells (ESCs (i.e., self-renewal, pluripotency and addresses the major ethical and scientific concerns of ESCs: embryo destruction and immune-incompatibility. It has been shown that hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs can be generated from iPSCs. Furthermore, human iPSCs (hiPSCs can provide an unlimited source of human hepatocytes and hold great promise for applications in regenerative medicine, drug screening and liver diseases modelling. Despite steady progress, there are still several major obstacles that need to be overcome before iPSCs will reach the bedside. This review will focus on the current state of efforts to derive hiPSCs for potential use in modelling and treatment of liver disease.

Transduction of liver cells by lentiviral vectors: analysis in living animals by fluorescence imaging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pfeifer, A.; Kessler, T.; Yang, M.; Baranov, E.; Kootstra, N.; Cheresh, D. A.; Hoffman, R. M.; Verma, I. M.

2001-01-01

Viral vectors based on lentiviruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus, are able to transduce a broad spectrum of nondividing cells in vivo. This ability of lentiviral vectors makes them an attractive vehicle for gene transfer into the liver. In order to determine the requirements for

[ACTUAL PROBLEMS OF HYGIENE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE IN THE PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH].

Science.gov (United States)

Onishchenko, G G

2015-01-01

In the article there are designated the state and actual hygiene tasks on the issue of environmental pollution and its effects on health of the population. There was emphasized the growing importance of chemical contamination of various objects of environment--air water, soil, and living environment. There is presented the analysis of data on different types of treatment of municipal waste in selected countries. There were shown the significance of the developed Guidance on risk assessmentfor public health as a toolfor making sound management decisions, prospects of using of the methodology of epidemiological mapping based on geoinformational technology (GIS technology). There was marked an important role of the younger generation of hygienists and health officers in further work on both preservation and improvement the health of the population in their countries, harmonization of scientific and practical solutions of actual problems of hygiene.

First liver transplant in Qatar: an evolving program facing many challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalaf, Hatem; Derballa, Moataz; Elmasry, Mohammed; Khalil, Ahmed; Yakoob, Rafie; Almohannadi, Muneera; Almaslamani, Muna; Fadhil, Riadh; Al-Kaabi, Saad; Al-Ansari, Abdulla; Almaslamani, Yousuf

2013-10-01

Beginning to do liver transplants in a developing country is challenging. We report on the first few liver transplants performed in Qatar and discuss future exceptions and challenges facing our program. The first liver transplant was performed in Qatar on December 6, 2011. Since starting the program, 4 deceased-donor liver transplants have been performed in Qatar. All recipients underwent a standard deceased-donor liver transplant procedure, which included a duct-to-duct biliary anastomosis without a veno-venous bypass. All liver transplants were performed at the Hamad Medical Corporation by a local team of surgeons without external assistance. The 4 patients were all men, with a median age of 56 years (age range, 46-63 y). Indications for liver transplant included hepatitis C cirrhosis in 2 patients, and 1 patient with hepatitis B cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma, and the other patient with cryptogenic liver cirrhosis. Median amount of blood transfused was 6 units (range, 0-10 U); median time spent in the intensive care unit was 2 days (range, 2-5 d); median amount of time spent in the hospital was 10 days (range, 9-16 d). All 4 recipients have survived after a median follow-up of 438 days (range, 33-602 d) and are enjoying a healthy life, with no significant posttransplant complications. A deceased-donor liver transplant can be performed in Qatar with no external assistance. However, a severe organ shortage remains the biggest obstacle facing us. Efforts should be directed toward improving the number and quality of available deceased donors in Qatar. Meanwhile, live-donor liver transplant may be the only way for us, going forward, to prevent deaths on the waiting list.

Quantitative radiology: automated CT liver volumetry compared with interactive volumetry and manual volumetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Kenji; Epstein, Mark L; Kohlbrenner, Ryan; Garg, Shailesh; Hori, Masatoshi; Oto, Aytekin; Baron, Richard L

2011-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate automated CT volumetry in the assessment of living-donor livers for transplant and to compare this technique with software-aided interactive volumetry and manual volumetry. Hepatic CT scans of 18 consecutively registered prospective liver donors were obtained under a liver transplant protocol. Automated liver volumetry was developed on the basis of 3D active-contour segmentation. To establish reference standard liver volumes, a radiologist manually traced the contour of the liver on each CT slice. We compared the results obtained with automated and interactive volumetry with those obtained with the reference standard for this study, manual volumetry. The average interactive liver volume was 1553 ± 343 cm(3), and the average automated liver volume was 1520 ± 378 cm(3). The average manual volume was 1486 ± 343 cm(3). Both interactive and automated volumetric results had excellent agreement with manual volumetric results (intraclass correlation coefficients, 0.96 and 0.94). The average user time for automated volumetry was 0.57 ± 0.06 min/case, whereas those for interactive and manual volumetry were 27.3 ± 4.6 and 39.4 ± 5.5 min/case, the difference being statistically significant (p volumetry are accurate for measuring liver volume with CT, but automated volumetry is substantially more efficient.

Hepatic steatosis progresses faster in HIV mono-infected than HIV/HCV co-infected patients and is associated with liver fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pembroke, Thomas; Deschenes, Marc; Lebouché, Bertrand; Benmassaoud, Amine; Sewitch, Maida; Ghali, Peter; Wong, Philip; Halme, Alex; Vuille-Lessard, Elise; Pexos, Costa; Klein, Marina B; Sebastiani, Giada

2017-10-01

Hepatic steatosis (HS) seems common in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, the relative effect of HIV, as well as hepatitis C virus (HCV) in those co-infected, and the influence of HS on liver fibrosis progression are unclear. The LIVEr disease in HIV (LIVEHIV) is a Canadian prospective cohort study using transient elastography and associated controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) to screen for HS and liver fibrosis, in unselected HIV-infected adults. HS progression was defined as development of any grade HS (CAP ⩾248dB/m), or transition to severe HS (CAP >292dB/m), for those with any grade HS at baseline. Fibrosis progression was defined as development of significant liver fibrosis (liver stiffness measurement [LSM] >7.1kPa), or transition to cirrhosis (LSM >12.5kPa) for those with significant liver fibrosis at baseline. Cox regression analysis was used to assess predictors of HS and fibrosis progression. A prospective cohort study was conducted, which included 726 HIV-infected patients (22.7% HCV co-infected). Prevalence of any grade HS did not differ between HIV mono-infected and HIV/HCV co-infected patients (36.1% vs. 38.6%, respectively). 313 patients were followed for a median of 15.4 (interquartile range 8.5-23.0) months. The rate of HS progression was 37.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 29.2-49.0) and 21.9 (95% CI 15.6-30.7) per 100 person-years in HIV mono-infection and HIV/HCV co-infection, respectively. HCV co-infection was an independent negative predictor of HS progression (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.50, 95% CI 0.28-0.89). HS predicted liver fibrosis progression in HIV mono-infection (aHR 4.18, 95% CI 1.21-14.5), but not in HIV/HCV co-infection. HS progresses faster and is associated with liver fibrosis progression in HIV mono-infection but not in HIV/HCV co-infection. Lay summary: Fatty liver is the most frequent liver disease in Western countries. People living with HIV seem at high risk of fatty liver due to

Soot and short-lived pollutants provide political opportunity

Science.gov (United States)

Victor, David G.; Zaelke, Durwood; Ramanathan, Veerabhadran

2015-09-01

Cutting levels of soot and other short-lived pollutants delivers tangible benefits and helps governments to build confidence that collective action on climate change is feasible. After the Paris climate meeting this December, actually reducing these pollutants will be essential to the credibility of the diplomatic process.

Efficacy of liver parenchymal enhancement and liver volume to standard liver volume ratio on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI for estimation of liver function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoneyama, Tomohide; Fukukura, Yoshihiko; Kamimura, Kiyohisa; Takumi, Koji; Umanodan, Aya; Nakajo, Masayuki [Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Department of Radiology, Kagoshima City (Japan); Ueno, Shinichi [Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Department of Surgical Oncology and Digestive Surgery, Kagoshima City (Japan)

2014-04-15

We aimed to develop and assess the efficacy of a liver function index that combines liver enhancement and liver volume to standard liver volume (LV/SLV) ratio on gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MRI. In all, 111 patients underwent a Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI, including T1 mapping, before and 20 min after Gd-EOB-DTPA administration. We calculated the following Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI-based liver function indices: relative enhancement of the liver, corrected enhancement of the liver-to-spleen ratio, LSC{sub N}20, increase rate of the liver-to-muscle ratio, reduction rate of T1 relaxation time of the liver, ΔR1 of the liver and K{sub Hep}; the indices were multiplied by the LV/SLV ratio. We calculated the correlations between an indocyanine green (ICG) clearance and the Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI-based liver function indices multiplied by the LV/SLV ratio, by using Pearson correlation analysis. There were significant correlations between all Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI-based liver function indices and ICG clearance (r = -0.354 to -0.574, P < 0.001). All Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI-based liver function indices multiplied by the LV/SLV ratio (r = -0.394 to -0.700, P < 0.001) were more strongly correlated with the ICG clearance than those without multiplication by the LV/SLV ratio. Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI-based liver function indices that combine liver enhancement and the LV/SLV ratio may more reliably estimate liver function. (orig.)

Liver transplantation in polycystic liver disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krohn, Paul S; Hillingsø, Jens; Kirkegaard, Preben

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Polycystic liver disease (PLD) is a rare, hereditary, benign disorder. Hepatic failure is uncommon and symptoms are caused by mass effects leading to abdominal distension and pain. Liver transplantation (LTX) offers fully curative treatment, but there is still some controversy about...... whether it is a relevant modality considering the absence of liver failure, relative organ shortage, perioperative risks and lifelong immunosuppression. The purpose of this study was to review our experience of LTX for PLD and to compare the survival with the overall survival of patients who underwent LTX...... from 1992 to 2005. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of the journals of 440 patients, who underwent 506 LTXs between 1992 and 2005, showed that 14 patients underwent LTX for PLD. All patients had normal liver function. Three were receiving haemodialysis and thus underwent combined liver...

Perioperative management of liver surgery-review on pathophysiology of liver disease and liver failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Gasteiger, Lukas; Eschertzhuber, Stephan; Tiefenthaler, Werner

2018-01-01

An increasing number of patients present for liver surgery. Given the complex pathophysiological changes in chronic liver disease (CLD), it is pivotal to understand the fundamentals of chronic and acute liver failure. This review will give an overview on related organ dysfunction as well as recommendations for perioperative management and treatment of liver failure-related symptoms.

Enhancement of liver regeneration and liver surgery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Olthof, P.B.

2017-01-01

Liver regeneration allows surgical resection of up to 75% of the liver and enables curative treatment potential for patients with primary or secondary hepatic malignancies. Liver surgery is associated with substantial risks, reflected by considerable morbidity and mortality rates. Optimization of

The Hospice Information System and its association with the congruence between the preferred and actual place of death.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Huang-Ren; Wang, Jen-Hung; Hsieh, Jyh-Gang; Wang, Ying-Wei; Kao, Sheng-Lun

2017-01-01

A Hospice Information System (HIS) developed in eastern Taiwan in 2012 aimed to improve the quality of hospice care through an integrated system that provided telemetry-based vital sign records, online 24/7 consultations, online video interviews, and online health educations. The purpose of this study was to explore the congruence between the preferred and actual place of death (POD) among patients who received HIS services. A retrospective study was performed from January 2012 to August 2016. Data from patients enrolled in the HIS who died during this period were included. Data on basic characteristics and the actual and preferred POD were obtained from the HIS database. The primary outcome was the congruence between the preferred and actual POD. Secondary outcomes were comparisons between patients who did and did not achieve their preferred POD. Further comparisons between patients who did and did not achieve home death were also performed. In total, we enrolled 481 patients who received HIS services and died. Of them, 444 (92.3%) died at their preferred POD. Patients who preferred an inpatient hospice as their POD had higher achievement rate than those who wanted a home death. High-intensity HIS utilization was associated with a higher likelihood of home death than low-intensity HIS utilization. Patients living in areas distant from the medical center had lower achievement of home death than those living in local areas. This study suggested that patients enrolled in the HIS had high congruence between the actual and preferred POD.

Mini-review. Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Visag-Castillo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Liver transplantation is the gold standard treatment for end stage liver disease, including patients with cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma falling within Milan criteria. HCC is the sixth most common cancer around the world, and leading cause of death among cirrhotic patients. Diagnosis is based upon radiological characteristics and rarely biopsy results; the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system is the most used guideline for treatment. With several treatment options available transplantation and resection continue to be the major curative therapeutic option for this patients. However treatment must be individualized to each patient to improve recurrences and outcomes. The aim of this paper is to review the present role of liver transplantation in the management of hepatocarcinoma. Resumen: El trasplante hepático es el estándar de oro en el tratamiento de enfermedad hepática avanzada, incluyendo pacientes cirróticos que han desarrollado hepatocarcinoma pero que se encuentran dentro de los criterios de Milán. El hepatocarcinoma es el sexto tumor más común alrededor del mundo y es la principal causa de muerte en pacientes cirróticos. El diagnóstico se basa principalmente en las características radiológicas del tumor y raras veces en resultados de patología. El sistema de estatificación desarrollado por el Clinic de Barcelona es la guía más usada para el tratamiento. Existen diferentes opciones terapéuticas para el hepatocarcinoma; sin embargo, el trasplante y la resección quirúrgica siguen siendo la opción curativa con mejores resultados. El tratamiento debe de ser individualizado para cada paciente con el fin de mejorar los resultados y minimizar recurrencias. El objetivo de este artículo es revisar el rol actual del trasplante hepático en el manejo del hepatocarcinoma. Keywords: Chronic hepatitis C, End stage liver disease, Recurrence, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Cirrhosis, Palabras clave: Hepatitis C cr

Liver hanging maneuver for right hemiliver in situ donation--anatomical considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotovsek, B; Gadzijev, E M; Ravnik, D; Hribernik, M

2006-01-01

An anatomical study was carried out to evaluate the safety of the liver hanging maneuver for the right hemiliver in living donor and in situ splitting transplantation. During this procedure a 4-6 cm blind dissection is performed between the inferior vena cava and the liver. Short subhepatic veins entering the inferior vena cava from segments 1 and 9 could be torn with consequent hemorrhage. One hundred corrosive casts of livers were evaluated to establish the position and diameter of short subhepatic veins and the inferior right hepatic vein. The average distance from the right border of the inferior vena cava to the opening of segment 1 veins was 16.7+/-3.4 mm and to the entrance of segment 9 veins was 5.0+/-0.5 mm. The width of the narrowest point on the route of blind dissection was determined, with the average value being 8.7+/-2.3 mm (range 2-15 mm). The results show that the liver hanging maneuver is a safe procedure. A proposed route of dissection minimizes the risk of disrupting short subhepatic veins (7%).

Pathological changes in turkeys liver associated with Histomoniasis in Duhok City,Kurdistan Region, Iraq

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M.A. Abdullah

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Histomoniasis were detected and described among naturally affected of twenty three young Turkeys poult compared with the adults. Sample for study were collected from different areas of Duhok city in Kurdistan region/Iraq. Giemsa stain where used for identification of parasite from specimens of liver and cecum samples, then specimen, where fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for routine histopathological study. The affected birds showed clinical signs of lethargic, drooping of head and wings with progressive emaciation and a clear distinctive signs in live ones, and appearance of continuous yellowish diarrhea. Pathologically there is an enlargement and discoloration of the liver associated with appearance of white to yellow multifocal nodules in the surface of the liver. While the result of histolpathological changes showed severs inflammatory reaction around necrotic tissues with degenerative and necrotic changes of the liver cells.

Assessment of Liver Remnant Using ICG Clearance Intraoperatively during Vascular Exclusion: Early Experience with the ALIIVE Technique

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Lawrence Lau

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The most significant risk following major hepatectomy is postoperative liver insufficiency. Current preoperative assessment of the future liver remnant relies upon assumptions which may not be valid in the setting of advanced resection strategies. This paper reports the feasibility of the ALIIVE technique which assesses the liver remnant with ICG clearance intraoperatively during vascular exclusion. Methods. 10 patients undergoing planned major liver resection (hemihepatectomy or greater were recruited. Routine preoperative assessment included CT and standardized volumetry. ICG clearance was measured noninvasively using a finger spectrophotometer at various time points including following parenchymal transection during inflow and outflow occlusion before vascular division, the ALIIVE step. Results. There were one case of mortality and three cases of posthepatectomy liver failure. The patient who died had the lowest ALIIVE ICG clearance (7.1%/min versus 14.4 ± 4.9. Routine preoperative CT and standardized volumetry did not predict outcome. Discussion/Conclusion. The novel ALIIVE technique is feasible and assesses actual future liver remnant function before the point of no return during major hepatectomy. This technique may be useful as a check step to offer a margin of safety to prevent posthepatectomy liver failure and death. Further confirmatory studies are required to determine a safety cutoff level.

Actualism and Fictional Characters

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André Leclerc

2016-04-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1808-1711.2016v20n1p61 In what follows, I present only part of a program that consists in developing a version of actualism as an adequate framework for the metaphysics of intentionality. I will try to accommodate in that framework suggestions found in Kripke’s works and some positions developed by Amie Thomasson. What should we change if we accept “fictional entities” in the domain of the actual world? Actualism is the thesis that everything that exists belongs to the domain of the actual world and that there are no possibilia. I shall defend that there are abstract artefacts, like fictional characters, and institutions. My argument could be seen as a version of Moore’s paradox: it is paradoxical to say: “I made (created it, but I do not believe it exists”. Moreover, there are true sentences about them. I will examine what it means to include abstract artefacts in the domain of the actual world. I favour a use of “exist” that includes beings with no concrete occupation of tri-dimensional space; to exist, it is enough to have been introduced at some moment in history. Abstract artefacts, like fictional characters, exist in that sense. I argue that it is important to distinguish two perspectives (internal and external in order to clarify the kind of knowledge we have of fictional characters. However, their existence presupposes a relation of dependence to a material basis and the mental activities of many people.

Clinical Outcomes of Living Liver Transplantation According to the Presence of Sarcopenia as Defined by Skeletal Muscle Mass, Hand Grip, and Gait Speed.

Science.gov (United States)

Harimoto, N; Yoshizumi, T; Izumi, T; Motomura, T; Harada, N; Itoh, S; Ikegami, T; Uchiyama, H; Soejima, Y; Nishie, A; Kamishima, T; Kusaba, R; Shirabe, K; Maehara, Y

2017-11-01

Sarcopenia is an independent predictor of death after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). However, the ability of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria for sarcopenia (defined as reduced skeletal muscle mass plus low muscle strength) to predict surgical outcomes in patients who have undergone LDLT has not been determined. This study prospectively enrolled 366 patients who underwent LDLT at Kyushu University Hospital. Skeletal muscle area (determined by computed tomography), hand-grip strength, and gait speed were measured in 102 patients before LDLT. We investigated the relationship between sarcopenia and surgical outcomes after LDLT performed in three time periods. The number of patients with lower skeletal muscle area has increased to 52.9% in recent years. The incidence of sarcopenia according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria was 23.5% (24/102). Patients with sarcopenia (defined by skeletal muscle area and functional parameters) had significantly lower skeletal muscle area and weaker hand-grip strength than did those without sarcopenia. Compared with non-sarcopenic patients, patients with sarcopenia also had significantly worse liver function, greater estimated blood loss, greater incidence of postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo grade IV or greater (including amount of ascites on postoperative day 14, total bilirubin on postoperative day 14, and postoperative sepsis), and longer postoperative hospital stay. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed sarcopenia as a significant predictor of 6-month mortality. The combination of skeletal muscle mass and function can predict surgical outcomes in LDLT patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disparate patterns of age-related changes in lipid peroxidation in long-lived naked mole-rats and shorter-lived mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Andziak, Blazej; Buffenstein, Rochelle

2006-12-01

A key tenet of the oxidative stress theory of aging is that levels of accrued oxidative damage increase with age. Differences in damage generation and accumulation therefore may underlie the natural variation in species longevity. We compared age-related profiles of whole-organism lipid peroxidation (urinary isoprostanes) and liver lipid damage (malondialdehyde) in long living naked mole-rats [maximum lifespan (MLS) > 28.3 years] and shorter-living CB6F1 hybrid mice (MLS approximately 3.5 years). In addition, we compared age-associated changes in liver non-heme iron to assess how intracellular conditions, which may modulate oxidative processes, are affected by aging. Surprisingly, even at a young age, concentrations of both markers of lipid peroxidation, as well as of iron, were at least twofold (P naked mole tats than in mice. This refutes the hypothesis that prolonged naked mole-rat longevity is due to superior protection against oxidative stress. The age-related profiles of all three parameters were distinctly species specific. Rates of lipid damage generation in mice were maintained throughout adulthood, while accrued damage in old animals was twice that of young mice. In naked mole-rats, urinary isoprostane excretion declined by half with age (P naked mole-rats is independent of oxidative stress parameters.

Recolecta: estado actual y perspectivas

OpenAIRE

López Medina, Alicia

2010-01-01

Estado actual del Recolector de ciencia abierta español: Recolecta y proyectos de futuro. López Medina, A. (2010). Recolecta: estado actual y perspectivas. X Workshop Rebiun sobre proyectos digitales. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/8710.

