Liver ischemia/reperfusion injury has been extensively studied during the last decades and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many clinical entities following hepatic surgery and transplantation. Apart from its pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the organ's post reperfusion injury, it has also been proposed as an underlying mechanism responsible for the dysfunction and injury of other organs as well. It seems that liver ischemia and reperfusion represent an event with “global” consequences that influence the function of many remote organs including the lung, kidney, intestine, pancreas, adrenals, and myocardium among others. The molecular and clinical manifestation of these remote organs injury may lead to the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, frequently encountered in these patients. Remote organ injury seems to be in part the result of the oxidative burst and the inflammatory response following reperfusion. The present paper aims to review the existing literature regarding the proposed mechanisms of remote organ injury after liver ischemia and reperfusion.

No abstract

The tumorigenic role of miR-21 and miR-155 was confirmed, whereas down-regulation of miR-31, miR-145, and miR-146a, in dispute with current literature, renders necessary the revision of use of microRNAs as biological markers.

None of the three surgical strategies for synchronous colorectal liver metastases appeared inferior to the others.

The field of microRNAs promises novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background: One-fifth of patients with a preoperative diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) have invasive breast cancer (IBC) on definitive histology. Sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) is performed in almost half of women having surgery for DCIS in Sweden. The aim of the present study was to try to minimize unnecessary SLND by injecting superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles at the time of primary breast surgery, enabling SLND to be performed later, if IBC is found in the primary specimen.Methods: Women with DCIS at high risk for the presence of invasion undergoing breast conservation, and patients with DCIS undergoing mastectomy were included. The primary outcome was whether this technique could reduce SLND. Secondary outcomes were number of SLNDs avoided, detection rate and procedure-related costs.Results: This was a preplanned interim analysis of 189 procedures. IBC was found in 47 and a secondary SLND was performed in 41 women. Thus, 78⋅3 per cent of patients avoided SLND (P < 0⋅001). At reoperation, SPIO plus blue dye outperformed isotope and blue dye in detection of the sentinel node (40 of 40 versus 26 of 40 women; P < 0⋅001). Costs were reduced by a mean of 24⋅5 per cent in women without IBC (€3990 versus 5286; P < 0⋅001).Conclusion: Marking the sentinel node with SPIO in women having surgery for DCIS was effective at avoiding unnecessary SLND in this study. Registration number: ISRCTN18430240

No abstract

The data favours a protective role of pre-/peri-LT colectomy in rPSC but the current evidence is not strong enough to recommend routine colectomy for rPSC prevention.