BACKGROUNDProspective study of 200 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that underwent liver transplant (LT) after drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) for downstaging versus bridging. Overall survival and tumor recurrence rates were calculated, eligibility for LT, time on the waiting list and radiological response were compared. After TACE, only patients within Milan Criteria (MC) were transplanted. More patients underwent LT in bridging group. Five-year post-transplant overall survival, recurrence-free survival has no difference between the groups. Complete response was observed more frequently in bridging group. Patients in DS group can achieve post-transplant survival and HCC recurrence-free probability, at five years, just like patients within MC in patients undergoing DEB-TACE.AIMTo determine long-term outcomes of patients with HCC that underwent LT after DEB-TACE for downstaging vs bridging.METHODSProspective cohort study of 200 patients included from April 2011 through June 2014. Bridging group included patients within MC. Downstaging group (out of MC) was divided in 5 subgroups (G1 to G5). Total tumor diameter was ≤ 8 cm for G1, 2, 3, 4 (n = 42) and was > 8 cm for G5 (n = 22). Downstaging (n = 64) and bridging (n = 136) populations were not significantly different. Overall survival and tumor recurrence rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Additionally, eligibility for LT, time on the waiting list until LT and radiological response were compared.RESULTSAfter TACE, only patients within MC were transplanted. More patients underwent LT in bridging group 65.9% (P = 0.001). Downstaging population presented: higher number of nodules 2.81 (P = 0.001); larger total tumor diameter 8.09 (P = 0.001); multifocal HCC 78% (P = 0.001); more post-transplantation recurrence 25% (P = 0.02). Patients with maximal tumor diameter up to 7.05 cm were more likely to receive LT (P = 0.005). Median time on the waiting list was significantly longer in downstaging group 10.6 mo (P = 0.028). Five-year post-transplant overall survival was 73.5% in downstaging and 72.3% bridging groups (P = 0.31), and recurrence-free survival was 62.1% in downstaging and 74.8% bridging groups (P = 0.93). Radiological response: complete response was observed more frequently in bridging group (P = 0.004).CONCLUSIONTumors initially exceeding the MC down-staged after DEB-TACE, can achieve post-transplant survival and HCC recurrence-free probability, at five years, just like patients within MC in patients undergoing DEB-TACE.

Relation of uric acid with components of metabolic syndrome before and after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in morbidly obese subjects Relação do ácido úrico com os componentes da síndrome metabólica antes e após o bypass gástrico com reconstrução em Y-de-Roux em pacientes obesos mórbidos , p = 0,0002). Homens com hiperuricemia foram mais propensos a ter diabetes (p = 0,034) e tinham níveis mais elevados de glicemia de jejum (p = 0,027). Mulheres com hiperuricemia foram mais propensas a ter hipertensão arterial (p = 0,003), síndrome metabólica (p = 0,001), triglicérides elevado (p = 0,001) e GGT (p = 0,009) e diminuição de HDL (p = 0,011). Após a cirurgia, os níveis de ácido úrico diminuíram de 5,60 ± 1,28 para 4,23 ± 1,20 (p < 0,0001). A prevalência de hiperuricemia diminuiu 33,6% para 6,4% (p < 0,0001), em homens de 48,3% para 17,2% (p < 0,0001) e nas mulheres de 29,7% para 3,6% (p < 0,0001). Conclusão: As concentrações de ácido úrico foram associadas com a prevalência de anormalidades metabólicas nesta amostra de pacientes com obesidade mórbida. Além disso, a perda de peso após RYGBP pode reduzir os níveis de ácido úrico e a prevalência de hiperuricemia. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2011;55(1):38-45Descritores Ácido úrico; síndrome metabólica; cirurgia bariátrica

OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular intervention with angioplasty and stent placement in patients with transplant renal artery stenosis.METHODS:All patients diagnosed with transplant renal artery stenosis and graft dysfunction or resistant systemic hypertension who underwent endovascular treatment with stenting from February 2011 to April 2016 were included in this study. The primary endpoint was clinical success, and the secondary endpoints were technical success, complication rate and stent patency.RESULTS:Twenty-four patients with transplant renal artery stenosis underwent endovascular treatment, and three of them required reinterventions, resulting in a total of 27 procedures. The clinical success rate was 100%. All graft dysfunction patients showed decreased serum creatinine levels and improved estimated glomerular filtration rates and creatinine levels. Patients with high blood pressure also showed improved control of systemic blood pressure and decreased use of antihypertensive drugs. The technical success rate of the procedure was 97%. Primary patency and assisted primary patency rates at one year were 90.5% and 100%, respectively. The mean follow-up time of patients was 794.04 days after angioplasty.CONCLUSION:Angioplasty with stent placement for the treatment of transplant renal artery stenosis is a safe and effective technique with good results in both the short and long term.

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Summary: COVID-19 is a recently identified illness that is associated with thromboembolic events. We report a case of pulmonary embolism in a patient with COVID-19, treated by catheter directed thrombectomy. A 57 year old patient presented to the emergency center with severe COVID-19 symptoms and developed massive pulmonary embolism. The patient was treated with catheter directed thrombolysis (CDT) and recovered completely. Coagulopathy associated with COVID-19 is present in all severe cases and is a dynamic process. We describe a case of massive/high risk pulmonary embolism, in a patient with COVID-19 receiving full anticoagulation, who was treated by percutaneous intervention. CDT can be an additional therapeutic option in patients with COVID-19 and pulmonary embolism that present with rapid clinical collapse.

The biochemical recurrence after local treatment for prostate cancer is an often challenging condition of clinical management. The aim of this report is to demonstrate the importance of the association of various imaging methods in the identification and subsequent accurate percutaneous biopsy in patients with recurrence of prostate cancer, especially in unusual sites.An 86 years old male with biochemical recurrence, during radiological investigation a PET-MRI was noted the presence of an asymmetry of the vas deferens with PSMA-68Ga uptaken, suggesting the recurrence. A percutaneous fusion biopsy with PET-MRI and ultrasound was performed using transrectal access using ultrasound confirming infiltrating adenocarcinoma of the wall of the vas deferens, compatible with neoplastic prostate recurrence.The fusion image technique combines the real–time view of the US to the possibility of higher definition and higher specificity, methods more anatomical detail as tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, simultaneously.High resolution acquired in PET / MR associated with image fusion allows orientation procedures, even in areas of difficult access, with greater accuracy than conventional techniques.

A 56-year-old male patient underwent percutaneous biopsy of a nodule in the right lung apex ( Figure 1A). The tip of a 19-gauge coaxial needle was positioned in the posterior chest wall ( Figure 1B), and six samples of the lesion were obtained with a 20-gauge core needle. The pathological analysis revealed squamous cell carcinoma. Using an anterior approach, we performed right upper lobectomy with tumor-free margins. At 6 months of follow-up, a positron emission tomography-CT scan of the chest showed an 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-avid soft tissue mass ( Figure 1C) in the T3-4 interspace, along the biopsy tract, as well as bone erosion of the right third rib posteriorly ( Figure 1D), suggesting tumor seeding. A subsequent CT scan of the chest, obtained two months later, confirmed local disease progression. We then performed en bloc resection with disease-free pleural margins, and the pathological analysis confirmed that tumor seeding had occurred.Tumor seeding along the biopsy route is exceedingly rare. Certain factors, such as the use of large-bore cutting needles, increase the risk of such tumor cell dissemination, that risk also being greater when the tumor is an adenocarcinoma. RECOMMENDED READINGKim JH, Kim YT, Lim HK, Kim YH, Sung SW. Management for chest wall implantation of non-small cell lung cancer after fine-needle aspiration biopsy; Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2003;23(5):828-32. http://dx.doi.

Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with yttrium-90 microspheres is a palliative locoregional treatment, minimally invasive for liver tumors. The neoadjuvant aim of this treatment is still controversial, however, selected cases with lesions initially considered unresectable have been enframed as candidates for curative therapy after hepatic transarterial radioembolization. We report three cases in which the hepatic transarterial radioembolization was used as neoadjuvant therapy in an effective way, allowing posterior potentially curative therapies.