Relationship between liver lipid and liver dry matter in slaughtered ruminants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zohreh Eftekhari

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Lipids in liver wet and dry matter, liver moist and dry matter and their relationships were investigated based on species, sex and age in cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats. Mean percentage of lipids in liver wet and dry matter and liver dry matter in cows were 3.60%, 1.10%, 29.70%, and for buffaloes were 5.30%, 1.55%, 29.20%, sheep 3.00%, 0.83%, 27.90%, and goats 2.910%, 1.55% and 28.40%, respectively. The highest and lowest percentage of lipids in liver wet and dry matter was observed in buffaloes and sheep, and for the liver dry matter was recorded in cows and sheep, respectively. Analyses showed significant differences in liver parameters among ruminants (p < 0.01. Gender, except for goats, did not affect the animals' liver parameters. In overall 15.00% of buffaloes and 3.50% of cows showed over 10.00% lipids in liver, while none of small ruminants appeared to have over 6.00% lipids in liver. There was no correlation between liver lipid and liver dry matter. In conclusion mean percentage of lipid in liver dry matter in small ruminants was less than large ruminants. Liver dry matter was high in cows and low in sheep. Mean differences in liver parameters was significant, while the age and sex of the animals were not. Liver lipidosis in buffaloes seems greater than in cows, and in small ruminants it was negligible. No correlation was expected between liver parameters. Finally, on the basis of liver dry matter, the liver in ruminants ranked from cows to buffaloes, goats and sheep.

Fatty Liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filippone, A.; Digiovandomenico, V.; Digiovandomenico, E.; Genovesi, N.; Bonomo, L.

1991-01-01

The authors report their experience with the combined use of US and CT in the study of diffuse and subtotal fatty infiltration of the liver. An apparent disagreement was initially found between the two examinations in the study of fatty infiltration. Fifty-five patients were studied with US and CT of the upper abdomen, as suggested by clinics. US showed normal liver echogenicity in 30 patients and diffuse increased echogenicity (bright liver) in 25 cases. In 5 patients with bright liver, US demonstrated a solitary hypoechoic area, appearing as a 'skip area', in the quadrate lobe. In 2 patients with bright liver, the hypoechoic area was seen in the right lobe and exhibited no typical US features of 'Skip area'. Bright liver was quantified by measuring CT density of both liver and spleen. The relative attenuation values of spleen and liver were compared on plain and enhanced CT scans. In 5 cases with a hypoechoic area in the right lobe, CT findings were suggestive of hemangioma. A good correlation was found between broght liver and CT attenuation values, which decrease with increasing fat content of the liver. Moreover, CT attenuation values confirmed US findings in the study of typical 'skip area', by demonstrating normal density - which suggests that CT can characterize normal tissue in atypical 'skip area'

Excellent survival after liver transplantation for isolated polycystic liver disease : an European Liver Transplant Registry study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Keimpema, Loes; Nevens, Frederik; Adam, Rene; Porte, Robert J.; Fikatas, Panagiotis; Becker, Thomas; Kirkegaard, Preben; Metselaar, Herold J.; Drenth, Joost P. H.

2011-01-01

Patients with end-stage isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) suffer from incapacitating symptoms because of very large liver volumes. Liver transplantation (LT) is the only curative option. This study assesses the feasibility of LT in PCLD. We used the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR)

Benign Liver Tumors

Science.gov (United States)

... Liver Function Tests Clinical Trials Liver Transplant FAQs Medical Terminology Diseases of the Liver Alagille Syndrome Alcohol-Related ... the Liver The Progression of Liver Disease FAQs Medical Terminology HOW YOU CAN HELP Sponsorship Ways to Give ...

Liver Function Tests

Science.gov (United States)

... Liver Function Tests Clinical Trials Liver Transplant FAQs Medical Terminology Diseases of the Liver Alagille Syndrome Alcohol-Related ... the Liver The Progression of Liver Disease FAQs Medical Terminology HOW YOU CAN HELP Sponsorship Ways to Give ...

Marijuana and actual driving performance

Science.gov (United States)

1993-11-01

This report concerns the effects of marijuana smoking on actual driving performance. It presents the results of one pilot and three actual driving studies. The pilot study's major purpose was to establish the THC dose current marijuana users smoke to...

Chronic Portal Vein Thrombosis After Liver Transplantation in a Child Treated by a Combined Minimally Invasive Approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carnevale, Francisco Cesar; Santos, Aline Cristine Barbosa; Zurstrassen, Charles Edouard; Moreira, Airton Mota; Neto, Joao Seda; Filho, Eduardo Carone; Chapchap, Paulo

2009-01-01

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after orthotopic liver transplantation is an infrequent complication, and when it is present surgical treatment is considered for traditional management. Percutaneous transhepatic portal vein angioplasty has been described as an option to treat PVT with a lower morbidity than conventional surgical treatments. This article describes a case of chronic PVT in a child after a living donor liver transplantation managed by percutaneous transhepatic and surgical approaches.

Ethics of Liver Transplantation: The Role of the Anesthesiologist.

Science.gov (United States)

West, James M

2018-06-01

Anesthesiologists have clearly established their place in the history of medical ethics. Our involvement goes back to 1966 when Henri Beecher published his landmark paper on research and informed consent. Participation in the ethics of transplantation is no less important than our previous work. Organ transplant has been life saving for many but also has given rise to many misunderstandings not just from the public but also among our own colleagues. These include methods of allocation and donation, the role that affluence may play in receiving an organ, the definition of death and donation after circulatory death. As perioperative physicians and important members of the transplant team, anesthesiologists are expected to participate in all aspects of care including ethical judgments. This article discusses some of the issues that seem to cause the most confusion and angst for those of us involved in both liver transplantation and in the procurement of organs. It will discuss the definition of death, donation after circulatory death, the anesthesiologists' role on the selection committee, living donor liver transplantation, and transplantation of patients with alcohol-related liver disease.

Trabajo en líneas energizadas en la Empresa Eléctrica CENTROSUR de Ecuador: Un ensayo crítico sobre su situación actual; Live-line Work in the Electric Enterprises CENTROSUR of Ecuador: Critical Analysis at Present Situation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo D Robles Lobato

2011-02-01

Full Text Available En la actual Empresa Eléctrica CENTROSUR, la ejecución del mantenimiento en líneas energizadas seinicia en 1980 con la llegada de la primera canastilla aislada para trabajos hasta 69 kV,  junto con unequipo de pértigas aisladas para el nivel de 25 kV. Dichos trabajos se suspendieron definitivamente en losaños 1990, por los continuos accidentes del personal debido a la excesiva confianza o por la inexperienciadel nuevo personal,  además de que ya no se contaba con un centro de capacitación que asegurara lapreparación de los linieros y supervisores de la actividad.En la actualidad, la empresa realiza actividadesde mantenimiento en líneas energizadas por el método de contacto, utilizando la técnica de guantes, peroel hecho de no contar con un manual de procedimientos y una adecuada capacitación hace que cadagrupo de trabajo desempeñe sus tareas de acuerdo con un criterio propio, lo que hace muy complejodeterminar la falla en el proceso en caso de algún accidente. El presente trabajo expone un análisiscrítico del estado actual y las consideraciones de los peligros a los que se está exponiendo el personalque realiza estas actividades en la actual Empresa CENTROSUR.  The line -live work in the Electric Enterprise CENTROSUR begun in 1980 when one isolated crew workarrived to do Works up to 69 kV,  including a group of hotstick to 25 kV. This works finished on 90´s yearsbecause many accidents occurred by inexperience or excessive confidence of workers. Not TrainingCenter is working in that moment.  At present the EECS Enterprise is doing line-live activities by contactmethods using rubber techniques but in the enterprise there not are manuals or procedures to do thesesactivities. For this reasons each group do the live - line works in different forms and this situation if verydifficult to analyze fault on the maintenance process when accident was happened.The dangers andcritical analysis created by this situation is presented in

Percutaneous transhepatic techniques for management of biliary anastomotic strictures in living donor liver transplant recipients

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Chinmay B Kulkarni

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: To retrospectively analyze the percutaneous transhepatic techniques and their outcome in the management of biliary strictures in living donor liver transplant (LDLT recipients. Materials and Methods: We retrieved the hospital records of 400 LDLT recipients between 2007 and 2015 and identified 45 patients with biliary strictures. Among them, 17 patients (37.8% (Male: female = 13:4; mean age, 36.1 ± 17.5 years treated by various percutaneous transhepatic biliary techniques alone or in combination with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP were included in the study. The technical and clinical success of the percutaneous management was analyzed. Results: Anastomotic strictures associated with leak were found in 12/17 patients (70.6%. Ten out of 12 (83.3% patients associated with leak had more than one duct-duct anastomoses (range, 2–3. The average duration of onset of stricture in patients with biliary leak was 3.97 ± 2.68 months and in patients with only strictures it was 14.03 ± 13.9 months. In 6 patients, endoscopic-guided plastic stents were placed using rendezvous technique, plastic stent was placed from a percutaneous approach in 1 patient, metallic stents were used in 2 patients, cholangioplasty was performed in 1 patient, N-butyl- 2-cyanoacrylate embolization was done in 1 child with biliary-pleural fistula, internal-external drain was placed in 1 patient, and only external drain was placed in 5 patients. Technical success was achieved in 12/17 (70.6% and clinical success was achieved in 13/17 (76.5% of the patients. Posttreatment mean time of follow-up was 19.4 ± 13.7 months. Five patients (29.4% died (two acute rejections, one metabolic acidosis, and two sepsis. Conclusions: Percutaneous biliary techniques are effective treatment options with good outcome in LDLT patients with biliary complications.

Safety of reduced dose of mycophenolate mofetil combined with tacrolimus in living-donor liver transplantation

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Hyeyoung Kim

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background/AimsThe dose of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF has been reduced in Asia due to side effects associated with the conventional fixed dose of 2-3 g/day. We aimed to determine the pharmacokinetics of a reduced dose of MMF and to validate its feasibility in combination with tacrolimus in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT.MethodsTwo sequential studies were performed in adult LDLT between October 2009 and 2011. First, we performed a prospective pharmacokinetic study in 15 recipients. We measured the area under the curve from 0 to 12 hours (AUC0-12 for mycophenolic acid at postoperative days 7 and 14, and we performed a protocol biopsy before discharge. Second, among 215 recipients, we reviewed 74 patients who were initially administered a reduced dose of MMF (1.0 g/day with tacrolimus (trough, 8-12 ng/mL during the first month, and 5-8 ng/mL thereafter, with a 1-year follow-up. We performed protocol biopsies at 2 weeks and 1 year post-LDLT.ResultsIn the first part of study, AUC0-12 was less than 30 mgh/L in 93.3% of cases. In the second, validating study, 41.9% of the recipients needed dose reduction or cessation due to side effects within the first year after LDLT. At 12 months post-LDLT, 17.6% of the recipients were administered a lower dose of MMF (0.5 g/day, and 16.2% needed permanent cessation due to side effects. The 1- and 12-month rejection-free survival rates were 98.6% and 97.3%, respectively.ConclusionsA reduced dose of MMF was associated with low blood levels compared to the existing recommended therapeutic range. However, reducing the dose of MMF combined with a low level of tacrolimus was feasible clinically, with an excellent short-term outcome in LDLT.

Liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernardino, M.E.; Sones, P.J. Jr.; Barton Price, R.; Berkman, W.A.

1984-01-01

Evaluation of the liver for focal lesions is extremely important because the liver is one of the most common sites for metastatic disease. Most patients with metastatic deposits to the liver have a survival rate of about 6 months. Thus, metastatic disease to the liver has an extremely grave prognosis. In the past patients with hepatic lesions had no therapeutic recourse. However, with recent aggressive surgical advances (such as partial hepatectomies) and hepatic artery embolization, survival of patients with hepatic metastases has increased. Thus it is important for noninvasive imaging not only to detect lesions early in their course, but also to give their true hepatic involvement and the extent of the neoplastic process elsewhere in the body. Recent advances in imaging have been rapidly changing over the past 5 years. These changes have been more rapid in computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound than in radionuclide imaging. Thus, the question addressed in this chapter is: What is the relationship of hepatic ultrasound to the other current diagnostic modalities in detecting metastatic liver disease and other focal liver lesions? Also, what is its possible future relationship to nuclear magnetic resonance?

7 CFR 1437.101 - Actual production history.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Actual production history. 1437.101 Section 1437.101... Determining Yield Coverage Using Actual Production History § 1437.101 Actual production history. Actual production history (APH) is the unit's record of crop yield by crop year for the APH base period. The APH...

Hypervascular liver lesions in radiologically normal liver

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amico, Enio Campos; Alves, Jose Roberto; Souza, Dyego Leandro Bezerra de; Salviano, Fellipe Alexandre Macena; Joao, Samir Assi; Liguori, Adriano de Araujo Lima, E-mail: ecamic@uol.com.br [Hospital Universitario Onofre Lopes (HUOL/UFRN), Natal, RN (Brazil). Clinica Gastrocentro e Ambulatorios de Cirurgia do Aparelho Digestivo e de Cirurgia Hepatobiliopancreatica

2017-09-01

Background: The hypervascular liver lesions represent a diagnostic challenge. Aim: To identify risk factors for cancer in patients with non-hemangiomatous hypervascular hepatic lesions in radiologically normal liver. Method: This prospective study included patients with hypervascular liver lesions in radiologically normal liver. The diagnosis was made by biopsy or was presumed on the basis of radiologic stability in follow-up period of one year. Cirrhosis or patients with typical imaging characteristics of haemangioma were excluded. Results: Eighty eight patients were included. The average age was 42.4. The lesions were unique and were between 2-5 cm in size in most cases. Liver biopsy was performed in approximately 1/3 of cases. The lesions were benign or most likely benign in 81.8%, while cancer was diagnosed in 12.5% of cases. Univariate analysis showed that age >45 years (p< 0.001), personal history of cancer (p=0.020), presence of >3 nodules (p=0.003) and elevated alkaline phosphatase (p=0.013) were significant risk factors for cancer. Conclusion: It is safe to observe hypervascular liver lesions in normal liver in patients up to 45 years, normal alanine amino transaminase, up to three nodules and no personal history of cancer. Lesion biopsies are safe in patients with atypical lesions and define the treatment to be established for most of these patients. (author)

Tc-99 m-GSA liver scintigraphy in alcoholic liver cirrhosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itano, Satoshi; Harada, Masaru; Nagamatsu, Hiroaki

2003-01-01

We compared 15 alcoholic liver cirrhosis patients with 10 viral liver cirrhosis patients using technetium-99 m-galactosyl human serum albumin (Tc-99 m-GSA) liver scintigraphy and could clinically reveal the disorder of metabolism of asialoglycoprotein in alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Receptor index (LHL 15 = liver count divided by the sum of liver and heart counts at 15 minutes) was significantly (p <0.01) lower in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (median: 0.821), compared with patients with viral cirrhosis (0.915). Grading score, which was an index showed by the difference in the isotope uptake patterns between liver and heart, was significantly (p <0.01) worse in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, compared with patients with viral cirrhosis. These results suggested that alcoholic liver cirrhosis had a specific disorder of a metabolic function for asialoglycoprotein. (author)

Two consecutive partial liver transplants in a patient with Classic Maple Syrup Urine Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.L. Chin

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Maple syrup urine disease is caused by a deficiency in the branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKAD complex. This results in the accumulation of branched chain amino acids (BCAA and branched chain ketoacids in the body. Even when aggressively treated with dietary restriction of BCAA, patients experience long term cognitive, neurological and psychosocial problems. Liver transplantation from deceased donors has been shown to be an effective modality in introducing adequate BCKAD activity, attaining a metabolic cure for patients. Here, we report the clinical course of the first known patient with classic MSUD who received two consecutive partial liver grafts from two different living non-carrier donors and his five year outcome posttransplant. We also show that despite the failure of the first liver graft, and initial acute cellular rejection of the second liver graft in our patient, his metabolic control remained good without metabolic decompensation.

Differentiation between chronic hepatitis and normal liver of grayscale ultrasound tissue quantification using adobe photoshop(5.0)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Jong Cheol; Oh, Jong Young; Lim, Jong Uk; Nam, Kyung Jin

2001-01-01

To evaluate whether was any difference in the brightness of echogenicity on gray scale ultrasound imaging between the liver with chronic hepatitis and the normal liver using Adobe photoshop 5.0 Seventy-five patients with pathologically proven chronic hepatitis and twenty normal volunteers were included in this study. Adobe photoshop 5.0 histogram was used to measure the brightness of image. The measured brightness of the liver was divided by the brightness of the kidney, and the radio was calculated and compared between patients with chronic hepatitis and the normal control groups. In addition, the degree of fibrosis was also evaluated. The difference in brightness between the normal liver and live with chronic hepatitis was statistically significant, but no statistically significant difference was observed between the brightness of the liver and the degree of fibrosis in the liver. Tissue echo quantification using Adobe Photoshop 5.0 may be a helpful diagnostic methods for the patients with chronic hepatitis.

Reactions of inorganic free radicals with liver protecting drugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gyoergy, I.; Foeldiak, G.; Blazovics, A.; Feher, J.

1990-01-01

Liver protecting drugs, silibinin, a flavonolignane, and the dihydroquinoline derivatives, CH 402 and MTDQ-DA, were shown to inhibit processes in which enzymatically or non-enzymatically generated free radicals were involved. Inorganic free radicals (N 3 , (SCN) 2 - , OH, Trp, CO 2 - , O 2 - ) produced by pulse radiolysis readily react with the compounds, which transform into exceptionally long-lived, unreactive transients. Time evolution of the UV and visible spectra indicate that oxidising radicals form a phenoxyl type radical from silibinin, while OH forms an adduct by attacking, simultaneously, at various sites of the molecule. Superoxide radicals reduce silibinin and oxidise CH 402 and MTDQ-DA. It is concluded that the drugs might exhibit antioxidant behavior in living systems. (author)

Blunt liver injury with intact ribs under impacts on the abdomen: a biomechanical investigation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Shao

Full Text Available Abdominal trauma accounts for nearly 20% of all severe traffic injuries and can often result from intentional physical violence, from which blunt liver injury is regarded as the most common result and is associated with a high mortality rate. Liver injury may be caused by a direct impact with a certain velocity and energy on the abdomen, which may result in a lacerated liver by penetration of fractured ribs. However, liver ruptures without rib cage fractures were found in autopsies in a series of cases. All the victims sustained punches on the abdomen by fist. Many studies have been dedicated to determining the mechanism underlying hepatic injury following abdominal trauma, but most have been empirical. The actual process and biomechanism of liver injury induced by blunt impact on the abdomen, especially with intact ribs remained, are still inexhaustive. In order to investigate this, finite element methods and numerical simulation technology were used. A finite element human torso model was developed from high resolution CT data. The model consists of geometrically-detailed liver and rib cage models and simplified models of soft tissues, thoracic and abdominal organs. Then, the torso model was used in simulations in which the right hypochondrium was punched by a fist from the frontal, lateral, and rear directions, and in each direction with several impact velocities. Overall, the results showed that liver rupture was primarily caused by a direct strike of the ribs induced by blunt impact to the abdomen. Among three impact directions, a lateral impact was most likely to cause liver injury with a minimum punch speed of 5 m/s (the momentum was about 2.447 kg.m/s. Liver injuries could occur in isolation and were not accompanied by rib fractures due to different material characteristics and injury tolerance.

Association of Distance From a Transplant Center With Access to Waitlist Placement, Receipt of Liver Transplantation, and Survival Among US Veterans

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, David S.; French, Benjamin; Forde, Kimberly A.; Groeneveld, Peter W.; Bittermann, Therese; Backus, Lisa; Halpern, Scott D.; Kaplan, David E.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Centralization of specialized health care services such as organ transplantation and bariatric surgery is advocated to improve quality, increase efficiency, and reduce cost. The effect of increased travel on access and outcomes from these services is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between distance from a Veterans Affairs (VA) transplant center (VATC) and access to being waitlisted for liver transplantation, actually having a liver transplant, and mortality. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective study of veterans meeting liver transplantation eligibility criteria from January 1, 2003, until December 31, 2010, using data from the Veterans Health Administration’s integrated, national, electronic medical record linked to Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was being waitlisted for transplantation at a VATC. Secondary outcomes included being waitlisted at any transplant center, undergoing a transplantation, and survival. RESULTS From 2003–2010, 50 637 veterans were classified as potentially eligible for transplant; 2895 (6%) were waitlisted and 1418 of those were waitlisted (49%) at 1 of the 5 VATCs. Of 3417 veterans receiving care at a VA hospital located within 100 miles from a VATC, 244 (7.1%) were waitlisted at a VATC and 372 (10.9%) at any transplant center (VATC and non-VATCs). Of 47 219 veterans receiving care at a VA hospital located more than 100 miles from a VATC, 1174 (2.5%) were waitlisted at a VATC and 2523 (5.3%) at any transplant center (VATC and non-VATCs). In multivariable models, increasing distance to closest VATC was associated with significantly lower odds of being waitlisted at a VATC (odds ratio [OR], 0.91 [95% CI, 0.89–0.93] for each doubling in distance) or any transplant center (OR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.92–0.96] for each doubling in distance). For example, a veteran living 25 miles from a VATC would have a 7.4% (95% CI, 6.6%–8

[Twelve years of liver transplantation in Lausanne].

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Mosimann, F; Bettschart, V; Gardaz, J P; Fontolliet, C; Tissot, J D; Meuwly, J Y; Chioléro, R; Gillet, M

2001-02-01

From 1988 to June 2000 138 transplantations were performed in 129 adult patients. Actuarial patient and graft survivals have been 80.7% and 75.4% at one year and 67.8% and 63.5% at 10 years. This compares favourably with the statistics of the European Liver Transplant Registry that collected data from more than 30,000 grafts. Over the twelve years of activity, the indications have become more liberal and the techniques have been simplified. The waiting list has therefore grown and some patients are now unfortunately dying before a graft can be found because the number of brain dead donors remains stable. In order to palliate this shortage, older donors are now being accepted even with co-morbidities and/or moderate alterations of the liver function tests. The use of live donors and the split of the best cadaveric grafts for two recipients will also reduce the gap between the demand and the offer.

Cadmium, lead, and mercury exposure assessment among croatian consumers of free-living game.

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Lazarus, Maja; Prevendar Crnić, Andreja; Bilandžić, Nina; Kusak, Josip; Reljić, Slaven

2014-09-29

Free-living game can be an important source of dietary cadmium and lead; the question is whether exposure to these two elements is such that it might cause adverse health effects in the consumers. The aim of this study was to estimate dietary exposure to cadmium, lead, and mercury from free-living big game (fallow deer, roe deer, red deer, wild boar, and brown bear), and to mercury from small game (pheasant and hare), hunted in Croatia from 1990 to 2012. The exposure assessment was based on available literature data and our own measurements of metal levels in the tissues of the game, by taking into account different consumption frequencies (four times a year, once a month and once a week). Exposure was expressed as percentage of (provisional) tolerable weekly intake [(P)TWI] values set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Consumption of game meat (0.002-0.5 % PTWI) and liver (0.005-6 % PTWI) assumed for the general population (four times a year) does not pose a health risk to consumers from the general population, nor does monthly (0.02-6 % PTWI) and weekly (0.1-24 % PTWI) consumption of game meat. However, because of the high percentage of free-living game liver and kidney samples exceeding the legislative limits for cadmium (2-99 %) and lead (1-82 %), people should keep the consumption of certain game species' offal as low as possible. Children and pregnant and lactating women should avoid eating game offal altogether. Free-living game liver could be an important source of cadmium if consumed on a monthly basis (3-74 % TWI), and if consumed weekly (11-297 % TWI), it could even give rise to toxicological concern.

Excellent survival after liver transplantation for isolated polycystic liver disease: an European Liver Transplant Registry study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Keimpema, Loes; Nevens, Frederik; Adam, René

2011-01-01

Patients with end-stage isolated polycystic liver disease (PCLD) suffer from incapacitating symptoms because of very large liver volumes. Liver transplantation (LT) is the only curative option. This study assesses the feasibility of LT in PCLD. We used the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR......) database to extract demographics and outcomes of 58 PCLD patients. We used Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for survival rates. Severe abdominal pain (75%) was the most prominent symptom, while portal hypertension (35%) was the most common complication in PCLD. The explantation of the polycystic liver...

Elevated TCA cycle function in the pathology of diet-induced hepatic insulin resistance and fatty liver[S

Science.gov (United States)

Satapati, Santhosh; Sunny, Nishanth E.; Kucejova, Blanka; Fu, Xiaorong; He, Tian Teng; Méndez-Lucas, Andrés; Shelton, John M.; Perales, Jose C.; Browning, Jeffrey D.; Burgess, Shawn C.

2012-01-01

The manner in which insulin resistance impinges on hepatic mitochondrial function is complex. Although liver insulin resistance is associated with respiratory dysfunction, the effect on fat oxidation remains controversial, and biosynthetic pathways that traverse mitochondria are actually increased. The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is the site of terminal fat oxidation, chief source of electrons for respiration, and a metabolic progenitor of gluconeogenesis. Therefore, we tested whether insulin resistance promotes hepatic TCA cycle flux in mice progressing to insulin resistance and fatty liver on a high-fat diet (HFD) for 32 weeks using standard biomolecular and in vivo 2H/13C tracer methods. Relative mitochondrial content increased, but respiratory efficiency declined by 32 weeks of HFD. Fasting ketogenesis became unresponsive to feeding or insulin clamp, indicating blunted but constitutively active mitochondrial β-oxidation. Impaired insulin signaling was marked by elevated in vivo gluconeogenesis and anaplerotic and oxidative TCA cycle flux. The induction of TCA cycle function corresponded to the development of mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction, hepatic oxidative stress, and inflammation. Thus, the hepatic TCA cycle appears to enable mitochondrial dysfunction during insulin resistance by increasing electron deposition into an inefficient respiratory chain prone to reactive oxygen species production and by providing mitochondria-derived substrate for elevated gluconeogenesis. PMID:22493093

Reducing liver transplant length of stay: a Lean Six Sigma approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Toledo, Alexander H; Carroll, Tracy; Arnold, Emily; Tulu, Zeynep; Caffey, Tom; Kearns, Lauren E; Gerber, David A

2013-12-01

Organ transplant centers are under increasing scrutiny to maintain outcomes while controlling cost in a challenging population of patients. Throughout health care and transplant specifically, length of stay is used as a benchmark for both quality and resource utilization. To decrease our length of stay for liver transplant by using Lean Six Sigma methods. The Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) method was used to systematically analyze our process from transplant listing to hospital discharge after transplant, identifying many factors affecting length of stay. Adult, single-organ, primary liver transplant recipients between July 2008 and June 2012 were included in the study. Recipients with living donors or fulminant liver failure were excluded. Multiple interventions, including a clinical pathway and enhanced communication, were implemented. Length of stay after liver transplant and readmission after liver transplant.R ESULTS: Median length of stay decreased significantly from 11 days before the intervention to 8 days after the intervention. Readmission rate did not change throughout the study. The improved length of stay was maintained for 24 months after the study. Using a Lean Six Sigma approach, we were able to significantly decrease the length of stay of liver transplant patients. These results brought our center's outcomes in accordance with our goal and industry benchmark of 8 days. Clear expectations, improved teamwork, and a multidisciplinary clinical pathway were key elements in achieving and maintaining these gains.

Morphological aspects of liver CT in patients with HIV infections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schedel, H.; Wicht, L.; Roegler, G.; Langer, R.; Felix, R.

1994-01-01

CT examinations of the liver in HIV-infected patients show more frequent pathological findings. The extended spectrum of differential diagnosis and atypical manifestations of disorders in immunodeficient patients needs to be considered in the interpretation of CT scans. Difficulties in the differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions in HIV-infected patients are demonstrated in the following. Besides the relatively common findings in HIV-infection such as hepato- or hepatosplenomegalia, lymphoma, and inflammatory changes of the bowel an infection with Cryptococcus neoformans, hepatitis, and local steatosis of the liver are discussed as the rare causes for suspect computertomographic findings in the live of HIV-infected patients. The examinations were obtained consecutively in 76 HIV-infected patients during abdominal CT staging. (orig.) [de

Experiences of liver health related uncertainty and self-reported stress among people who inject drugs living with hepatitis C virus: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Goutzamanis, Stelliana; Doyle, Joseph S; Thompson, Alexander; Dietze, Paul; Hellard, Margaret; Higgs, Peter

2018-04-02

People who inject drugs (PWID) are most at risk of hepatitis C virus infection in Australia. The introduction of transient elastography (TE) (measuring hepatitis fibrosis) and direct acting antiviral medications will likely alter the experience of living with hepatitis C. We aimed to explore positive and negative influences on wellbeing and stress among PWID with hepatitis C. The Treatment and Prevention (TAP) study examines the feasibility of treating hepatitis C mono-infected PWID in community settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 purposively recruited TAP participants. Participants were aware of their hepatitis C seropositive status and had received fibrosis assessment (measured by TE) prior to interview. Questions were open-ended, focusing on the impact of health status on wellbeing and self-reported stress. Interviews were voice recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed, guided by Mishel's (1988) theory of Uncertainty in Illness. In line with Mishel's theory of Uncertainty in Illness all participants reported hepatitis C-related uncertainty, particularly mis-information or a lack of knowledge surrounding liver health and the meaning of TE results. Those with greater fibrosis experienced an extra layer of prognostic uncertainty. Experiences of uncertainty were a key motivation to seek treatment, which was seen as a way to regain some stability in life. Treatment completion alleviated hepatitis C-related stress, and promoted feelings of empowerment and confidence in addressing other life challenges. TE scores seemingly provide some certainty. However, when paired with limited knowledge, particularly among people with severe fibrosis, TE may be a source of uncertainty and increased personal stress. This suggests the need for simple education programs and resources on liver health to minimise stress.

Liver biopsy

Science.gov (United States)

Biopsy - liver; Percutaneous biopsy ... the biopsy needle to be inserted into the liver. This is often done by using ultrasound. The ... the chance of damage to the lung or liver. The needle is removed quickly. Pressure will be ...

Liver scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tateno, Yukio

1996-01-01

Liver scintigraphy can be classified into 3 major categories according to the properties of the radiopharmaceuticals used, i.e., methods using radiopharmaceuticals which are (1) incorporated by hepatocytes, (2) taken up by reticulo endothelial cells, and (3) distributed in the blood pool of the liver. Of these three categories, the liver scintigraphy of the present research falls into category 2. Radiopharmaceuticals which are taken up by endothelial cells include 198 Au colloids and 99m Tc-labelled colloids. Liver scintigraphy takes advantage of the property by which colloidal microparticles are phagocytosed by Kupffer cells, and reflect the distribution of endothelial cells and the intensity of their phagocytic capacity. This examination is indicated in the following situations: (i) when you suspect a localized intrahepatic lesion (tumour, abscess, cyst, etc.), (ii) when you want to follow the course of therapy of a localized lesion, (iii) when you suspect liver cirrhosis, (iv) when you want to know the severity of liver cirrhosis or hepatitis, (v) when there is hepatomegaly and you want to determine the morphology of the liver, (vi) differential diagnosis of upper abdominal masses, and (vii) when there are abnormalities of the right diaphragm and you want to know their relation to the liver

Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography of the liver. Can fat deposition in the liver affect the measurement of liver stiffness?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motosugi, Utaroh; Ichikawa, Tomoaki; Araki, Tsutomu; Niitsuma, Yoshibumi

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) results between livers with and without fat deposition. We studied 200 consecutive healthy individuals who underwent health checkups at our institution. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the echogenicity of the liver on ultrasonography (US) and the liver-spleen attenuation ratio index (LSR) on computed tomography: normal liver group (n=121, no evidence of bright liver on US and LSR >1); fatty liver group (n=46, bright liver on US and LSR 5 days a week (n=18) were excluded from the analysis. The velocities measured by ARFI in the normal and fatty liver groups were compared using the two one-sided test. The mean (SD) velocity measured in the normal and fatty liver groups were 1.03 (0.12) m/s and 1.02 (0.12) m/s, respectively. The ARFI results of the fatty liver group were similar to those of the normal liver group (P<0.0001). This study suggested that fat deposition in the liver does not affect the liver stiffness measurement determined by ARFI. (author)

Clinical Risk Scoring Models for Prediction of Acute Kidney Injury after Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mi Hye Park

Full Text Available Acute kidney injury (AKI is a frequent complication of liver transplantation and is associated with increased mortality. We identified the incidence and modifiable risk factors for AKI after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT and constructed risk scoring models for AKI prediction. We retrospectively reviewed 538 cases of LDLT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate risk factors for the prediction of AKI as defined by the RIFLE criteria (RIFLE = risk, injury, failure, loss, end stage. Three risk scoring models were developed in the retrospective cohort by including all variables that were significant in univariate analysis, or variables that were significant in multivariate analysis by backward or forward stepwise variable selection. The risk models were validated by way of cross-validation. The incidence of AKI was 27.3% (147/538 and 6.3% (34/538 required postoperative renal replacement therapy. Independent risk factors for AKI by multivariate analysis of forward stepwise variable selection included: body-mass index >27.5 kg/m2 [odds ratio (OR 2.46, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.32-4.55], serum albumin 20 (OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.17-3.44, operation time >600 min (OR 1.81, 95%CI 1.07-3.06, warm ischemic time >40 min (OR 2.61, 95%CI 1.55-4.38, postreperfusion syndrome (OR 2.96, 95%CI 1.55-4.38, mean blood glucose during the day of surgery >150 mg/dl (OR 1.66, 95%CI 1.01-2.70, cryoprecipitate > 6 units (OR 4.96, 95%CI 2.84-8.64, blood loss/body weight >60 ml/kg (OR 4.05, 95%CI 2.28-7.21, and calcineurin inhibitor use without combined mycophenolate mofetil (OR 1.87, 95%CI 1.14-3.06. Our risk models performed better than did a previously reported score by Utsumi et al. in our study cohort. Doses of calcineurin inhibitor should be reduced by combined use of mycophenolate mofetil to decrease postoperative AKI. Prospective randomized trials are required to address whether artificial modification of hypoalbuminemia, hyperglycemia

Liver Progenitor Cell Line HepaRG Differentiated in a Bioartificial Liver Effectively Supplies Liver Support to Rats with Acute Liver Failure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nibourg, Geert A. A.; Chamuleau, Robert A. F. M.; van der Hoeven, Tessa V.; Maas, Martinus A. W.; Ruiter, An F. C.; Lamers, Wouter H.; Oude Elferink, Ronald P. J.; van Gulik, Thomas M.; Hoekstra, Ruurdtje

2012-01-01

A major roadblock to the application of bioartificial livers is the need for a human liver cell line that displays a high and broad level of hepatic functionality. The human bipotent liver progenitor cell line HepaRG is a promising candidate in this respect, for its potential to differentiate into

Correlation with liver scintigram, reticuloendothelial function test, plasma endotoxin level and liver function tests in chronic liver diseases. Multivariate analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohmoto, Kenji; Yamamoto, Shinichi; Ideguchi, Seiji and others

1989-02-01

Liver scintigrams with Tc-99m phytate were reviewed in a total of 64 consecutive patients, comprising 28 with chronic hepatitis and 36 with liver cirrhosis. Reticuloendothelial (RES) function, plasma endotoxin (Et) levels and findings of general liver function tests were used as reference parameters to determine the diagnostic ability of liver scintigraphy. Multivariate analyses revealed that liver scintigrams had a strong correlation with RES function and Et levels in terms of morphology of the liver and hepatic and bone marrow Tc-99m uptake. General liver function tests revealed gamma globulin to be correlated with hepatic uptake and the degree of splenogemaly on liver scintigrams; and ICG levels at 15 min to be correlated with bone marrow and splenic uptake. Accuracy of liver scintigraphy was 73% for chronic hepatitis, which was inferior to general liver function tests (83%). When both modalities were combined, diangostic accuracy increased to 95%. Liver scintigraphy seems to be useful as a complementary approach. (Namekawa, K).

A Novel Predictor of Posttransplant Portal Hypertension in Adult-To-Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Increased Estimated Spleen/Graft Volume Ratio.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyoten, Kazuyuki; Mizuno, Shugo; Kato, Hiroyuki; Murata, Yasuhiro; Tanemura, Akihiro; Azumi, Yoshinori; Kuriyama, Naohisa; Kishiwada, Masashi; Usui, Masanobu; Sakurai, Hiroyuki; Isaji, Shuji

2016-10-01

In adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT), graft-to-recipient weight ratio of less than 0.8 is incomplete for predicting portal hypertension (>20 mm Hg) after reperfusion. We aimed to identify preoperative factors contributing to portal venous pressure (PVP) after reperfusion and to predict portal hypertension, focusing on spleen volume-to-graft volume ratio (SVGVR). In 73 recipients with ALDLT between 2002 and 2013, first we analyzed survival according to PVP of 20 mm Hg as the threshold, evaluating the efficacy of splenectomy. Second, we evaluated various preoperative factors contributing to portal hypertension after reperfusion. All of the recipients with PVP greater than 20 mm Hg (n = 19) underwent PVP modulation by splenectomy, and their overall survival was favorable compared with 54 recipients who did not need splenectomy (PVP ≤ 20 mm Hg). Graft-to-recipient weight ratio had no correlation with PVP.Multivariate analysis revealed that estimated graft and spleen volume were significant factors contributing to PVP after reperfusion (P portal hypertension was 0.95. In ALDLT, preoperative assessment of SVGVR is a good predictor of portal hypertension after reperfusion can be used to indicate the need for splenectomy before reperfusion.

Accuracy of Robotic Radiosurgical Liver Treatment Throughout the Respiratory Cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, Jeff D.; Wong, Raimond; Swaminath, Anand; Chow, Tom

2015-01-01

Purpose: To quantify random uncertainties in robotic radiosurgical treatment of liver lesions with real-time respiratory motion management. Methods and Materials: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 27 liver cancer patients treated with robotic radiosurgery over 118 fractions. The robotic radiosurgical system uses orthogonal x-ray images to determine internal target position and correlates this position with an external surrogate to provide robotic corrections of linear accelerator positioning. Verification and update of this internal–external correlation model was achieved using periodic x-ray images collected throughout treatment. To quantify random uncertainties in targeting, we analyzed logged tracking information and isolated x-ray images collected immediately before beam delivery. For translational correlation errors, we quantified the difference between correlation model–estimated target position and actual position determined by periodic x-ray imaging. To quantify prediction errors, we computed the mean absolute difference between the predicted coordinates and actual modeled position calculated 115 milliseconds later. We estimated overall random uncertainty by quadratically summing correlation, prediction, and end-to-end targeting errors. We also investigated relationships between tracking errors and motion amplitude using linear regression. Results: The 95th percentile absolute correlation errors in each direction were 2.1 mm left–right, 1.8 mm anterior–posterior, 3.3 mm cranio–caudal, and 3.9 mm 3-dimensional radial, whereas 95th percentile absolute radial prediction errors were 0.5 mm. Overall 95th percentile random uncertainty was 4 mm in the radial direction. Prediction errors were strongly correlated with modeled target amplitude (r=0.53-0.66, P<.001), whereas only weak correlations existed for correlation errors. Conclusions: Study results demonstrate that model correlation errors are the primary random source of uncertainty

Liver changes under the influence of chronic experimental intoxication with nitrogen oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kosmider, S; Misiewicz, A

1973-01-01

Male guinea pigs were divided into three groups: a control group; a group of animals breathing air containing 1 ppM nitrogen oxides during 6 months, 8 hr/day; and third group exposed to products of reactions between nitrogen oxide and gaseous ammonia. The animals lived through the 6 mo with no increase in mortality. The body weight of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides increased during the 6 mo by 62 g on the average, while in the control group the body weight increased by 395 g on the average. In homogenates of the livers of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides, the activities of aldolase, lactic dehydrogenase, acid, and alkaline phosphatase increased, and the activities of cholinesterase, ceruloplasmin, and aminotransferases (aspartic and alanine) decreased. Neutralization of NO/sub x/ by gaseous ammonia restored the disorders in enzyme activities in the liver of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides to their normal values. The study was statistically analyzed. The livers of the animals exposed to nitrogen oxides contained small foci of necrosis, and hemorrhages could be observed. In some animals, fatty degeneration of the liver could be observed. The changes in the liver can also be associated with inhibited protein synthesis, enhanced catabolic processes, and hypovitaminosis.

American Liver Foundation

Science.gov (United States)

... Cirrhosis Clinical Trials Galactosemia Gilbert Syndrome Hemochromatosis Hepatic Encephalopathy Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C Hepatocellular Carcinoma Lysosomal Acid Lipase Deficiency(LALD) Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) Liver Biopsy Liver Cancer Liver Cysts Liver Function Tests ...

Bridging a patient with acute liver failure to liver transplantation by the AMC-bioartificial liver

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Kerkhove, Maarten-Paul; di Florio, Ernesto; Scuderi, Vincenzo; Mancini, Antonio; Belli, Antonello; Bracco, Adele; Scala, Daniela; Scala, Simona; Zeuli, Laura; Di Nicuolo, Giuseppe; Amoroso, Pietro; Calise, Fulvio; Chamuleau, Robert A. F. M.

2003-01-01

Recently a phase I clinical trial has been started in Italy to bridge patients with acute liver failure (ALF) to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) by the AMC-bioartificial liver (AMC-BAL). The AMC-BAL is charged with 10 X 109 viable primary porcine hepatocytes isolated from a specified

Relationship between Stroke Volume Variation and Blood Transfusion during Liver Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jae Moon; Lee, Yoon Kyung; Yoo, Hwanhee; Lee, Sukyung; Kim, Hee Yeong; Kim, Young-Kug

2016-01-01

Intraoperative blood transfusion increases the risk for perioperative mortality and morbidity in liver transplant recipients. A high stroke volume variation (SVV) method has been proposed to reduce blood loss during living donor hepatectomy. Herein, we investigated whether maintaining high SVV could reduce the need for blood transfusion and also evaluated the effect of the high SVV method on postoperative outcomes in liver transplant recipients. We retrospectively analyzed 332 patients who underwent liver transplantation, divided into control (maintaining blood transfusion requirement and hemodynamic parameters, including SVV, as well as postoperative outcomes, such as incidences of acute kidney injury, durations of postoperative intensive care unit and hospital stay, and rates of 1-year mortality. Mean SVV values were 7.0% ± 1.3% in the control group (n = 288) and 11.2% ± 1.8% in the high SVV group (n = 44). The median numbers of transfused packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasmas in the high SVV group were significantly lower than those in control group (0 vs. 2 units, P = 0.003; and 0 vs. 3 units, P = 0.033, respectively). No significant between-group differences were observed for postoperative outcomes. Maintaining high SVV can reduce the blood transfusion requirement during liver transplantation without worsening postoperative outcomes. These findings provide insights into improving perioperative management in liver transplant recipients.

Triglyceride kinetics, tissue lipoprotein lipase, and liver lipogenesis in septic rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanza-Jacoby, S.; Tabares, A.

1990-01-01

The mechanism for the development of hypertriglyceridemia during gram-negative sepsis was studied by examining liver production and clearance of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride (TG). To assess liver output and peripheral clearance the kinetics of VLDL-TG were determined by a constant iv infusion of [2-3H]glycerol-labeled VLDL. Clearance of VLDL-TG was also evaluated by measuring activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in heart, soleus muscle, and adipose tissue from fasted control, fasted E. coli-treated, fed control, and fed E. coli-treated rats. Lewis inbred rats, 275-300 g, were made septic with 8 x 10(7) live E. coli colonies per 100 g body wt. Twenty-four hours after E. coli injection, serum TG, free fatty acids (FFA), and cholesterol of fasted E. coli-treated rats were elevated by 170, 76, and 16%, respectively. The elevation of serum TG may be attributed to the 67% decrease in clearance rate of VLDL-TG in fasted E. coli-treated rats compared with their fasted controls. The suppressed activities of LPL in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and heart were consistent with reduced clearance of TG. Secretion of VLDL-TG declined by 31% in livers of fasted E. coli-treated rats, which was accompanied by a twofold increase in the composition of liver TG. Rates of in vivo TG synthesis in livers of the fasted E. coli-treated rats were twofold higher than in those of fasted control rats. Decreased rate of TG appearance along with the increase in liver synthesis of TG contributed to the elevation of liver lipids in the fasted E. coli-treated rats

Liver disease in pregnancy

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Noel M Lee; Carla W Brady

2009-01-01

Liver diseases in pregnancy may be categorized into liver disorders that occur only in the setting of pregnancy and liver diseases that occur coincidentally with pregnancy. Hyperemesis gravidarum, preeclampsia/eclampsia, syndrome of hemolysis, elevated liver tests and low platelets (HELLP), acute fatty liver of pregnancy, and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy are pregnancy-specific disorders that may cause elevations in liver tests and hepatic dysfunction. Chronic liver diseases, including cholestatic liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson disease, and viral hepatitis may also be seen in pregnancy. Management of liver disease in pregnancy requires collaboration between obstetricians and gastroenterologists/hepatologists. Treatment of pregnancy-specific liver disorders usually involves delivery of the fetus and supportive care, whereas management of chronic liver disease in pregnancy is directed toward optimizing control of the liver disorder. Cirrhosis in the setting of pregnancy is less commonly observed but offers unique challenges for patients and practitioners. This article reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of liver diseases seen in pregnancy.

A Study on the Diagnostic Significance of Hepatoscintigram with Colloidal Gold in Parenchymal Liver Disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Dong Ho; Lee, Min Ho; Kim, Mok Hyun

1982-01-01

Hapatoscintigram has been a useful diagnostic method for the liver disease since 1953, but reasonable diagnostic criteria for parenchymal liver diseases are not yet accurately established. For the purpose of searching for more advanced diagnostic criteria for various types of live diseases by the liver scan, a retrospective study was made of 272 cases who underwent both hepatoscintigram with 198 Au colloid and liver biopsy in Hanyang University Hospital from Jan, 1978 to Dec, 1981. The results were as follows: 1. Fuzzy margin (irregular indentation of the liver margin) in the hepatoscintigram was noted in 226 cases (97.79%) 2. Of 35 cases with fuzzy margin only, 28 cases (80%)revealed mild parenchymal liver disease, such as acute hepatitis or chronic persistent hepatitis by the liver biopsy. 3. Mottling change (209 cases) was always accomplished by fuzzy margin except only one case, and 31 cases (86.1%) of fuzzy and mottling cases (36 cases) showed mild parenchymal liver disease. 4. Configuration change (193 cases) was usually accompanied with other changes and especially 104 cases had configuration changed with fuzzy and mottling changes. 73 cases (88.445) of 86 cases with severe configuration changed revealed advanced parenchymal liver disease on biopsy. If liver scan showed mild configuration change, we could not decide the type of liver disease only liver scan, and so further studies are needed. 5. Splenic uptake was noted 34 cases (40.48%) of 84 cases with advanced parenchymal liver disease, and the degree of splenic uptake was for the most part moderate or severe; whereas splenic uptake was noted in 18 cases (16.51%) of the mild parenchymal liver disease (109 cases), and the degree of splenic uptake was largely mild.

Elevated Liver Enzymes

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Symptoms Elevated liver enzymes By Mayo Clinic Staff Elevated liver enzymes may indicate inflammation or damage to cells in the liver. Inflamed or ... than normal amounts of certain chemicals, including liver enzymes, into the bloodstream, which can result in elevated ...

[Liver transplantation].

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Pompili, Maurizio; Mirante, Vincenzo Giorgio; Rapaccini, Gian Ludovico; Gasbarrini, Giovanni

2004-01-01

Liver transplantation represents the first choice treatment for patients with fulminant acute hepatitis and for patients with chronic liver disease and advanced functional failure. Patients in the waiting list for liver transplantation are classified according to the severity of their clinical conditions (evaluated using staging systems mostly based on hematochemical parameters related to liver function). This classification, together with the blood group and the body size compatibility, remains the main criterion for organ allocation. The main indications for liver transplantation are cirrhosis (mainly HCV-, HBV- and alcohol-related) and hepatocellular carcinoma emerging in cirrhosis in adult patients, biliary atresia and some inborn errors of metabolism in pediatric patients. In adults the overall 5-year survival ranges between 60 and 70%, in both American and European series. Even better results have been reported for pediatric patients: in fact, the 5-year survival rate for children ranges between 70 and 80% in the main published series. In this study we evaluated the main medical problems correlated with liver transplantation such as immunosuppressive treatment, acute and chronic rejection, infectious complications, the recurrence of the liver disease leading to transplantation, and cardiovascular and metabolic complications.

Liver-Enriched Gene 1, a Glycosylated Secretory Protein, Binds to FGFR and Mediates an Anti-stress Pathway to Protect Liver Development in Zebrafish.

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Minjie Hu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Unlike mammals and birds, teleost fish undergo external embryogenesis, and therefore their embryos are constantly challenged by stresses from their living environment. These stresses, when becoming too harsh, will cause arrest of cell proliferation, abnormal cell death or senescence. Such organisms have to evolve a sophisticated anti-stress mechanism to protect the process of embryogenesis/organogenesis. However, very few signaling molecule(s mediating such activity have been identified. liver-enriched gene 1 (leg1 is an uncharacterized gene that encodes a novel secretory protein containing a single domain DUF781 (domain of unknown function 781 that is well conserved in vertebrates. In the zebrafish genome, there are two copies of leg1, namely leg1a and leg1b. leg1a and leg1b are closely linked on chromosome 20 and share high homology, but are differentially expressed. In this report, we generated two leg1a mutant alleles using the TALEN technique, then characterized liver development in the mutants. We show that a leg1a mutant exhibits a stress-dependent small liver phenotype that can be prevented by chemicals blocking the production of reactive oxygen species. Further studies reveal that Leg1a binds to FGFR3 and mediates a novel anti-stress pathway to protect liver development through enhancing Erk activity. More importantly, we show that the binding of Leg1a to FGFR relies on the glycosylation at the 70th asparagine (Asn(70 or N(70, and mutating the Asn(70 to Ala(70 compromised Leg1's function in liver development. Therefore, Leg1 plays a unique role in protecting liver development under different stress conditions by serving as a secreted signaling molecule/modulator.

Simplified one-orifice venoplasty for middle hepatic vein reconstruction in adult living donor liver transplantation using right lobe grafts.

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Kim, Joo Dong; Choi, Dong Lak; Han, Young Seok

2014-05-01

Middle hepatic vein (MHV) reconstruction is often essential to avoid hepatic congestion and serious graft dysfunction in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The aim of this report was to introduce evolution of our MHV reconstruction technique and excellent outcomes of simplified one-orifice venoplasty. We compared clinical outcomes with two reconstruction techniques through retrospective review of 95 recipients who underwent LDLT using right lobe grafts at our institution from January 2008 to April 2012; group 1 received separate outflow reconstruction and group 2 received new one-orifice technique. The early patency rates of MHV in group 2 were higher than those in group 1; 98.4% vs. 88.2% on postoperative day 7 (p = 0.054) and 96.7% vs. 82.4% on postoperative day 14, respectively (p = 0.023). Right hepatic vein (RHV) stenosis developed in three cases in group 1, but no RHV stenosis developed because we adopted one-orifice technique (p = 0.043). The levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in group 2 were significantly lower than those in group 1 during the early post-transplant period. In conclusion, our simplified one-orifice venoplasty technique could secure venous outflow and improve graft function during right lobe LDLT. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Requirement of vasculogenesis and blood circulation in late stages of liver growth in zebrafish

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Wohland Thorsten

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Early events in vertebrate liver development have been the major focus in previous studies, however, late events of liver organogenesis remain poorly understood. Liver vasculogenesis in vertebrates occurs through the interaction of endoderm-derived liver epithelium and mesoderm-derived endothelial cells (ECs. In zebrafish, although it has been found that ECs are not required for liver budding, how and when the spatio-temporal pattern of liver growth is coordinated with ECs remains to be elucidated. Results To study the process of liver development and vasculogenesis in vivo, a two-color transgenic zebrafish line Tg(lfabf:dsRed; elaA:EGFP was generated and named LiPan for liver-specific expression of DsRed RFP and exocrine pancreas-specific expression of GFP. Using the LiPan line, we first followed the dynamic development of liver from live embryos to adult and showed the formation of three distinct yet connected liver lobes during development. The LiPan line was then crossed with Tg(fli1:EGFPy1 and vascular development in the liver was traced in vivo. Liver vasculogenesis started at 55–58 hpf when ECs first surrounded hepatocytes from the liver bud surface and then invaded the liver to form sinusoids and later the vascular network. Using a novel non-invasive and label-free fluorescence correction spectroscopy, we detected blood circulation in the liver starting at ~72 hpf. To analyze the roles of ECs and blood circulation in liver development, both cloche mutants (lacking ECs and Tnnt2 morphants (no blood circulation were employed. We found that until 70 hpf liver growth and morphogenesis depended on ECs and nascent sinusoids. After 72 hpf, a functional sinusoidal network was essential for continued liver growth. An absence of blood circulation in Tnnt2 morphants caused defects in liver vasculature and small liver. Conclusion There are two phases of liver development in zebrafish, budding and growth. In the growth phase

Cod Liver Oil

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Cod liver oil can be obtained from eating fresh cod liver or by taking supplements. Cod liver oil is used as a source of vitamin A ... called macular degeneration. Some people put cod liver oil on their skin to speed healing of wounds, ...

[Liver transplantation for the treatment of hyperammonemia due to urea cycle disorder: report of four cases].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Zhijun; Sun, Liying; Wei, Lin; Qu, Wei; Zeng, Zhigui; Liu, Ying; Zhang, Liang; He, Enhui; Wang, Dong

2015-02-01

To analyze clinical efficacy and prognosis of liver transplantation in children with hyperammonemia caused by urea cycle disorders. A retrospective analysis was performed on the occurrence of disease, operation and the follow-up post liver transplantation in 4 patients with urea cycle disorders who underwent liver transplantation during June 2001 to May 2014. Four girls were diagnosed with ornithine carbamoyl transferase deficiency by genetic test. They had the clinical onset at the age of 1.5 to 3.0 years. Liver transplantation had been performed at their age of 53.9 months, 40.6 months, 40.3 months and 22.8 months, respectively. The grafts of case 1 and case 2 were from left lateral lobe of liver of cadaveric donor, the graft of case 3 was from left lateral lobe of liver of a living donor, the graft of case 4 was a whole liver of a dead child. The liver function of 4 patients gradually returned to normal, blood ammonia levels were normal and restored the normal diet, 4 children were discharged on postoperative 25-30 days. Regular follow-up was done, the liver function, biochemical features and growth status have been followed up for 162.2 months, 124.2 months, 12.0 months and 4.8 months after liver transplantation, respectively. Now, all the four cases are healthy and growth is normal. Liver transplantation is an important way to the patients with severe hyperammonemia caused by urea cycle disorders. In this study, the patients with ornithine carbamoyl transferase defect got satisfactory long-term outcome after liver transplantation.

Decision making in liver transplant selection committees: a multicenter study.

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Volk, Michael L; Biggins, Scott W; Huang, Mary Ann; Argo, Curtis K; Fontana, Robert J; Anspach, Renee R

2011-10-18

To receive a liver transplant, patients must first be placed on a waiting list-a decision made at most transplant centers by a multidisciplinary committee. The function of these committees has never been studied. To describe decision making in liver transplant committees and identify opportunities for process improvement. Observational multicenter study. 4 liver transplant centers in the United States. 68 members of liver transplant committees across the 4 centers. 63 meetings were observed, and 50 committee members were interviewed. Recorded transcripts and field notes were analyzed by using standard qualitative sociologic methods. Although the structure of the meetings varied by center, the process was uniform and primarily involved inductive reasoning to review possible reasons for patient exclusion. Patients were excluded if they were too well, too sick (in the setting of advanced liver disease), or too old or had nonhepatic comorbid conditions, substance abuse problems, or other psychosocial barriers. Dominant themes in the discussions included member angst over deciding who lived or died, a high correlation between psychosocial barriers to transplantation and the patient's socioeconomic status, and the influence of external forces on decision making. Unwritten center policies and confusion regarding advocacy versus stewardship roles were consistently identified as barriers to effective group decision making. The use of qualitative methods provides broad understanding but limits specific inferences. The 4 centers may not reflect the practices of every transplant center nationwide. The difficult decisions made by liver transplant committees are reasonably consistent and well-intentioned, but the process might be improved by having more explicit written policies and clarifying roles. This may inform resource allocation in other areas of medicine. The Greenwall Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Shared liver-like transcriptional characteristics in liver metastases and corresponding primary colorectal tumors.

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Cheng, Jun; Song, Xuekun; Ao, Lu; Chen, Rou; Chi, Meirong; Guo, You; Zhang, Jiahui; Li, Hongdong; Zhao, Wenyuan; Guo, Zheng; Wang, Xianlong

2018-01-01

Background & Aims : Primary tumors of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) with liver metastasis might gain some liver-specific characteristics to adapt the liver micro-environment. This study aims to reveal potential liver-like transcriptional characteristics associated with the liver metastasis in primary colorectal carcinoma. Methods: Among the genes up-regulated in normal liver tissues versus normal colorectal tissues, we identified "liver-specific" genes whose expression levels ranked among the bottom 10% ("unexpressed") of all measured genes in both normal colorectal tissues and primary colorectal tumors without metastasis. These liver-specific genes were investigated for their expressions in both the primary tumors and the corresponding liver metastases of seven primary CRC patients with liver metastasis using microdissected samples. Results: Among the 3958 genes detected to be up-regulated in normal liver tissues versus normal colorectal tissues, we identified 12 liver-specific genes and found two of them, ANGPTL3 and CFHR5 , were unexpressed in microdissected primary colorectal tumors without metastasis but expressed in both microdissected liver metastases and corresponding primary colorectal tumors (Fisher's exact test, P colorectal tumors may express some liver-specific genes which may help the tumor cells adapt the liver micro-environment.

Evaluation of liver hemodynamics using SPIO-enhanced dynamic MRI. Comparison between cirrhotic liver and normal liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Kotaro; Kobayashi, Hisato; Furuta, Akihiro; Nunoura, T.; Takahashi, Takahiro; Ogasawara, Nobuhiko; Akuta, Keizo

2006-01-01

SPIO, ferucarbotran (Resovist), which enables rapid bolus injection is well suited for the evaluation of liver hemodynamics. Our study aimed to assess the difference of hemodynamics associated with progression of chronic liver disease using SPIO-enhanced dynamic MRI. Ten patients with normal liver function, 10 patients with chronic hepatitis, and 16 patients with liver cirrhosis were examined. The MR perfusion studies were performed by 1.5T MR system with a single-shot GRE-EPI with spectral presaturation inversion recovery (SPIR) and sensitivity encoding (SENSE) technique. After the bolus injection of SPIO (0.016 ml/kg) followed by a 20 ml saline flush, 30 sequential dynamic echo planar images were obtained under the condition of 30 seconds breath hold. From the ROI set in the right lobe of the liver, time-to-signal intensity curves (TICs) were obtained. TICs were converted to time-to-R2 * curves, and the slope at hepatic arterial phase (Sa) and at portal predominant phase (Sp) were calculated by the linear regression. Sp/Sa (portal/arterial ratio) of each group was analyzed statistically. (unpaired T-test) In comparing Sp/Sa of each group, there was a significant difference between normal liver and advanced liver cirrhosis. The decrease of Sp/Sa was seen in severe cirrhosis, but this change was unclear in chronic hepatitis and mild cirrhosis. In extremely severe cirrhosis, there was a bizarre phenomenon that Sp became minus number. In conclusion, SPIO-enhanced dynamic MRI was useful to assess the difference of liver hemodynamics associated with progression of chronic liver disease. (author)

Liver stiffness by transient elastography predicts liver-related complications and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease.

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Jack X Q Pang

Full Text Available Liver stiffness measurement (LSM by transient elastography (TE, FibroScan is a validated method for noninvasively staging liver fibrosis. Most hepatic complications occur in patients with advanced fibrosis. Our objective was to determine the ability of LSM by TE to predict hepatic complications and mortality in a large cohort of patients with chronic liver disease.In consecutive adults who underwent LSM by TE between July 2008 and June 2011, we used Cox regression to determine the independent association between liver stiffness and death or hepatic complications (decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation. The performance of LSM to predict complications was determined using the c-statistic.Among 2,052 patients (median age 51 years, 65% with hepatitis B or C, 87 patients (4.2% died or developed a hepatic complication during a median follow-up period of 15.6 months (interquartile range, 11.0-23.5 months. Patients with complications had higher median liver stiffness than those without complications (13.5 vs. 6.0 kPa; P<0.00005. The 2-year incidence rates of death or hepatic complications were 2.6%, 9%, 19%, and 34% in patients with liver stiffness <10, 10-19.9, 20-39.9, and ≥40 kPa, respectively (P<0.00005. After adjustment for potential confounders, liver stiffness by TE was an independent predictor of complications (hazard ratio [HR] 1.05 per kPa; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.06. The c-statistic of liver-stiffness for predicting complications was 0.80 (95% CI 0.75-0.85. A liver stiffness below 20 kPa effectively excluded complications (specificity 93%, negative predictive value 97%; however, the positive predictive value of higher results was sub-optimal (20%.Liver stiffness by TE accurately predicts the risk of death or hepatic complications in patients with chronic liver disease. TE may facilitate the estimation of prognosis and guide management of these patients.

Effect of airplane transport of donor livers on post-liver transplantation survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yi; MacQuillan, Gerry; Adams, Leon A; Garas, George; Collins, Megan; Nwaba, Albert; Mou, Linjun; Bulsara, Max K; Delriviere, Luc; Jeffrey, Gary P

2016-11-07

To evaluate the effect of long haul airplane transport of donor livers on post-transplant outcomes. A retrospective cohort study of patients who received a liver transplantation was performed in Perth, Australia from 1992 to 2012. Donor and recipient characteristics information were extracted from Western Australian liver transplantation service database. Patients were followed up for a mean of six years. Patient and graft survival were evaluated and compared between patients who received a local donor liver and those who received an airplane transported donor liver. Predictors of survival were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis using cox regression. One hundred and ninety-three patients received a local donor liver and 93 patients received an airplane transported donor liver. Airplane transported livers had a significantly lower alanine transaminase (mean: 45 U/L vs 84 U/L, P = 0.035), higher donor risk index (mean: 1.88 vs 1.42, P airplane transport retained significance for graft loss (HR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.16-3.17). One year graft survival was 0.88 for those with a local liver and was 0.71 for those with an airplane transported liver. One year graft loss was due to primary graft non-function or associated with preservation injury in 20.8% of recipients of an airplane transported liver compared with 4.6% in those with a local liver ( P = 0.027). Airplane transport of donor livers was independently associated with reduced graft survival following liver transplantation.

Avoiding ICU Admission by Using a Fast-Track Protocol Is Safe in Selected Adult-to-Adult Live Donor Liver Transplant Recipients

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Juan Echeverri, MD

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background. We evaluated patient characteristics of live donor liver transplant (LDLT recipients undergoing a fast-track protocol without intensive care unit (ICU admission versus LDLT patients receiving posttransplant ICU care. Methods. Of the 153 LDLT recipients, 46 patients were included in our fast-track protocol without ICU admission. Both, fast-tracked patients and ICU-admitted patients were compared regarding donor and patient characteristics, perioperative characteristics, and postoperative outcomes and complications. In a subgroup analysis, we compared fast-tracked patients with patients who were admitted in the ICU for less than 24 hours. Results. Fast-tracked versus ICU patients had a lower model for end-stage liver disease score (13 ± 4 vs 18 ± 7; P < 0.0001, lower preoperative bilirubin levels (51 ± 50 μmol/L vs 119.4 ± 137.3 μmol/L; P < 0.001, required fewer units of packed red blood cells (1.7 ± 1.78 vs 4.4 ± 4; P < 0.0001, and less fresh-frozen plasma (2.7 ± 2 vs 5.8 ± 5; P < 0.0001 during transplantation. Regarding postoperative outcomes, fast-tracked patients presented fewer bacterial infections within 30 days (6.5% [3] vs 29% [28]; P = 0.002, no episodes of pneumonia (0% vs 11.3% [11]; P = 0.02, and less biliary complications within the first year (6% [3] vs 26% [25]; P = 0.001. Also, fast-tracked patients had a shorter posttransplant hospital stay (10.8 ± 5 vs 21.3 ± 29; P = 0.002. In the subgroup analysis, fast-tracked vs ICU patients admitted for less than 24 hours had lower requirements of packed red blood cells (1.7 ± 1.78 vs 3.9 ± 4; P = 0.001 and fresh-frozen plasma (2.7 ± 2 vs 5.8 ± 4.5; P = 0.0001. Conclusions. Fast-track of selected patients after LDLT is safe and feasible. An objective score to perioperatively select LDLT recipients amenable to fast track is yet to be determined.

Demographic and Urbanization Disparities of Liver Transplantation in Taiwan

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Pei-Hung Wen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Limited access to or receipt of liver transplantation (LT may jeopardize survival of patients with end-stage liver diseases. Taiwan launched its National Health Insurance (NHI program in 1995, which essentially removes financial barriers to health care. This study aims to investigate where there are still demographic and urbanization disparities of LT after 15 years of NHI program implementation. Data analyzed in this study were retrieved from Taiwan’s NHI inpatient claims. A total of 3020 people aged ≥18 years received LT between 2000 and 2013. We calculated crude and adjusted prevalence rate of LT according to secular year, age, sex, and urbanization. The multiple Poisson regression model was further employed to assess the independent effects of demographics and urbanization on prevalence of LT. The biennial number of people receiving LT substantially increased from 56 in 2000–2001 to 880 in 2012–2013, representing a prevalence rate of 1.63 and 18.58 per 106, respectively. Such increasing secular trend was independent of sex. The prevalence was consistently higher in men than in women. The prevalence also increased with age in people <65 years, but dropped sharply in the elderly (≥65 years people. We noted a significant disparity of LT in areas with different levels of urbanization. Compared to urban areas, satellite (prevalence rate ratio (PRR, 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI, 0.57–0.69 and rural (PRR, 0.76, 95% CI, 0.69–0.83 areas were both associated with a significantly lower prevalence of LT. There are still significant demographic and urbanization disparities in LT after 15 years of NHI program implementation. Given the predominance of living donor liver transplantation in Taiwan, further studies should be conducted to investigate factors associated with having a potential living donor for LT.

Development of Live-working Robot for Power Transmission Lines

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yu; Liu, Xiaqing; Ren, Chengxian; Li, Jinliang; Li, Hui

2017-07-01

Dream-I, the first reconfigurable live-working robot for power transmission lines successfully developed in China, has the functions of autonomous walking on lines and accurately positioning. This paper firstly described operation task and object of the robot; then designed a general platform, an insulator replacement end and a drainage plate bolt fastening end of the robot, presented a control system of the robot, and performed simulation analysis on operation plan of the robot; and finally completed electrical field withstand voltage tests in a high voltage hall as well as online test and trial on actual lines. Experimental results show that by replacing ends of manipulators, the robot can fulfill operation tasks of live replacement of suspension insulators and live drainage plate bolt fastening.

Decision Making in Liver Transplant Selection Committees

Science.gov (United States)

Volk, Michael L; Biggins, Scott W; Huang, Mary Ann; Argo, Curtis K; Fontana, Robert J; Anspach, Renee R

2011-01-01

Background In order to receive a liver transplant, patients must first be placed on the waiting list – a decision made in most transplant centers by a multidisciplinary committee. The function of these committees has never been studied. Objectives To describe decision making in liver transplant committees and identify opportunities for process improvement. Design Observational multi-center Setting We observed 63 meetings and interviewed 50 committee members at 4 liver transplant centers. Study Subjects Transplant committee members. Measurements Recorded transcripts and field notes were analyzed using standard qualitative sociological methods. Results While the structure of meetings varied by center, the process was uniform and involved reviewing possible reasons for patient exclusion using primarily inductive reasoning. Stated justifications for excluding patients were a) too well, b) non-hepatic comorbidities or advanced age, c) too sick in the setting of advanced liver disease, d) substance abuse, or e) other psychosocial barriers. Dominant themes identified included members’ angst over deciding who lives and dies, a high correlation between psychosocial barriers to transplant and patients’ socioeconomic status, and the influence of external forces on decision making. Consistently identified barriers to effective group decision making were: 1) unwritten center policies, and 2) confusion regarding advocacy versus stewardship roles. Limitations The use of qualitative methods provides broad understanding but limits specific inferences. These four centers may not be reflective of every transplant center nationwide. Conclusion The difficult decisions made by these committees are reasonably consistent and always well-intentioned, but might be improved by more explicit written policies and clarifying roles. This process may help inform resource allocation in other areas of medicine. Primary funding source The Greenwall Foundation. PMID:22007044

Budget and Actuals

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Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina — This dataset contains the Town's Year-to-Date Budget and Actuals for Fiscal Years 2016, 2017, and 2018. Fiscal years run from July 1 to June 30. The data comes from...

Inaccurate preoperative imaging assessment on biliary anatomy not increases biliary complications after living donor liver transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Xiao; Wei Xuyong; Ling Qi; Wang Kai; Bao Haiwei; Xie Haiyang; Zhou Lin; Zheng Shusen

2012-01-01

Backgrounds and aims: Accurate assessment of graft bile duct is important to plan surgical procedure. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) has become an important diagnostic procedure in evaluation of pancreaticobiliary ductal abnormalities and has been reported as highly accurate. We aim to estimate the efficacy of preoperative MRCP on depicting biliary anatomy in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), and to determine whether inaccurate preoperative imaging assessment would increase the biliary complications after LDLT. Methods: The data of 118 cases LDLT were recorded. Information from preoperative MRCP was assessed using intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) as the gold standard. The possible risk factors of recipient biliary complications were analyzed. Results: Of 118 donors, 84 had normal anatomy (type A) and 34 had anatomic variants (19 cases of type B, 9 cases of type C, 1 case of type E, 2 cases of type F and 3 cases of type I) confirmed by IOC. MRCP correctly predicted all 84 normal cases and 17 of 34 variant cases, and showed an accuracy of 85.6% (101/118). The incidence of biliary complications was comparable between cases with accurate and inaccurate classification of biliary tree from MRCP, and between cases with normal and variant anatomy of bile duct. While cases with graft duct opening ≤5 mm showed a significant higher incidence of total biliary complications (21.1% vs. 6.6%, P = 0.028) and biliary stricture (10.5% vs. 1.6%, P = 0.041) compared with cases with large duct opening >5 mm. Conclusion: MRCP could correctly predict normal but not variant biliary anatomy. Inaccurate assessment of biliary anatomy from MRCP not increases the rate of biliary complications, while small-sized graft duct may cause an increase in biliary complications particularly biliary stricture after LDLT.

Long-Term Results of Stent Placement in Patients with Outflow Block After Living-Donor-Liver Transplantation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujimori, Masashi, E-mail: fujimorim@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp [Mie University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology (Japan); Yamakado, Koichiro, E-mail: yamakado47@gmail.com; Takaki, Haruyuki, E-mail: takaki-h@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp [Hyogo College of Medicine, Department of Radiology (Japan); Nakatsuka, Atsuhiro, E-mail: nakatuka@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp; Uraki, Junji, E-mail: junji@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp; Yamanaka, Takashi, E-mail: t-yama@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp; Hasegawa, Takaaki, E-mail: hasegawat@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp; Sugino, Yuichi, E-mail: ysugino23@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp; Nakajima, Ken, E-mail: k-nakajima@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp; Matsushita, Naritaka, E-mail: n-matsushita@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp [Mie University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology (Japan); Mizuno, Shugo, E-mail: mizunos@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp [Mie University School of Medicine, Hepatobiliary Pancreatic and Transplant Surgery (Japan); Sakuma, Hajime, E-mail: sakuma.mie@gmail.com [Mie University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology (Japan); Isaji, Shuji, E-mail: isaji-s@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp [Mie University School of Medicine, Hepatobiliary Pancreatic and Transplant Surgery (Japan)

2016-04-15

PurposeTo evaluate long-term results of stent placement retrospectively in patients with outflow block after living-donor-liver transplantation (LDLT).Materials and MethodsFor this institutional review board approved retrospective study conducted during 2002–2012, stents were placed in outflow veins in 15 patients (11.3 %, 15/133) (12 men; 3 female) in whom outflow block developed after LDLT. Their mean age was 52.3 years ± 15.3 (SD) (range, 4–69 years). Venous stenosis with a pressure gradient ≥5 mmHg (outflow block) was observed in the inferior vena cava in seven patients, hepatic vein in seven patients, and both in one patient. Technical success, change in a pressure gradient and clinical manifestations, and complications were evaluated. Overall survival of 15 patients undergoing outflow block stenting was compared with that of 116 patients without outflow block after LDLT.ResultsStents were placed across the outflow block veins without complications, lowering the pressure gradient ≤ 3 mmHg in all patients (100 %, 15/15). Clinical manifestations improved in 11 patients (73.3 %, 11/15), and all were discharged from the hospital. However, they did not improve in the other 4 patients (26.7 %, 4/15) who died in the hospital 1.0–3.7 months after stenting (mean, 2.0 ± 1.2 months). No significant difference in 5-year survival rates was found between patients with and without outflow block after LDLT (61.1 vs. 72.2 %, p = .405).ConclusionStenting is a feasible, safe, and useful therapeutic option to resolve outflow block following LDLT, providing equal survival to that of patients without outflow block.

Association of IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917 on Hepatitis C Virus-RNA Status in Donors/Recipients of Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

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King-Wah Chiu

Full Text Available To investigate the effect of IL28B single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs (rs8099917 and rs12979860 in the donors and recipients on the outcome of Hepatitis C virus-RNA clearance after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT. The rs8099917 and rs12979860 genotypes in 50 donor and recipients pairs were explored on the pre-operative day (POD and post-operative day 30 (POD30. There was a significant difference in HCV-RNA clearance before (12%, 6/50 and after (48%, 24/50 liver transplantation (P < 0.001. The rs8099917 genotype TT was dominant in both the recipients (82%, 41/50 and donors (86%, 43/50, but had no significant effect on HCV-RNA clearance (87.5%, 21/24 and recurrence (76.9%, 20/26 after LDLT. One recipient was detected with genotype GG on POD, which changed to genotype GT on POD30. Prevalence of rs12979860 genotype CT was 98% (49/50 recipient and 92% (46/50 donor and prevalence of genotype CC was 2% (1/50 recipient and 8% (4/50 donor on POD and POD30, respectively. Of the 4 recipients with rs12979860 genotype CC on POD30, 3 recipients (12.5%, 3/24 exhibited HCV clearance and 1 experienced recurrence (3.9%, 1/26, however, this was not statistically significant. In conclusion, alterations in IL28B SNP genotype may occur after LDLT, leading to modifications in the host genome or donor proteome by HCV. This predicted mechanism will need to be investigated further.

Hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging in patients with liver disease: correlation of liver enhancement with biochemical liver function tests

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Kukuk, Guido M.; Schaefer, Stephanie G.; Hadizadeh, Dariusch R.; Schild, Hans H.; Willinek, Winfried A. [University of Bonn, Department of Radiology, Bonn (Germany); Fimmers, Rolf [University of Bonn, Department of Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology, Bonn (Germany); Ezziddin, Samer [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bonn (Germany); Spengler, Ulrich [Department of Internal Medicine I, Bonn (Germany)

2014-10-15

To evaluate hepatobiliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using Gd-EOB-DTPA in relation to various liver function tests in patients with liver disorders. Fifty-one patients with liver disease underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI. Based on region-of-interest (ROI) analysis, liver signal intensity was calculated using the spleen as reference tissue. Liver-spleen contrast ratio (LSCR) and relative liver enhancement (RLE) were calculated. Serum levels of total bilirubin, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum albumin level (AL), prothrombin time (PT), creatinine (CR) as well as international normalised ratio (INR) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score were tested for correlation with LSCR and RLE. Pre-contrast LSCR values correlated with total bilirubin (r = -0.39; p = 0.005), GGT (r = -0.37; p = 0.009), AST (r = -0.38; p = 0.013), ALT (r = -0.29; p = 0.046), PT (r = 0.52; p < 0.001), GLDH (r = -0.55; p = 0.044), INR (r = -0.42; p = 0.003), and MELD Score (r = -0.53; p < 0.001). After administration of Gd-EOB-DTPA bilirubin (r = -0.45; p = 0.001), GGT (r = -0.40; p = 0.004), PT (r = 0.54; p < 0.001), AST (r = -0.46; p = 0.002), ALT (r = -0.31; p = 0.030), INR (r = -0.45; p = 0.001) and MELD Score (r = -0.56; p < 0.001) significantly correlated with LSCR. RLE correlated with bilirubin (r = -0.40; p = 0.004), AST (r = -0.38; p = 0.013), PT (r = 0.42; p = 0.003), GGT (r = -0.33; p = 0.020), INR (r = -0.36; p = 0.011) and MELD Score (r = -0.43; p = 0.003). Liver-spleen contrast ratio and relative liver enhancement using Gd-EOB-DTPA correlate with a number of routinely used biochemical liver function tests, suggesting that hepatobiliary MRI may serve as a valuable biomarker for liver function. The strongest correlation with liver enhancement was found for the MELD Score. (orig.)

Review fantastic medical implications of 3D-printing in liver surgeries, liver regeneration, liver transplantation and drug hepatotoxicity testing: A review.

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Wang, Jing-Zhang; Xiong, Nan-Yan; Zhao, Li-Zhen; Hu, Jin-Tian; Kong, De-Cheng; Yuan, Jiang-Yong

2018-06-07

The epidemiological trend in liver diseases becomes more serious worldwide. Several recent articles published by International Journal of Surgery in 2018 particularly emphasized the encouraging clinical benefits of hepatectomy, liver regeneration and liver transplantation, however, there are still many technical bottlenecks underlying these therapeutic approaches. Remarkably, a few preliminary studies have shown some clues to the role of three-dimensional (3D) printing in improving traditional therapy for liver diseases. Here, we concisely elucidated the curative applications of 3D-printing (no cells) and 3D Bio-printing (with hepatic cells), such as 3D-printed patient-specific liver models and devices for medical education, surgical simulation, hepatectomy and liver transplantation, 3D Bio-printed hepatic constructs for liver regeneration and artificial liver, 3D-printed liver tissues for evaluating drug's hepatotoxicity, and so on. Briefly, 3D-printed liver models and bioactive tissues may facilitate a lot of key steps to cure liver disorders, predictably bringing promising clinical benefits. This work further provides novel insights into facilitating treatment of hepatic carcinoma, promoting liver regeneration both in vivo and in vitro, expanding transplantable liver resources, maximizing therapeutic efficacy as well as minimizing surgical complications, medical hepatotoxicity, operational time, economic costs, etc. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cytomegalovirus-associated Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura After Liver Transplantation

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Shu-Hao Wei

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP is a rare complication after liver transplantation. Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV is a frequent complication of organ transplantation and may induce autoimmune diseases, such as ITP. We report a case of ITP after primary CMV infection in a 3-year-old boy recipient of living-related orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT. The ITP developed 2 years after OLT in this patient who had received tacrolimus as an immunosuppressive agent, with nadir platelet counts of 5000/mm3 in 2 weeks. The patient was treated with two courses of intravenous gamma globulin (1 g/kg/day for 2 days and subsequent oral prednisolone (1.3 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. He recovered from thrombocytopenia 4 weeks later. An inadequate immunosuppression, as evident by the low serum tacrolimus level (5.8 ng/mL before the episode of ITP in this patient, may allow the development of ITP after CMV infection. [J Formos Med Assoc 2007;106(4:327-329

Liver (Hepatocellular) Cancer Screening

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... Treatment Liver Cancer Prevention Liver Cancer Screening Research Liver (Hepatocellular) Cancer Screening (PDQ®)–Patient Version What is ... These are called diagnostic tests . General Information About Liver (Hepatocellular) Cancer Key Points Liver cancer is a ...

Direct measurement of catalase activity in living cells and tissue biopsies.

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Scaglione, Christine N; Xu, Qijin; Ramanujan, V Krishnan

2016-01-29

Spatiotemporal regulation of enzyme-substrate interactions governs the decision-making steps in biological systems. Enzymes, being functional units of every living cell, contribute to the macromolecular stability of cell survival, proliferation and hence are vital windows to unraveling the biological complexity. Experimental measurements capturing this dynamics of enzyme-substrate interactions in real time add value to this understanding. Furthermore these measurements, upon validation in realistic biological specimens such as clinical biopsies - can further improve our capability in disease diagnostics and treatment monitoring. Towards this direction, we describe here a novel, high-sensitive measurement system for measuring diffusion-limited enzyme-substrate kinetics in real time. Using catalase (enzyme) and hydrogen peroxide (substrate) as the example pair, we demonstrate that this system is capable of direct measurement of catalase activity in vitro and the measured kinetics follows the classical Michaelis-Menten reaction kinetics. We further demonstrate the system performance by measuring catalase activity in living cells and in very small amounts of liver biopsies (down to 1 μg total protein). Catalase-specific enzyme activity is demonstrated by genetic and pharmacological tools. Finally we show the clinically-relevant diagnostic capability of our system by comparing the catalase activities in liver biopsies from young and old mouse (liver and serum) samples. We discuss the potential applicability of this system in clinical diagnostics as well as in intraoperative surgical settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Respiratory signal analysis of liver cancer patients with respiratory-gated radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Dong Im; Jung, Sang Hoon; Kim, Chul Jong; Park, Hee Chul; Choi, Byung Ki

2015-01-01

External markers respiratory movement measuring device (RPM; Real-time Position Management, Varian Medical System, USA) Liver Cancer Radiation Therapy Respiratory gated with respiratory signal with irradiation time and the actual research by analyzing the respiratory phase with the breathing motion measurement device respiratory tuning evaluate the accuracy of radiation therapy May-September 2014 Novalis Tx. (Varian Medical System, USA) and liver cancer radiotherapy using respiratory gated RPM (Duty Cycle 20%, Gating window 40%-60%) of 16 patients who underwent total when recording the analyzed respiratory movement. After the breathing motion of the external markers recorded on the RPM was reconstructed by breathing through the acts phase analysis, for Beam-on Time and Duty Cycle recorded by using the reconstructed phase breathing breathing with RPM gated the prediction accuracy of the radiation treatment analysis and analyzed the correlation between prediction accuracy and Duty Cycle in accordance with the reproducibility of the respiratory movement. Treatment of 16 patients with respiratory cycle during the actual treatment plan was analyzed with an average difference -0.03 seconds (range -0.50 seconds to 0.09 seconds) could not be confirmed statistically significant difference between the two breathing (p = 0.472). The average respiratory period when treatment is 4.02 sec (0.71 sec), the average value of the respiratory cycle of the treatment was characterized by a standard deviation 7.43% (range 2.57 to 19.20%). Duty Cycle is that the actual average 16.05% (range 13.78 to 17.41%), average 56.05 got through the acts of the show and then analyzed% (range 39.23 to 75.10%) is planned in respiratory research phase (40% to 60%) in was confirmed. The investigation on the correlation between the ratio Duty Cycle and planned respiratory phase and the standard deviation of the respiratory cycle was analyzed in each -0.156 (p = 0.282) and -0.385 (p = 0.070). This study is

Immune mediated liver failure.

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Wang, Xiaojing; Ning, Qin

2014-01-01

Liver failure is a clinical syndrome of various etiologies, manifesting as jaundice, encephalopathy, coagulopathy and circulatory dysfunction, which result in subsequent multiorgan failure. Clinically, liver failure is classified into four categories: acute, subacute, acute-on-chronic and chronic liver failure. Massive hepatocyte death is considered to be the core event in the development of liver failure, which occurs when the extent of hepatocyte death is beyond the liver regenerative capacity. Direct damage and immune-mediated liver injury are two major factors involved in this process. Increasing evidence has suggested the essential role of immune-mediated liver injury in the pathogenesis of liver failure. Here, we review the evolved concepts concerning the mechanisms of immune-mediated liver injury in liver failure from human and animal studies. Both innate and adaptive immunity, especially the interaction of various immune cells and molecules as well as death receptor signaling system are discussed. In addition, we highlight the concept of "immune coagulation", which has been shown to be related to the disease progression and liver injury exacerbation in HBV related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Progression of Liver Disease

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... Liver Function Tests Clinical Trials Liver Transplant FAQs Medical Terminology Diseases of the Liver Alagille Syndrome Alcohol-Related ... the Liver The Progression of Liver Disease FAQs Medical Terminology HOW YOU CAN HELP Sponsorship Ways to Give ...

Perioperative liver and spleen elastography in patients without chronic liver disease.

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Eriksson, Sam; Borsiin, Hanna; Öberg, Carl-Fredrik; Brange, Hannes; Mijovic, Zoran; Sturesson, Christian

2018-02-27

To investigate changes in hepatic and splenic stiffness in patients without chronic liver disease during liver resection for hepatic tumors. Patients scheduled for liver resection for hepatic tumors were considered for enrollment. Tissue stiffness measurements on liver and spleen were conducted before and two days after liver resection using point shear-wave elastography. Histological analysis of the resected liver specimen was conducted in all patients and patients with marked liver fibrosis were excluded from further study analysis. Patients were divided into groups depending on size of resection and whether they had received preoperative chemotherapy or not. The relation between tissue stiffness and postoperative biochemistry was investigated. Results are presented as median (interquartile range). 35 patients were included. The liver stiffness increased in patients undergoing a major resection from 1.41 (1.24-1.63) m/s to 2.20 (1.72-2.44) m/s ( P = 0.001). No change in liver stiffness in patients undergoing a minor resection was found [1.31 (1.15-1.52) m/s vs 1.37 (1.12-1.77) m/s, P = 0.438]. A major resection resulted in a 16% (7%-33%) increase in spleen stiffness, more ( P = 0.047) than after a minor resection [2 (-1-13) %]. Patients who underwent preoperative chemotherapy ( n = 20) did not differ from others in preoperative right liver lobe [1.31 (1.16-1.50) vs 1.38 (1.12-1.56) m/s, P = 0.569] or spleen [2.79 (2.33-3.11) vs 2.71 (2.37-2.86) m/s, P = 0.515] stiffness. Remnant liver stiffness on the second postoperative day did not show strong correlations with maximum postoperative increase in bilirubin ( R 2 = 0.154, Pearson's r = 0.392, P = 0.032) and international normalized ratio ( R 2 = 0.285, Pearson's r = 0.534, P = 0.003). Liver and spleen stiffness increase after a major liver resection for hepatic tumors in patients without chronic liver disease.

Comprehensive preclinical evaluation of a multi-physics model of liver tumor radiofrequency ablation.

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Audigier, Chloé; Mansi, Tommaso; Delingette, Hervé; Rapaka, Saikiran; Passerini, Tiziano; Mihalef, Viorel; Jolly, Marie-Pierre; Pop, Raoul; Diana, Michele; Soler, Luc; Kamen, Ali; Comaniciu, Dorin; Ayache, Nicholas

2017-09-01

We aim at developing a framework for the validation of a subject-specific multi-physics model of liver tumor radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The RFA computation becomes subject specific after several levels of personalization: geometrical and biophysical (hemodynamics, heat transfer and an extended cellular necrosis model). We present a comprehensive experimental setup combining multimodal, pre- and postoperative anatomical and functional images, as well as the interventional monitoring of intra-operative signals: the temperature and delivered power. To exploit this dataset, an efficient processing pipeline is introduced, which copes with image noise, variable resolution and anisotropy. The validation study includes twelve ablations from five healthy pig livers: a mean point-to-mesh error between predicted and actual ablation extent of 5.3 ± 3.6 mm is achieved. This enables an end-to-end preclinical validation framework that considers the available dataset.

The actual technological progress of NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Florescu, Gheorghe; Popa, Adrian; Panaitescu, Valeriu

2010-01-01

The actual nuclear R and D issues require new technologies and continuous progress in order to find adequate and effective solutions in sustained and increasing energy demand. The current tendency in energy consumption and occurring of large consumers, especially from Asian countries, imposes finding new means for energy clean, large scale and sustained production. NPPs reliability and availability were permanently monitored and improved; in the mean time the safety of the nuclear energy production was under surveillance. Corresponding development of the new technologies and discovery of improved materials and adequate technological processes offers the possibilities for appropriate implementation and use of them in the NPPs systems configuration and functioning/operation. The modern technologies and scientific discoveries, also the international cooperation, offer the opportunities to brake the actual barriers in order to cumulate and use advanced energy production processes in finding new energy sources and to build improved, reliable and safety power plants. The monitoring systems, intelligent sensors and intelligent SSCs, nanotechnologies and and modern and intelligent materials constitute the main reasons in improvement of the NPPs systems configuration and processes. The paper presents: - The state of the art in the level of actual and useful technologies for nuclear power systems development; - The actual technological limits that need to be over passed for NPPs systems improvements; - The main systems that need improvement and reconfiguration for actual NPPs development and increase in efficient operation, appropriate availability and total safety; - The actual energy production issues; - The key arguments in sustaining the R and D new NPPs systems development; - Future trends in NPPs development; - The limitations in industrial processes knowledge and use. Appropriate R and D in the field of NPPs systems has a specific characteristic that is highlighted in

Liver protein expression in dairy cows with high liver triglycerides in early lactation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sejersen, Henrik; Sørensen, Martin Tang; Larsen, Torben

2012-01-01

Fatty liver is a frequent subclinical health disorder in dairy cows that may lead to disorders related to the liver function. However, the effect of triglyceride (TG) accumulation on liver metabolic pathways is still unclear. The objective was, therefore, to characterize quantitative differences...... in the liver proteome between early lactation dairy cows with a low or high liver TG content. The liver proteome analysis indicated that a high liver TG content in early lactation dairy cows is associated with increased oxidation of saturated fatty acids, oxidative stress, and urea synthesis...... and decreasedoxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, liver gluconeogenesis is apparently not impaired by an increased liver TG content. Based on correlations between liver proteins and plasma components, we suggest that future studies investigate the sensitivity and specificity of plasma aspartate...

Materials of research-practical conference dedicated to 70-anniversary of sanitation, hygiene and occupational diseases research institute 'Actual problems of hygiene, sanitation and ecology'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iskandarov, T.I.; Kamil'dzhanov, A.Kh.

2004-01-01

The Research-practical conference dedicated to 70-anniversary of sanitation, hygiene and occupational diseases research institute 'Actual problems of hygiene, sanitation and ecology' was held on 2004 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Specialists discussed various aspects of actual problems of sanitation, hygiene, occupational diseases and ecology. They discussed also some aspects of radiology and nuclear medicine, radiation protection and dosimetry, radiation and other environmental pollutant effect on living organisms and biological materials. More than 250 talks were presented in the meeting. (k.m.)

Characteristics and significance of D-tagatose-induced liver enlargement in rats: An interpretative review.

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Bär, A

1999-04-01

This review addresses the issue of asymptomatic liver enlargement in rats. It was necessitated by the observation of significantly increased liver weights in rats fed diets with 10 to 20% D-tagatose, a potential new bulk sweetener, for between 28 and 90 days. Increases of liver size without accompanying histopathological changes or impairment of organ function have been observed in rats in response to the ingestion of various xenobiotic compounds (including some food additives), changes of dietary composition (e.g. , high doses of fructose and sucrose), metabolic aberrations (e.g., diabetes), as well as normal pregnancy and lactation. The underlying mechanism(s) are not yet understood in detail but peroxisome proliferation, microsomal enzyme induction, increased storage of glycogen or lipids, and hyperfunction due to an excessive workload are well-established causes of hepatomegaly in rats. In D-tagatose- and fructose-fed rats, a treatment-related increase of hepatic glycogen storage was identified as a likely cause of the liver enlargement. Dietary levels of 5% and about 15-20% were determined as no-effect levels (NOEL) for D-tagatose- and fructose-induced liver enlargement, respectively. At doses above the NOEL, D-tagatose is about four times more efficient than fructose in inducing liver enlargement. On the other hand, the estimated intake of D-tagatose from its intended uses in food is about four times lower than the actual fructose intake. Consequently, a similar safety margin would apply for both sugars. Considering the similarity of the liver effects in rats of fructose, a safe food ingredient, and D-tagatose, the absence of histopathological changes in rats fed a diet with 20% D-tagatose for 90 days, and the absence of adverse long-term consequences of glycogen-induced liver enlargement in rats, it is concluded that the observed liver enlargement in D-tagatose-fed rats has no relevance for the assessment of human safety of this substance. Copyright 1999

Putrescine treatment reverses α-tocopherol-induced desynchronization of polyamine and retinoid metabolism during rat liver regeneration

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Lourdes Sánchez-Sevilla

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The pre-treatment with α-tocopherol inhibits progression of rat liver proliferation induced by partial hepatectomy (PH, by decreasing and/or desynchronizing cyclin D1 expression and activation into the nucleus, activation and nuclear translocation of STAT-1 and -3 proteins and altering retinoid metabolism. Interactions between retinoic acid and polyamines have been reported in the PH-induced rat liver regeneration. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of low dosage of α-tocopherol on PH-induced changes in polyamine metabolism. Methods This study evaluated the participation of polyamine synthesis and metabolism during α-tocopherol-induced inhibition of rat liver regeneration. In PH-rats (Wistar treated with α-tocopherol and putrescine, parameters indicative of cell proliferation, lipid peroxidation, ornithine decarboxylase expression (ODC, and polyamine levels, were determined. Results Pre-treatment with α-tocopherol to PH-animals exerted an antioxidant effect, shifting earlier the increased ODC activity and expression, temporally affecting polyamine synthesis and ornithine metabolism. Whereas administration of putrescine induced minor changes in PH-rats, the concomitant treatment actually counteracted most of adverse actions exerted by α-tocopherol on the remnant liver, restituting its proliferative potential, without changing its antioxidant effect. Putrescine administration to these rats was also associated with lower ODC expression and activity in the proliferating liver, but the temporally shifting in the amount of liver polyamines induced by α-tocopherol, was also “synchronized” by the putrescine administration. The latter is supported by the fact that a close relationship was observed between fluctuations of polyamines and retinoids. Conclusions Putrescine counteracted most adverse actions exerted by α-tocopherol on rat liver regeneration, restoring liver proliferative potential and restituting the decreased

[Liver and sport].

Science.gov (United States)

Watelet, J

2008-11-01

The liver is a vital organ and plays a central role in energy exchange, protein synthesis as well as the elimination of waste products from the body. Acute and chronic injury may disturb a variety of liver functions to different degrees. Over the last three decades, the effects of physical activity and competitive sport on the liver have been described by various investigators. These include viral hepatitis and drug-induced liver disorders. Herein, we review acute and chronic liver diseases potentially caused by sport. Team physicians, trainers and others, responsible for the health of athletes, should be familiar with the risk factors, clinical features, and consequences of liver diseases that occur in sports.

Diminishing Use of Liver Biopsy among Liver Transplant Recipients for Hepatitis C

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Elizabeth Aby; Melissa A.Jimenez; Jonathan F.Grotts; Vatche Agopian; Samuel W.French; Ronald W.Busuttil; Sammy Saab

2017-01-01

Background and Aims:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis is the leading indication for liver transplantation in the United States and recurrent HCV following liver transplantation is a major cause of allograft loss and mortality.Liver biopsies are commonly used to identify recurrent HCV and determine the need for antiviral therapy.The introduction of directacting antiviral agents (DAAs) has changed the management of recurrent HCV infection.This study aimed to describe the role of liver biopsies in liver transplant recipients with HCV after the introduction of DAAs.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed looking at the rate of liver biopsies post-liver transplantation for HCV.The analysis included 475 adult liver transplants for hepatitis C performed at the University of California,Los Angeles from January 1,2006 to October 1,2015.Patients were divided into two eras,pre-and post-introduction of DAAs on December 1,2013.Results:In the era before the introduction of DAAs,the percentage of patients biopsied was significantly higher compared to the era after the introduction of DAAs (56.1％ vs.26.9％,p ＜ 0.001).Conclusion:The introduction of DAAs has changed the management of liver biopsy following liver transplantation and the management of recurrent HCV.Given that DAAs are well tolerated and have high efficacy,liver biopsies are no longer routinely used to justify the use antiviral therapy following liver transplantation.

Cellular Mechanisms of Liver Regeneration and Cell-Based Therapies of Liver Diseases

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Irina V. Kholodenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The emerging field of regenerative medicine offers innovative methods of cell therapy and tissue/organ engineering as a novel approach to liver disease treatment. The ultimate scientific foundation of both cell therapy of liver diseases and liver tissue and organ engineering is delivered by the in-depth studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver regeneration. The cellular mechanisms of the homeostatic and injury-induced liver regeneration are unique. Restoration of the mass of liver parenchyma is achieved by compensatory hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the differentiated parenchymal cells, hepatocytes, while expansion and differentiation of the resident stem/progenitor cells play a minor or negligible role. Participation of blood-borne cells of the bone marrow origin in liver parenchyma regeneration has been proven but does not exceed 1-2% of newly formed hepatocytes. Liver regeneration is activated spontaneously after injury and can be further stimulated by cell therapy with hepatocytes, hematopoietic stem cells, or mesenchymal stem cells. Further studies aimed at improving the outcomes of cell therapy of liver diseases are underway. In case of liver failure, transplantation of engineered liver can become the best option in the foreseeable future. Engineering of a transplantable liver or its major part is an enormous challenge, but rapid progress in induced pluripotency, tissue engineering, and bioprinting research shows that it may be doable.

Transplantation after blunt trauma to the liver: a valuable option or just a "waste of organs"?

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Heuer M

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Liver injury due to trauma is a rare indication for transplantation. The main indications in such cases were uncontrollable bleeding and insufficient hepatic function. Because of poor results, liver transplantation in these patients is occasionally described as "waste of organs", however based on insufficient data. This study aims to report our experience and to critically question the indication of transplantation in these patients. Methods All liver transplantations at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. This covered 1,529 liver transplants between September 1987 and December 2008. Of them, 6 transplants were performed due to motor-vehicle accidents which caused uncontrollable acute liver trauma in 4 patients. The patients' peri-operative course, short- and long-term outcomes were analyzed. Results Five deceased-donor liver transplantations (4 full size, 1 split and 1 living donor (right transplantation were performed. The median GCS score was 9/15; the median MELD score was 15. Postoperative complications were observed in 3 patients, requiring re-operation in 2. After a median (range follow-up of 32.95 (10.3-55.6 months, 2 patients are alive and remain well on immunosuppression. Conclusion Liver transplantation in patients with otherwise surgically uncontrollable acute liver injury can be indicated as a life saving procedure and can be performed successfully in highly selected cases.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: the Hong Kong experience.

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Ng, Kelvin K; Lo, Chung Mau; Chan, See Ching; Chok, Kenneth S; Cheung, Tan-To; Fan, Sheung Tat

2010-09-01

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the best treatment option for selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with the background of cirrhosis since this treatment modality can cure both diseases at once. Over the years, the applicability of OLT for HCC has evolved. In Asia, including Hong Kong, a shortage of deceased donor liver grafts is a universal problem having to be faced in all transplant centers. Living-donor liver transplant (LDLT) has therefore been developed to counteract organ shortage and the high prevalence of HCC. The application of LDLT for HCC is a complex process involving donor voluntarism, selection criteria for the recipient and justification with respect to long-term survival in comparison to the result of deceased donor liver transplant. This article reviews the authors' experience with OLT for HCC patients in Hong Kong, with emphasis on the applicability and outcome of LDLT for HCC. Donor voluntarism has a significant impact on the application of LDLT. "Fast-track" LDLT in the setting of recurrence following curative treatment carries a high risk of recurrence even though the tumor stage fulfills the standard criteria. Although the survival outcome may be worse following LDLT than DDLT for HCC, LDLT is still the main treatment option for patients with transplantable HCC in Hong Kong, and a reasonable survival outcome can be achieved in selected patients with extended indications. It is particularly true that LDLT provides the only hope for patients with advanced HCC under the constricting problem of organ shortage.

An immunohistochemical study of retinol-binding protein (RBP) in livers of free-living polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from east Greenland.

Science.gov (United States)

Heier, Annabelle; Sonne, Christian; Gröne, Andrea; Leifsson, Pall S; Dietz, Rune; Born, Erik W; Bacciarini, Luca N

2005-09-01

From 1999 to 2002 samples from 114 free-ranging polar bears (Ursus maritimus) were collected in the municipality of Scoresby Sound, East Greenland, to detect levels of organochlorines and potential histopathologic changes. Livers of 16 female polar bears from this group were evaluated histologically and analyzed for hepatic retinol-binding protein by immunohistochemistry. Retinol-binding protein is the main transport protein for retinol, an important vitamin A metabolite in the polar bear. Only mild pathologic changes were noted on histologic evaluation of the livers. Small lymphocytic or lymphohistiocytic infiltrates were present in all the livers. Small lipid granulomas, mild periportal fibrosis, and bile duct proliferation were found in several cases. Immunohistochemistry for retinol-binding protein of hepatic tissue from free-ranging polar bears showed no distinct difference in staining intensity by a number of criteria: age, season (fasting and nonfasting), or lactation status. The staining was diffuse to finely stippled in the cytoplasm and showed very little variation among the animals. Because of the lack of macroscopic changes and the absence of severe histologic liver lesions, these polar bears were assumed to be healthy. The diffuse cytoplasmic retinol-binding protein staining in hepatocytes of free-ranging polar bears varies markedly from the prominent granular, less intense staining of captive polar bears investigated previously.

The New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit: Auckland District Health Board.

Science.gov (United States)

Munn, Stephen R; Evans, Helen M; Gane, Edward J

2014-01-01

New Zealand is a geographically isolated country with 4.55 million inhabitants. It has endemic hepatitis B (HBV) infection that is especially evident in Maori and Pacific Island communities and impacts indications for liver transplantation. The country has a socialised medical system that allows for full coverage of the assessment for, and completion of liver transplants in suitable recipients. Between February 1998 and December 2014, the New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit (NZLTU) had performed 595 liver transplants in 568 patients, indicating a crude re-transplant rate of 4.8%. Overall 1, 5, and 10 year patient survival rates for all adult (96%, 89%, and 81%, respectively) and pediatric (93%, 92%, and 92%, respectively) recipients compare very favourably with international outcomes from Europe and the United States. Eligibility criteria could be modestly expanded if deceased donor rates improved from the current level of around 10 per million of population per year. This somewhat meagre supply of deceased donor organs, along with significant waiting list attrition, has necessitated the use of living donors, which have been used in more than 50 recipients to date. Despite these limitations, the NZLTU has contributed to improvements in the outcome of transplantation for HBV and hepatitis C through the development of effective antiviral prophylaxis regimes. Furthermore, innovative changes have been made to the manner in which pediatric patients are transitioned to the adult service.

Liver transplantation for metastatic neuroendocrine tumor: A case report and review of the literature

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wojciech C Blonski; K Rajender Reddy; Abraham Shaked; Evan Siegelman; David C Metz

2005-01-01

Neuroendocrine tumors are divided into gastrointestinal carcinoids and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. The WHO has updated the classification of these lesions and has abandoned the term "carcinoid". Both types of tumors are divided into functional and non-functional tumors. They are characterized by slow growth and frequent metastasis to the liver and may be limited to the liver for long periods. The therapeutic approach to hepatic metastases should consider the number and distribution of the liver metastases as well as the severity of symptoms related to hormone production and tumor bulk. Surgery is generally considered as the first line therapy. In patients with unresectable liver metastases,alternative treatments are dependent on the type and the growth rate. Initial treatments consist of long acting somatostatin analogs and/or interferon. Streptozocinbased chemotherapy is usually reserved for symptomatic patients with rapidly advancing disease, but generally the therapy is poorly tolerated and its effects are short-lived.Locoregional therapy directed such as hepatic-artery embolization and chemoembolization, radiofrequency thermal ablation and cryosurgery, is often used instead of systemic therapy, if the disease is limited to the liver.However, liver transplantation should be considered in patients with neuroendocrine metastases to the liver that are not accessible to curative or cytoreductive surgery and if medical or locoregional treatment has failed and if there are life threatening hormonal symptoms. We report a case of liver transplantation for metastatic neuroendocrine tumor of unknown primary source and provide a detailed review of the world literature on this controversial topic.

Hepatocellular carcinoma complicating cystic fibrosis related liver disease.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Donnell, D H

2012-02-01

Early diagnosis and treatment of the respiratory and gastrointestinal complications of cystic fibrosis (CF) have led to improved survival with many patients living beyond the fourth decade. Along with this increased life expectancy is the risk of further disease associated with the chronic manifestations of their condition. We report a patient with documented CF related liver disease for which he was under routine surveillance that presented with histologically proven hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is important that physicians are aware of this association as increased vigilance may lead to earlier diagnosis and perhaps, a better outcome.

The Role of Liver Biopsy in the Management of Patients with Liver Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florence Wong

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The role of liver biopsy in the diagnosis and management of liver disease is a controversial issue even among hepatologists. Although most causes of elevated liver enzymes can be determined, or at least suspected, on the basis of a careful history and laboratory tests, histological assessment remains the gold standard for most liver diseases. Histological evaluation can either confirm or refute clinical diagnoses and can provide information about the severity and stage of disease. Occasionally, the liver biopsy also provides an additional diagnosis. The spectrum of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease accounts for a substantial proportion of cases of chronically elevated liver enzymes and can be reliably diagnosed only by liver biopsy. Prognostic information can be obtained in patients with this disorder, as well as in those with alcoholic liver disease and viral hepatitis, and liver biopsy can be used as a guide to their management.

Liver Transplantation for Alcoholic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Burra, Patrizia; Zanetto, Alberto; Germani, Giacomo

2018-02-09

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the main important causes of cancer-related death and its mortality is increasingly worldwide. In Europe, alcohol abuse accounts for approximately half of all liver cancer cases and it will become the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma in the next future with the sharp decline of chronic viral hepatitis. The pathophysiology of alcohol-induced carcinogenesis involves acetaldehyde catabolism, oxidative stress and chronic liver inflammation. Genetic background plays also a significant role and specific patterns of gene mutations in alcohol-related hepatocellular carcinoma have been characterized. Survival is higher in patients who undergo specific surveillance programmes than in patients who do not. However, patients with alcohol cirrhosis present a significantly greater risk of liver decompensation than those with cirrhosis due to other aetiologies. Furthermore, the adherence to screening program can be suboptimal. Liver transplant for patients with Milan-in hepatocellular carcinoma represents the best possible treatment in case of tumour recurrence/progression despite loco-regional or surgical treatments. Long-term result after liver transplantation for alcohol related liver disease is good. However, cardiovascular disease and de novo malignancies can significantly hamper patients' survival and should be carefully considered by transplant team. In this review, we have focused on the evolution of alcohol-related hepatocellular carcinoma epidemiology and risk factors as well as on liver transplantation in alcoholic patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma.

Usefulness of the rendezvous technique for biliary stricture after adult right-lobe living-donor liver transplantation with duct-to-duct anastomosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Jae Hyuck; Lee, In Seok; Chun, Ho Jong; Choi, Jong Young; Yoon, Seung Kyoo; Kim, Dong Goo; You, Young Kyoung; Choi, Myung-Gyu; Choi, Kyu-Yong; Chung, In-Sik

2010-03-01

Replacement of a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) catheter with inside stents using endoscopic retrograde cholangiography is difficult in patients with angulated or twisted biliary anastomotic stricture after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We evaluated the usefulness and safety of the rendezvous technique for the management of biliary stricture after LDLT. Twenty patients with PTBD because of biliary stricture after LDLT with duct-to-duct anastomosis underwent the placement of inside stents using the rendezvous technique. Inside stents were successfully placed in the 20 patients using the rendezvous technique. The median procedure time was 29.6 (range, 7.5-71.8) minutes. The number of inside stents placed was one in 12 patients and two in eight patients. One mild acute pancreatitis and one acute cholangitis occurred, which improved within a few days. Inside stent related sludge or stone was identified in 12 patients during follow-up. Thirteen patients achieved stent-free status for a median of 281 (range, 70-1,351) days after removal of the inside stents. The rendezvous technique is a useful and safe method for the replacement of PTBD catheter with inside stent in patients with biliary stricture after LDLT with duct-to-duct anastomosis. The rendezvous technique could be recommended to patients with angulated or twisted strictures.

Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction: Prediction of Cesium Extraction from Actual Wastes and Actual Waste Simulants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delmau, L.H.; Haverlock, T.J.; Sloop, F.V. Jr.; Moyer, B.A.

2003-01-01

This report presents the work that followed the CSSX model development completed in FY2002. The developed cesium and potassium extraction model was based on extraction data obtained from simple aqueous media. It was tested to ensure the validity of the prediction for the cesium extraction from actual waste. Compositions of the actual tank waste were obtained from the Savannah River Site personnel and were used to prepare defined simulants and to predict cesium distribution ratios using the model. It was therefore possible to compare the cesium distribution ratios obtained from the actual waste, the simulant, and the predicted values. It was determined that the predicted values agree with the measured values for the simulants. Predicted values also agreed, with three exceptions, with measured values for the tank wastes. Discrepancies were attributed in part to the uncertainty in the cation/anion balance in the actual waste composition, but likely more so to the uncertainty in the potassium concentration in the waste, given the demonstrated large competing effect of this metal on cesium extraction. It was demonstrated that the upper limit for the potassium concentration in the feed ought to not exceed 0.05 M in order to maintain suitable cesium distribution ratios

Pyogenic liver abscess

Science.gov (United States)

Liver abscess; Bacterial liver abscess ... There are many possible causes of liver abscesses, including: Abdominal infection, such as appendicitis , diverticulitis , or a perforated bowel Infection in the blood Infection of the bile draining tubes ...

Magnetic resonance elastography is as accurate as liver biopsy for liver fibrosis staging.

Science.gov (United States)

Morisaka, Hiroyuki; Motosugi, Utaroh; Ichikawa, Shintaro; Nakazawa, Tadao; Kondo, Tetsuo; Funayama, Satoshi; Matsuda, Masanori; Ichikawa, Tomoaki; Onishi, Hiroshi

2018-05-01

Liver MR elastography (MRE) is available for the noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis; however, no previous studies have compared the diagnostic ability of MRE with that of liver biopsy. To compare the diagnostic accuracy of liver fibrosis staging between MRE-based methods and liver biopsy using the resected liver specimens as the reference standard. A retrospective study at a single institution. In all, 200 patients who underwent preoperative MRE and subsequent surgical liver resection were included in this study. Data from 80 patients were used to estimate cutoff and distributions of liver stiffness values measured by MRE for each liver fibrosis stage (F0-F4, METAVIR system). In the remaining 120 patients, liver biopsy specimens were obtained from the resected liver tissues using a standard biopsy needle. 2D liver MRE with gradient-echo based sequence on a 1.5 or 3T scanner was used. Two radiologists independently measured the liver stiffness value on MRE and two types of MRE-based methods (threshold and Bayesian prediction method) were applied. Two pathologists evaluated all biopsy samples independently to stage liver fibrosis. Surgically resected whole tissue specimens were used as the reference standard. The accuracy for liver fibrosis staging was compared between liver biopsy and MRE-based methods with a modified McNemar's test. Accurate fibrosis staging was achieved in 53.3% (64/120) and 59.1% (71/120) of patients using MRE with threshold and Bayesian methods, respectively, and in 51.6% (62/120) with liver biopsy. Accuracies of MRE-based methods for diagnoses of ≥F2 (90-91% [108-9/120]), ≥F3 (79-81% [95-97/120]), and F4 (82-85% [98-102/120]) were statistically equivalent to those of liver biopsy (≥F2, 79% [95/120], P ≤ 0.01; ≥F3, 88% [105/120], P ≤ 0.006; and F4, 82% [99/120], P ≤ 0.017). MRE can be an alternative to liver biopsy for fibrosis staging. 3. Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:1268-1275. © 2017

Fatty Liver Disease

Science.gov (United States)

What is fatty liver disease? Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. Fatty liver disease is a condition in which fat builds ...

Lysosomal acid lipase deficiency in rats: Lipid analyses and lipase activities in liver and spleen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuriyama, M.; Yoshida, H.; Suzuki, M.; Fujiyama, J.; Igata, A.

1990-01-01

We report the biological characterization of an animal model of a genetic lipid storage disease analogous to human Wolman's disease. Affected rats accumulated cholesteryl esters (13.3-fold), free cholesterol (2.8-fold), and triglycerides (5.4-fold) in the liver, as well as cholesteryl esters (2.5-fold) and free cholesterol (1.33-fold) in the spleen. Triglycerides did not accumulate, and the levels actually decreased in the spleen. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of the cholesteryl esters and triglycerides showed high percentages of linoleic acid (18:2) and arachidonic acid (20:4) in both organs, especially in the liver. No accumulation of phospholipids, neutral glycosphingolipids, or gangliosides was found in the affected rats. Acid lipase activity for [14C]triolein, [14C]cholesteryl oleate, and 4-methyl-umbelliferyl oleate was deficient in both the liver and spleen of affected rats. Lipase activity at neutral pH was normal in both liver and spleen. Heterozygous rats showed intermediate utilization of these substrates in both organs at levels between those for affected rats and those for normal controls, although they did not accumulate any lipids. These data suggest that these rats represent an animal counterpart of Wolman's disease in humans

Similar Connotation in Chronic Hepatitis B and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Patients with Dampness-Heat Syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianye Dai

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The phenomenon that the same syndrome turns up in different diseases appears in the sight of people around the world, which raises the thought for possibility of “Same Treatment for Different Diseases.” Actually, treatment based on ZHENG classification in Traditional Chinese Medicine could bring revelation for the former finding. The dampness-heat syndrome in chronic hepatitis B and nonalcoholic fatty liver is regarded as the breakthrough point. We discussed the molecular mechanism of similar connotation that exists in chronic hepatitis B and nonalcoholic fatty liver by metabonomics to give the modern understanding of dampness-heat syndrome. Both urine and serum metabolic profiling revealed that obvious differences existed between dampness-heat syndrome and non-dampness-heat syndrome but the commonality was proved to appear in chronic hepatitis B and nonalcoholic fatty liver patients with dampness-heat syndrome. Furthermore, disorder of body fluid metabolism, decline in digestive capacity, and imbalance of intestinal flora were found to be the new guiding for treatment, with the hope to provide the basis for Chinese personalized medicine.

Security warning method and system for worker safety during live-line working

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Chilong; Zou, Dehua; Long, Chenhai; Yang, Miao; Zhang, Zhanlong; Mei, Daojun

2017-09-01

Live-line working is an essential part in the operations in an electric power system. Live-line workers are required to wear shielding clothing. Shielding clothing, however, acts as a closed environment for the human body. Working in a closed environment for a long time can change the physiological responses of the body and even endanger personal safety. According to the typical conditions of live-line working, this study synthesizes environmental factors related to shielding clothing and the physiological factors of the body to establish the heart rate variability index RMSSD and the comprehensive security warning index SWI. On the basis of both indices, this paper proposes a security warning method and system for the safety live-line workers. The system can monitor the real-time status of workers during live-line working to provide security warning and facilitate the effective safety supervision by the live operation center during actual live-line working.

The effect of X-irradiation on vitamin E deficient rat liver mitochondrial ATPase and cytochrome c oxidase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korkut, S.

1978-01-01

Male albino rats were fed for 3 weeks on standard diets or on diets either deficient in or supplemented by vitamin E, whole-body X-irradiated and then immediately decapitated. Liver mitochondrial ATPase activity was stimulated and cytochrome c oxidase inhibited in the irradiated vitamin E deficient group. These activities were not influenced by irradiation in the rats fed on vitamin E supplemented and standard diets. The live mitochondrial vitamin E level was decreased in rats fed on the deficient diet. No differences in liver mitochondrial vitamin E levels were observed after X-irradiation of rats fed on any of the diets. The results suggest that the liver mitochondrial inner-membrane structure may be altered by a diet deficient in vitamin E. (U.K.)

Hepatic (Liver) Function Panel

Science.gov (United States)

... Educators Search English Español Blood Test: Hepatic (Liver) Function Panel KidsHealth / For Parents / Blood Test: Hepatic (Liver) ... kidneys ) is working. What Is a Hepatic (Liver) Function Panel? A liver function panel is a blood ...

The role of IL6 in liver cancer linked to metabolic liver disease ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The role of IL6 in liver cancer linked to metabolic liver disease. Liver cancer is highly fatal, it has very few treatment options, and it is one of the few cancers whose incidence is rising worldwide. One poorly understood risk factor for liver cancer is obesity/metabolic disease (such as diabetes and fatty liver disease).

Living in institutional care: residents' experiences and coping strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Timonen, Virpi; O'Dwyer, Ciara

2009-01-01

Insights into daily living in residential care settings are rare. This article draws on a qualitative dataset (semi-structured interviews and recordings of residents' council meetings) that gives a glimpse of the experiences and coping strategies of (older) people living in residential care. The data highlight the range of unmet needs of the residents, similar to the categories of physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization needs in Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. Our analysis indicates that "higher" and "lower" needs are closely intertwined and mutually reinforcing and should therefore be accorded equal emphasis by professionals (including social workers) employed within residential care settings.

The Use of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for the Study and Treatment of Liver Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansel, Marc C; Davila, Julio C; Vosough, Massoud; Gramignoli, Roberto; Skvorak, Kristen J; Dorko, Kenneth; Marongiu, Fabio; Blake, William; Strom, Stephen C

2016-02-01

Liver disease is a major global health concern. Liver cirrhosis is one of the leading causes of death in the world and currently the only therapeutic option for end-stage liver disease (e.g., acute liver failure, cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, cholestatic diseases, metabolic diseases, and malignant neoplasms) is orthotropic liver transplantation. Transplantation of hepatocytes has been proposed and used as an alternative to whole organ transplant to stabilize and prolong the lives of patients in some clinical cases. Although these experimental therapies have demonstrated promising and beneficial results, their routine use remains a challenge due to the shortage of donor livers available for cell isolation, variable quality of those tissues, the potential need for lifelong immunosuppression in the transplant recipient, and high costs. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies and more reliable clinical treatments are urgently needed. Recent and continuous technological advances in the development of stem cells suggest they may be beneficial in this respect. In this review, we summarize the history of stem cell and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology in the context of hepatic differentiation and discuss the potential applications the technology may offer for human liver disease modeling and treatment. This includes developing safer drugs and cell-based therapies to improve the outcomes of patients with currently incurable health illnesses. We also review promising advances in other disease areas to highlight how the stem cell technology could be applied to liver diseases in the future. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Heavy metal accumulation in lizards living near a phosphate treatment plant: possible transfer of contaminants from aquatic to terrestrial food webs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasri, Intissar; Hammouda, Abdessalam; Hamza, Foued; Zrig, Ahlem; Selmi, Slaheddine

2017-05-01

We investigated the accumulation of heavy metals in Bosk's fringe-toed lizards (Acanthodactylus boskianus) living in Gabès region (southeastern Tunisia), in relation to habitat, diet, and distance from the Gabès-Ghannouche factory complex of phosphate treatment. More specifically, we compared the concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the stomach contents and samples of the liver, kidney, and tail from lizards living in four sites corresponding to different combinations of habitat (coastal dunes vs backshore) and distance from the factory complex (lizards living on the coastal dunes mainly feed on littoral amphipods, while those living in the backshore feed exclusively on terrestrial invertebrates. The concentrations of heavy metals in lizard tissues were overall positively correlated with those in the preys they ingested. Moreover, there was a general tendency towards increased concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the samples from lizards living on coastal dunes compared to those from the other sites, although some differences still lacked statistical significance. These results suggest that the highest contamination of lizards living on coastal dunes was probably related to the ingestion of contaminated amphipods. Thus, amphipods and Bosk's fringe-toed lizards seem to provide an important link between the marine and terrestrial food webs, with higher concentrations appearing to accumulate from materials released into the sea rather than the terrestrial environment. With regard to metal distribution among tissues, our results were overall in agreement with previous findings in other reptiles. In particular, cadmium was most concentrated in the liver samples, stressing once more the role of the liver as a storage organ of Cd. Moreover, high concentrations of the three assessed metals were found in the kidney samples, showing the role of the kidney as an active site of heavy metal accumulation.

Liver Cell Culture Devices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andria, B.; Bracco, A.; Cirino, G.; Chamuleau, R. A. F. M.

2010-01-01

In the last 15 years many different liver cell culture devices, consisting of functional liver cells and artificial materials, have been developed. They have been devised for numerous different applications, such as temporary organ replacement (a bridge to liver transplantation or native liver

Immune mediated liver failure

OpenAIRE

Wang, Xiaojing; Ning, Qin

2014-01-01

Liver failure is a clinical syndrome of various etiologies, manifesting as jaundice, encephalopathy, coagulopathy and circulatory dysfunction, which result in subsequent multiorgan failure. Clinically, liver failure is classified into four categories: acute, subacute, acute-on-chronic and chronic liver failure. Massive hepatocyte death is considered to be the core event in the development of liver failure, which occurs when the extent of hepatocyte death is beyond the liver regenerative capac...

Non-invasive Markers of Liver Fibrosis: Adjuncts or Alternatives to Liver Biopsy?

Science.gov (United States)

Chin, Jun L.; Pavlides, Michael; Moolla, Ahmad; Ryan, John D.

2016-01-01

Liver fibrosis reflects sustained liver injury often from multiple, simultaneous factors. Whilst the presence of mild fibrosis on biopsy can be a reassuring finding, the identification of advanced fibrosis is critical to the management of patients with chronic liver disease. This necessity has lead to a reliance on liver biopsy which itself is an imperfect test and poorly accepted by patients. The development of robust tools to non-invasively assess liver fibrosis has dramatically enhanced clinical decision making in patients with chronic liver disease, allowing a rapid and informed judgment of disease stage and prognosis. Should a liver biopsy be required, the appropriateness is clearer and the diagnostic yield is greater with the use of these adjuncts. While a number of non-invasive liver fibrosis markers are now used in routine practice, a steady stream of innovative approaches exists. With improvement in the reliability, reproducibility and feasibility of these markers, their potential role in disease management is increasing. Moreover, their adoption into clinical trials as outcome measures reflects their validity and dynamic nature. This review will summarize and appraise the current and novel non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis, both blood and imaging based, and look at their prospective application in everyday clinical care. PMID:27378924

The spleen-liver uptake ratio in liver scan: review of its measurement and correlation between hemodynamical changes of the liver in portal hypertension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S. Y.; Chung, Y. A.; Chung, H. S.; Lee, H. G.; Kim, S. H.; Chung, S. K.

1999-01-01

We analyzed correlation between changes of the Spleen-Liver Ratio in liver scintigram and hemodynamical changes of the liver in overall grades of portal hypertension by non-invasive, scintigraphic method. And the methods for measurement of the Spleen-Liver Ratio were also reviewed. Hepatic scintiangiograms for 120 seconds with 250-333 MBq of 99mTc-Sn-phytate followed by liver scintigrams were performed in 62 patients group consisted with clinically proven norma and various diffuse hepatocellular diseases. Hepatic Perfusion indices were calculated from the Time-Activity Curves of hepatic scintiangiograms. Each Spleen-Liver Ratios of maximum, average and total counts within ROIs of the liver and spleen from both anterior and posterior liver scintigrams and their geometrical means were calculated. Linear correlations between each Spleen-Liver Ratios and Hepatic Perfusion indices were evaluated. There was strong correlation (y=0.0002x 2 -0.0049x+0.2746, R=0.8790, p<0.0001) between Hepatic Perfusion Indices and Spleen-Liver Ratios calculated from posterior maxium counts of the liver scintigrams. Weaker correlations with either geometrical means of maximum and average count methods (R=0.8101, 0.7268, p<0.0001) or average counts of both posterior and anterior veiws (R=0.8134, 0.6200, p<0.0001) were noted. We reconfirmed that changes of Spleen-Liver Ratio in liver scintigrams represent hemodynamical changes in portal hypertension of diffuse hepatocellular diseases. Among them, the posterior Spleen-Liver Ratio measured by maximum counts will give the best information. And matching with Hepatic Perfusion index will be another useful index to evaluate characteristics splenic extraction coefficient of a certain radiocolloid for liver scintigram

Liver disease

Science.gov (United States)

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000205.htm Liver disease To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. The term "liver disease" applies to many conditions that stop the ...

Computer-Aided Characterization and Diagnosis of Diffuse Liver Diseases Based on Ultrasound Imaging: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharti, Puja; Mittal, Deepti; Ananthasivan, Rupa

2016-04-19

Diffuse liver diseases, such as hepatitis, fatty liver, and cirrhosis, are becoming a leading cause of fatality and disability all over the world. Early detection and diagnosis of these diseases is extremely important to save lives and improve effectiveness of treatment. Ultrasound imaging, a noninvasive diagnostic technique, is the most commonly used modality for examining liver abnormalities. However, the accuracy of ultrasound-based diagnosis depends highly on expertise of radiologists. Computer-aided diagnosis systems based on ultrasound imaging assist in fast diagnosis, provide a reliable "second opinion" for experts, and act as an effective tool to measure response of treatment on patients undergoing clinical trials. In this review, we first describe appearance of liver abnormalities in ultrasound images and state the practical issues encountered in characterization of diffuse liver diseases that can be addressed by software algorithms. We then discuss computer-aided diagnosis in general with features and classifiers relevant to diffuse liver diseases. In later sections of this paper, we review the published studies and describe the key findings of those studies. A concise tabular summary comparing image database, features extraction, feature selection, and classification algorithms presented in the published studies is also exhibited. Finally, we conclude with a summary of key findings and directions for further improvements in the areas of accuracy and objectiveness of computer-aided diagnosis. © The Author(s) 2016.

Ablation characteristics of boding liver according to cool-tip temperature of RFA equipment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Young Jae [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jeong Koo [Dept. of Radiological Science, Hanseo University, Seosan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-15

This study confirmed the correlation between the change of the cooling water in internal cooling system and the size of the ablation site of bovine liver in RF heat treatment equipment. The bovine liver was resection with 4 x 4 x 4 cm{sup 3} in 2 cm cool-tip and with 6 x 6 x 6 cm{sup 3} in 3 cm cool-tip for the experiments. Area and perimeter of the ablation site for bovine liver were measured by Freehand techniques of MRI. It showed area and perimeter decreased during cool-tip temperature rises 6 and 12 minutes ablation using a 2 cm and 3 cm cool-tip. The correlation of cool-tip temperature and area and perimeter was statistically significant the result are shown (p=.000). The measurements of area and perimeter were more accurate with MRI in actual measurements and MRI for ablation range. The statistical results using Paired sample T-test was also significant (p=.038). The ablation range of bovine liver decreased according as cooling water temperature increases in RF heat treatment equipment for reason of carbonization occurred due to does not accurately pass the RF energy. Therefore, it is considered the effect of RF heat treatment would be increased if the temperature of the cooling water consistently maintain the low temperature in order to reduce the generation of carbide at RF heat treatment and RF energy is delivered accurately.

Ablation characteristics of boding liver according to cool-tip temperature of RFA equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Young Jae; Kim, Jeong Koo

2015-01-01

This study confirmed the correlation between the change of the cooling water in internal cooling system and the size of the ablation site of bovine liver in RF heat treatment equipment. The bovine liver was resection with 4 x 4 x 4 cm"3 in 2 cm cool-tip and with 6 x 6 x 6 cm"3 in 3 cm cool-tip for the experiments. Area and perimeter of the ablation site for bovine liver were measured by Freehand techniques of MRI. It showed area and perimeter decreased during cool-tip temperature rises 6 and 12 minutes ablation using a 2 cm and 3 cm cool-tip. The correlation of cool-tip temperature and area and perimeter was statistically significant the result are shown (p=.000). The measurements of area and perimeter were more accurate with MRI in actual measurements and MRI for ablation range. The statistical results using Paired sample T-test was also significant (p=.038). The ablation range of bovine liver decreased according as cooling water temperature increases in RF heat treatment equipment for reason of carbonization occurred due to does not accurately pass the RF energy. Therefore, it is considered the effect of RF heat treatment would be increased if the temperature of the cooling water consistently maintain the low temperature in order to reduce the generation of carbide at RF heat treatment and RF energy is delivered accurately

Liver Diseases

Science.gov (United States)

Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons. There are many kinds of liver diseases: Diseases caused by viruses, such as hepatitis ...

Liver cancer oncogenomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marquardt, Jens U; Andersen, Jesper B

2015-01-01

Primary liver cancers are among the most rapidly evolving malignant tumors worldwide. An underlying chronic inflammatory liver disease, which precedes liver cancer development for several decades and frequently creates a pro-oncogenic microenvironment, impairs progress in therapeutic approaches....... Molecular heterogeneity of liver cancer is potentiated by a crosstalk between epithelial tumor and stromal cells that complicate translational efforts to unravel molecular mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis with a drugable intend. Next-generation sequencing has greatly advanced our understanding of cancer...... development. With regards to liver cancer, the unprecedented coverage of next-generation sequencing has created a detailed map of genetic alterations and identified key somatic changes such as CTNNB1 and TP53 as well as several previously unrecognized recurrent disease-causing alterations that could...

New therapeutic strategies for canine liver disease; Growth factors and liver progenitor cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arends, B.

2008-01-01

The liver has the unique capacity to regulate its mass after loss of functional liver cells due to liver disease, injury, and/or toxicity. Unfortunately, in the course of chronic liver disease this meticulously regulated regeneration process is imbalanced resulting in a decreased regenerative

Increase of infiltrating monocytes in the livers of patients with chronic liver diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Rui; Wu, Hongyan; Liu, Yong; Yang, Chenchen; Pan, Zhiyun; Xia, Juan; Xiong, Yali; Wang, Guiyang; Sun, Zhenhua; Chen, Jun; Yan, Xiaomin; Zhang, Zhaoping; Wu, Chao

2016-01-01

Infiltrating monocytes have been demonstrated to contribute to tissue damage in experimental models of liver injury and fibrosis. However, less is known about monocyte infiltration in the livers of patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). In the present study, we demonstrated that CD68+ hepatic macrophages and MAC387+ infiltrating monocytes were significantly increased in the livers of CLD patients with different etiologies as compared with normal liver tissue. In addition, CLD patients with higher inflammatory grading scores had more CD68+ macrophages and MAC387+ monocytes infiltration in their livers compared to those with lower scores. Significantly more MAC387+ infiltrating monocytes were found in the liver tissue of CLD patients with higher fibrotic staging scores compared to those with lower scores. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression was significantly increased in the livers of CLD patients with different etiologies. MCP-1 staining scores were significantly positively associated with the numbers of MAC387+ infiltrating monocytes in CLD patients. Taken together, our results demonstrate that infiltrating monocytes may play a pathological role in exacerbating chronic liver inflammation and fibrosis in CLD. MCP-1 may be involved in the monocyte infiltration and progression of liver inflammation and fibrosis in CLD.

Liver Transplantation in the Mouse: Insights Into Liver Immunobiology, Tissue Injury and Allograft Tolerance

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Yokota, Shinichiro; Yoshida, Osamu; Ono, Yoshihiro; Geller, David A.; Thomson, Angus W.

2016-01-01

The surgically-demanding mouse orthotopic liver transplant model was first described in 1991. It has proved a powerful research tool for investigation of liver biology, tissue injury, the regulation of alloimmunity and tolerance induction and the pathogenesis of specific liver diseases. Liver transplantation in mice has unique advantages over transplantation of the liver in larger species, such as the rat or pig, since the mouse genome is well-characterized and there is much greater availability of both genetically-modified animals and research reagents. Liver transplant experiments using various transgenic or gene knockout mice has provided valuable mechanistic insights into the immuno- and pathobiology of the liver and the regulation of graft rejection and tolerance over the past 25 years. The molecular pathways identified in regulation of tissue injury and promotion of liver transplant tolerance provide new potential targets for therapeutic intervention to control adverse inflammatory responses/ immune-mediated events in the hepatic environment and systemically. Conclusion: Orthotopic liver transplantation in the mouse is a valuable model for gaining improved insights into liver biology, immunopathology and allograft tolerance that may result in therapeutic innovation in liver and other diseases. PMID:26709949

Liver spots

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... skin changes - liver spots; Senile or solar lentigines; Skin spots - aging; Age spots ... Liver spots are changes in skin color that occur in older skin. The coloring may be due to aging, exposure to the sun ...

Impact of donor and recipient single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL28B rs8099917 in living donor liver transplantation for hepatitis C.

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Nobuhiro Harada

Full Text Available Single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin-28B (IL28B rs8099917 are reported to be associated with virologic clearance in interferon-and ribavirin -based treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV-infected patients. We examined virologic response in accordance with IL28B polymorphisms in our living donor liver transplantation series under a preemptive interferon and RBV treatment approach. Adequate DNA samples from both the recipient and donor for the study of single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL28B were available from 96 cases and were the subjects of the present study. Various clinical factors related with virologic response including early virologic response (EVR and sustained virologic response (SVR were examined. Totally 51% presented with EVR and 44% achieved SVR. Presence of the major allele (TT in either the recipient or the donor corresponded to SVR of 53% and 48%. Presence of the minor allele (TG or GG corresponded to SVR of 26% and 32%. Multivariate analysis revealed that genotype of HCV or EVR, but not IL28B polymorphisms in either the recipient or donor, was an independent factor for achieving SVR. When virologic response to treatment was incorporated into analysis, the impact of IL28B polymorphism on virological clearance remained relative to other factors and was not significantly independent.

Defining normal liver stiffness range in a normal healthy Chinese population without liver disease.

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James Fung

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: For patients with chronic liver disease, different optimal liver stiffness cut-off values correspond to different stages of fibrosis, which are specific for the underlying liver disease and population. AIMS: To establish the normal ranges of liver stiffness in the healthy Chinese population without underlying liver disease. METHODS: This is a prospective cross sectional study of 2,528 healthy volunteers recruited from the general population and the Red Cross Transfusion Center in Hong Kong. All participants underwent a comprehensive questionnaire survey, measurement of weight, height, and blood pressure. Fasting liver function tests, glucose and cholesterol was performed. Abdominal ultrasound and transient elastography were performed on all participants. RESULTS: Of the 2,528 subjects, 1,998 were excluded with either abnormal liver parenchyma on ultrasound, chronic medical condition, abnormal blood tests including liver enzymes, fasting glucose, fasting cholesterol, high body mass index, high blood pressure, or invalid liver stiffness scan. The reference range for the 530 subjects without known liver disease was 2.3 to 5.9 kPa (mean 4.1, SD 0.89. The median liver stiffness was higher in males compared with females (4.3 vs 4.0 kPa respectively, p55 years (p=0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The healthy reference range for liver stiffness in the Chinese population is 2.3 to 5.9 kPa. Female gender and older age group was associated with a lower median liver stiffness.

Nuclear medicine liver function tests for pregnant women and children. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krumbiegel, P.; Faust, H.; Moebius, G.; Hirschberg, K.; Guenther, K.; Schneider, G.

1985-01-01

Stable isotopes, such as 13 C, should be substituted for the long-lived radionuclide 14 C in the 14 C breath test when doing liver function tests in children and pregnant women. For comparison 13 C, 15 N-methacetin and 14 C-methacetin were synthesized as suitable diagnostic agents. Methods are described for the measurement of 14 C and 13 C in the breath. After oral administration of labelled methacetin to healthy subjects and patients with liver diseases a good correspondence between 13 C- and 14 C-measurements in the same subject on the one hand, and a good discrimination between controls and patients on the other hand were shown. Findings with regard to 14 C measurements in urine are discussed supporting the supposed advantage of 13 C-methacetin over 14 C-methacetin application. (orig.)

Comparative Study of Human Liver Ferritin and Chicken Liver by Moessbauer Spectroscopy. Preliminary Results

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Oshtrakh, M. I. [Ural State Technical University - UPI, Division of Applied Biophysics, Faculty of Physical Techniques and Devices for Quality Control (Russian Federation); Milder, O. B.; Semionkin, V. A. [Ural State Technical University - UPI, Faculty of Experimental Physics (Russian Federation); Prokopenko, P. G. [Russian State Medical University, Faculty of Biochemistry (Russian Federation); Malakheeva, L. I. [Simbio Holding, Science Consultation Department (Russian Federation)

2004-12-15

A comparative study of normal human liver ferritin and livers from normal chicken and chicken with Marek disease was made by Moessbauer spectroscopy. Small differences of quadrupole splitting and isomer shift were found for human liver ferritin and chicken liver. Moessbauer parameters for liver from normal chicken and chicken with Marek disease were the same.

Comparative Study of Human Liver Ferritin and Chicken Liver by Moessbauer Spectroscopy. Preliminary Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oshtrakh, M. I.; Milder, O. B.; Semionkin, V. A.; Prokopenko, P. G.; Malakheeva, L. I.

2004-01-01

A comparative study of normal human liver ferritin and livers from normal chicken and chicken with Marek disease was made by Moessbauer spectroscopy. Small differences of quadrupole splitting and isomer shift were found for human liver ferritin and chicken liver. Moessbauer parameters for liver from normal chicken and chicken with Marek disease were the same.

Candida (Torulopsis glabrata) liver abscesses eight years after orthotopic liver transplantation.

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Annunziata, G M; Blackstone, M; Hart, J; Piper, J; Baker, A L

1997-04-01

The authors report the case of a 48-year-old man in whom candida (Torulopsis glabrata) liver abscesses developed 8 years after liver transplantation. After a week of fever, computed tomography and Doppler ultrasonography showed several fluid-filled loculations in the left lobe of the liver and hepatic arterial stenosis. Aspirates from the abscesses contained T. glabrata organisms. This complication probably developed because hepatic arterial stenosis resulted in bile infarcts (bilomas), which were contaminated via the biliary tract with candida from the biliary-enteric anastomosis. Catheter drainage and administration of amphotericin B for 10 weeks permitted successful retransplantation. T. glabrata liver abscesses, a life threatening complication that can occur long after liver transplantation, can be successfully managed by aggressive medical treatment followed by retransplantation.

Hypochondria as an actual neurosis.

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Nissen, Bernd

2017-09-27

Freud defined hypochondria as an actual neurosis. In this paper the actual neurosis will be interpreted as unbound traumatic elements which threaten the self. In severe hypochondria, breakdowns have occurred, as outlined by Winnicott. The nameless traumatic elements of the breakdown have been encapsulated. The moment these encapsulated elements are liberated, an actual dynamic takes place which threatens the self with annihilation. Projective identification is not possible because no idea of containment exists. The self tries to evacuate these elements projectively, thus triggering a disintegrative regression. However, the object of this projection, which becomes a malign introject, is felt to remove the remaining psychical elements, forcing the worthless residue back into the self. In a final re-introjection, the self is threatened by unintegration. To save the self, these elements are displaced into an organ which becomes hypochondriacal, an autistoid object, protecting itself against unintegration and decomposition. An autistoid dynamic develops between the hypochondriac organ, the ego and the introject. Two short clinical vignettes illustrate the regressive dynamical and metapsychological considerations. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

Impaired lipid accumulation in the liver of Tsc2-heterozygous mice during liver regeneration

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Obayashi, Yoko, E-mail: youko_oobayashi@ajinomoto.com [Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA (United States); Campbell, Jean S.; Fausto, Nelson [Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA (United States); Yeung, Raymond S. [Department of Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA (United States)

2013-07-19

Highlights: •Tuberin phosphorylation correlated with mTOR activation in early liver regeneration. •Liver regeneration in the Tsc2+/− mice was not enhanced. •The Tsc2+/− livers failed to accumulate lipid bodies during liver regeneration. •Mortality rate increased in Tsc2+/− mice after partial hepatectomy. •Tuberin plays a critical role in hepatic lipid accumulation to support regeneration. -- Abstract: Tuberin is a negative regulator of mTOR pathway. To investigate the function of tuberin during liver regeneration, we performed 70% hepatectomy on wild-type and Tsc2+/− mice. We found the tuberin phosphorylation correlated with mTOR activation during early liver regeneration in wild-type mice. However, liver regeneration in the Tsc2+/− mice was not enhanced. Instead, the Tsc2+/− livers failed to accumulate lipid bodies, and this was accompanied by increased mortality. These findings suggest that tuberin plays a critical role in liver energy balance by regulating hepatocellular lipid accumulation during early liver regeneration. These effects may influence the role of mTORC1 on cell growth and proliferation.

Coffee and Liver Disease.

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Wadhawan, Manav; Anand, Anil C

2016-03-01

Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world. Consumption of coffee has been shown to benefit health in general, and liver health in particular. This article reviews the effects of coffee intake on development and progression of liver disease due to various causes. We also describe the putative mechanisms by which coffee exerts the protective effect. The clinical evidence of benefit of coffee consumption in Hepatitis B and C, as well as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease, has also been presented. Coffee consumption is associated with improvement in liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and GGTP), especially in individuals with risk for liver disease. Coffee intake more than 2 cups per day in patients with preexisting liver disease has been shown to be associated with lower incidence of fibrosis and cirrhosis, lower hepatocellular carcinoma rates, as well as decreased mortality.

Proton MR spectroscopic features of liver cirrhosis : comparing with normal liver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Soon Gu; Choi, Won; Kim, Young Soo; Kim, Mi Young; Jee, Keum Nahn; Lee, Kyung Hee; Suh, Chang Hae

2000-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the proton MR spectroscopic features of liver cirrhosis and the different proton MR spectroscopic features between liver cirrhosis and the normal human liver by comparing the two different conditions. The investigation involved 30 cases of in-vivo proton MR spectra obtained from 15 patients with liver cirrhosis demonstrated on the basis of radiologic and clinical findings, and from 15 normal volunteers without a past or current history of liver disease. MR spectroscopy involved the use of 1.5T GESigna Horizon system (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, U. S. A.) with body coil. STEAM (STimulated Echo-Acquisition Mode) with 3000/30 msec of TR/TE was used for signal acquisition; patients were in the prone position and respiration was not interrupted. Cases were assigned to either the cirrhosis or normal group, and using the proton MR spectra of cases of in each group, peak changes occurring in lipids (at 1.3 ppm), glutamate and glutamine (at 2.4-2.5 ppm), phosphomonoesters (at 3.0-3.1 ppm), and glycogen and glucose (at 3.4-3.9 ppm) were evaluated. Mean and standard deviation of the ratio of glutamate + glutamine/lipids, phosphomonoesters/lipids, glycogen + glucose/lipids were calculated from the area of their peaks. The ratio of various metabolites to lipid content was compared between the normal and cirrhosis group. The main characteristic change in proton MR spectra in cases of liver cirrhosis compared with normal liver was decreased relative intensity of lipid peak. Mean and standard deviation of ratio of glutamate + glutamine/lipids, phosphomonoesters /lipids, glycogen + glucose /lipid calculated from the area of their peaks of normal and cirrhotic liver were 0.0204 ±0.0067 and 0.0693 ±0.0371 (p less than 0.05), 0.0146 ± 0.0090 and 0.0881 ±0.0276 (p less than 0.05), 0.0403 ± 0.0267 and 0.2325 ± 0.1071 (p less than 0.05), respectively The other characteristic feature of proton MR spectra of liver cirrhosis was the peak

Environmental Toxin Screening Using Human-Derived 3D Bioengineered Liver and Cardiac Organoids

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Steven D. Forsythe

2018-04-01

Full Text Available IntroductionEnvironmental toxins, such as lead and other heavy metals, pesticides, and other compounds, represent a significant health concern within the USA and around the world. Even in the twenty-first century, a plethora of cities and towns in the U.S. have suffered from exposures to lead in drinking water or other heavy metals in food or the earth, while there is a high possibility of further places to suffer such exposures in the near future.MethodsWe employed bioengineered 3D human liver and cardiac organoids to screen a panel of environmental toxins (lead, mercury, thallium, and glyphosate, and charted the response of the organoids to these compounds. Liver and cardiac organoids were exposed to lead (10 µM–10 mM, mercury (200 nM–200 µM, thallium (10 nM–10 µM, or glyphosate (25 µM–25 mM for a duration of 48 h. The impacts of toxin exposure were then assessed by LIVE/DEAD viability and cytotoxicity staining, measuring ATP activity and determining IC50 values, and determining changes in cardiac organoid beating activity.ResultsAs expected, all of the toxins induced toxicity in the organoids. Both ATP and LIVE/DEAD assays showed toxicity in both liver and cardiac organoids. In particular, thallium was the most toxic, with IC50 values of 13.5 and 1.35 µM in liver and cardiac organoids, respectively. Conversely, glyphosate was the least toxic of the four compounds, with IC50 values of 10.53 and 10.85 mM in liver and cardiac organoids, respectively. Additionally, toxins had a negative influence on cardiac organoid beating activity as well. Thallium resulting in the most significant decreases in beating rate, followed by mercury, then glyphosate, and finally, lead. These results suggest that the 3D organoids have significant utility to be deployed in additional toxicity screening applications, and future development of treatments to mitigate exposures.Conclusion3D organoids have significant utility to be

A new formula for estimation of standard liver volume using computed tomography-measured body thickness.

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Ma, Ka Wing; Chok, Kenneth S H; Chan, Albert C Y; Tam, Henry S C; Dai, Wing Chiu; Cheung, Tan To; Fung, James Y Y; Lo, Chung Mau

2017-09-01

The objective of this article is to derive a more accurate and easy-to-use formula for finding estimated standard liver volume (ESLV) using novel computed tomography (CT) measurement parameters. New formulas for ESLV have been emerging that aim to improve the accuracy of estimation. However, many of these formulas contain body surface area measurements and logarithms in the equations that lead to a more complicated calculation. In addition, substantial errors in ESLV using these old formulas have been shown. An improved version of the formula for ESLV is needed. This is a retrospective cohort of consecutive living donor liver transplantations from 2005 to 2016. Donors were randomly assigned to either the formula derivation or validation groups. Total liver volume (TLV) measured by CT was used as the reference for a linear regression analysis against various patient factors. The derived formula was compared with the existing formulas. There were 722 patients (197 from the derivation group, 164 from the validation group, and 361 from the recipient group) involved in the study. The donor's body weight (odds ratio [OR], 10.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.25-13.60; P Liver Transplantation 23 1113-1122 2017 AASLD. © 2017 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Protection of lethally irradiated mice with allogeneic fetal liver cells: influence of irradiation dose on immunologic reconstitution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tulunay, O.; Good, R.A.; Yunis, E.J.

1975-01-01

After lethal irradiation long-lived, immunologically vigorous C3Hf mice were produced by treatment with syngeneic fetal liver cells or syngeneic newborn or adult spleen cells. Treatment of lethally irradiated mice with syngeneic or allogeneic newborn thymus cells or allogeneic newborn or adult spleen cells regularly led to fatal secondary disease or graft-versus-host reactions. Treatment of the lethally irradiated mice with fetal liver cells regularly yielded long-lived, immunologically vigorous chimeras. The introduction of the fetal liver cells into the irradiated mice appeared to be followed by development of immunological tolerance of the donor cells. The findings suggest that T-cells at an early stage of differentiation are more susceptible to tolerance induction than are T-lymphocytes at later stages of differentiation. These investigations turned up a perplexing paradox which suggests that high doses of irradiation may injure the thymic stroma, rendering it less capable of supporting certain T-cell populations in the peripheral lymphoid tissue. Alternatively, the higher and not the lower dose of irradiation may have eliminated a host cell not readily derived from fetal liver precursors which represents an important helper cell in certain cell-mediated immune functions, e.g., graft-versus-host reactions, but which is not important in others, e.g., allograft rejections. The higher dose of lethal irradiation did not permit development or maintenance of a population of spleen cells that could initiate graft-versus-host reactions but did permit the development of a population of donor cells capable of achieving vigorous allograft rejection

Actual imaging time in fetal MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brugger, Peter C.; Prayer, Daniela

2012-01-01

Objective: Safety issues in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are important, especially in fetal MRI. However, since basic data with respect of the effective exposure time in fetal MRI are not available, this study aimed to determine the actual imaging time during a fetal MRI study. Methods: 100 fetal MRI studies of singleton pregnancies performed on a 1.5 T system were analysed with respect to study duration (from starting the survey scan until the end of study), the number of sequences acquired, and the actual imaging time, which was calculated by adding up scan time of each sequence. Furthermore, each sequence type was analysed regarding the number of acquisitions, specific absorption rates (SAR), and duration. Results: Mean study duration was 34.6 min (range: 14–58 min; standard deviation (SD): 9.7 min), the average number of sequences acquired was 26.6 (range: 11–44, SD: 6.6). Actual scan time averaged 11.4 min (range: 4–19 min, SD: 4.0 min). Ultrafast T2-weighted and steady-state free-precession sequences accounted for 62.3% of actual scan time, and were distributed over the whole duration of the study. Conclusion: Actual imaging time only accounts for 33% of total study time and is not continuous. The remaining time is consumed by the preparation phases of the scanner, and is spent with planning sequences and the eventual repositioning of the coil and/or pregnant woman. These data may help to more accurately estimate the exposure to radiofrequency deposition and noise during fetal MRI studies.

Impact of liver fibrosis and fatty liver on T1rho measurements: A prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Shuang Shuang; Li, Qing; Cheng, Yue; Shen, Wen; Zhang, Yu; Zhuo, Zhi Zheng; Zhao, Guiming

2017-01-01

To investigate the liver T1rho values for detecting fibrosis, and the potential impact of fatty liver on T1rho measurements. This study included 18 healthy subjects, 18 patients with fatty liver, and 18 patients with liver fibrosis, who underwent T1rho MRI and mDIXON collections. Liver T1rho, proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and T2* values were measured and compared among the three groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the T1rho values for detecting liver fibrosis. Liver T1rho values were correlated with PDFF, T2* values and clinical data. Liver T1rho and PDFF values were significantly different (p 0.05). T1rho MRI is useful for noninvasive detection of liver fibrosis, and may not be affected with the presence of fatty liver

Observation of Liver Color Scan

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Choe, Y K; Ahn, S B [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1969-09-15

In the past few years, scintigraphy has become increasingly important in clinical practice, and the use of a color-printing technique has permitted a more accurate interpretation of the scan image. Our liver color scintigrams consist of 51 hepatomas, 35 liver cirrhosis, 22 liver abscesses, 10 hepatitis and other 13 cases of the liver diseases which were clinically and pathologically diagnosed at Severance Hospital, Yonsei Univ. since Feb. 1969 through Sept. 1969. These scintigrams have been analyzed in terms of various pathologic morphology, such as size, shape, margin of the liver, distribution of radioactivity, and shape of the space occupying lesions. The results are as follows: 1) Enlargement of the liver was the most common finding in the diseased livers. The Rt. lobe enlargement was particularly prominent in the liver abscess. 2) Irregular distribution of radioactivity in the liver (so called mottling) was present in 78% of hepatoma, while it was seen only in 31% of liver abscesses. 3) Liver cirrhosis tends to show perihilar accumulation of the isotope (57%). 4) The deformity of the lower most angle of the Rt. lobe, and the Lt. lateral margin of the Lt. lobe was also impressive throughout the cases (74-95% of all diseased livers). 5) The frequency of visualization of the spleen was influenced by the size of space occupying lesions and the amount of functioning liver. 6) Differentiation between the liver abscess and hepatoma seems to be possible on scintigram, when shape an margin of defect and patterns of distribution of radioactivity in the remaining liver are clearly demonstrated.

Observation of Liver Color Scan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choe, Y. K.; Ahn, S. B.

1969-01-01

In the past few years, scintigraphy has become increasingly important in clinical practice, and the use of a color-printing technique has permitted a more accurate interpretation of the scan image. Our liver color scintigrams consist of 51 hepatomas, 35 liver cirrhosis, 22 liver abscesses, 10 hepatitis and other 13 cases of the liver diseases which were clinically and pathologically diagnosed at Severance Hospital, Yonsei Univ. since Feb. 1969 through Sept. 1969. These scintigrams have been analyzed in terms of various pathologic morphology, such as size, shape, margin of the liver, distribution of radioactivity, and shape of the space occupying lesions. The results are as follows: 1) Enlargement of the liver was the most common finding in the diseased livers. The Rt. lobe enlargement was particularly prominent in the liver abscess. 2) Irregular distribution of radioactivity in the liver (so called mottling) was present in 78% of hepatoma, while it was seen only in 31% of liver abscesses. 3) Liver cirrhosis tends to show perihilar accumulation of the isotope (57%). 4) The deformity of the lower most angle of the Rt. lobe, and the Lt. lateral margin of the Lt. lobe was also impressive throughout the cases (74-95% of all diseased livers). 5) The frequency of visualization of the spleen was influenced by the size of space occupying lesions and the amount of functioning liver. 6) Differentiation between the liver abscess and hepatoma seems to be possible on scintigram, when shape an margin of defect and patterns of distribution of radioactivity in the remaining liver are clearly demonstrated.

Computational Modeling in Liver Surgery

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