Background/Aims: Intraoperative blood loss is still a major concern for surgeons operating on the liver since it is associated with a significantly higher rate of postoperative complications and shorter long-term survival. An original radiofrequency (RF)-assisted minimal blood loss technique for transecting liver parenchyma is presented. Methods: In a prospective study, starting November 2001 and ending December 2005, a total of 90 RF-assisted liver resections were done. Pre-cut coagulative desiccation was produced by the Cool-tip™ (Valleylab, Tyco) water-cooled, single, RF tumor ablation electrode connected to a 480-kHz 200 W generator (Valleylab Cool-tip™ RF System). Vascular occlusion techniques and low central venous pressure anesthesia were not used. Results: Only 14 (15.5%) patients received blood transfusion (mean transfused blood volume 397 ml; mode 310 ml) and 10 of 14 patients received <310 ml of blood. There was no statistical difference between the patients who underwent major and minor liver resection in frequency of blood transfusion. Blood loss was associated with dense adhesions and difficult liver mobilization and not with liver transection. Conclusion: The ‘sequential coagulate-cut’ RF-assisted liver resection technique is a safe liver transection technique associated with minimal blood loss and it has facilitated tissue-sparing liver resection.
Nutritional and immunological status of patients with obstructive jaundice is usually severely altered, with high mortality rates. The n-3 polyunsaturate fatty acids (PUFA), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3), posess potent immunomodulatory activities. Thus, our aim was to compare the plasma phospholipid fatty acid (FA) composition of these patients with healthy subjects, as well as before and after 7 days preoperative supplementation with high doses of EPA (0.9 g per day) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3, 0.6 g per day). We found impaired FA status in obstructive jaundice patients, especially EPA, DHA and PUFA, but significantly increased content of total n-3 FA, 22:5 n-3 FA and particularly EPA, which increased more than 3 fold, after 7 days supplementation. In addition, the n6/n3 ratio significantly decreased from 14.24 to 10.24, demonstrating severely improved plasma phospholipid profile in these patients after the intervention.
Background. The occurrence of independent synchronous esophageal carcinoma in patients with grossly invasive esophageal cancer (GEC) is well known. Although multiple primary carcinoma of the esophagus is not uncommon, the exact prevalence is controversial, and its clinicopathologic features remain relatively unknown. Methods. Fifty‐four patients with squamous cell GEC who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy with systematic lymphadenectomy between 1987 and 1991 at the Institute for Digestive Diseases, Belgrade University Clinical Center, were included in the study. Results. Detailed histopathologic examination of the esophagus resected for squamous cell carcinoma was performed in 54 patients and revealed 17 patients (31%) with associated cancer independent of the main tumor. The second lesion was significantly less invasive than the main tumor. There was no significant difference (P = 0.06) in sex, age, main tumor site, tumor differentiation, tumor diameter, lymph node involvement, or tumor stage between patients with multiple cancer and patients with solitary cancer, but there was a significant difference in the depth of invasion (P > 0.01). The tumor stage in patients with multiple cancer was determined by the main tumor stage and was not influenced by the associated lesion. The prevalence of multiple primary cancer of the esophagus is lower in other reports than in this series. Conclusions. The patients in this study had significantly more invasive main tumors. It seems likely that a higher prevalence of multiple cancer may be expected in patients with advanced main tumor penetration. These results support the concept that the entire esophagus may be considered as one entity of field cancerogenesis. Cancer 1994; 73:2687–90.
PurposeThe aim of the study was to evaluate a prognostic value of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on long-term survival of cirrhotic and noncirrhotic hepatocellular cancer (HCC) patients managed by a curative-intent liver surgery in a developing country.Patients and methodsDuring the study period between November 1, 2001, and December 31, 2012, 109 patients underwent potentially curative hepatectomy for HCC. Data were retrospectively reviewed from the prospectively collected database. The median follow-up was 25 months. NLR was estimated by dividing an absolute neutrophil count by an absolute lymphocyte count from the differential blood count. Receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to assess the ability of NLR to predict long-term outcomes and to determine an optimal cutoff value for all patients group, the subgroup with cirrhosis, and the subgroup without cirrhosis. The optimal cutoff values were 1.28, 1.28, and 2.09, respectively.ResultsThe overall 3- and 5-year survival rates were 49% and 45%, respectively, for low NLR group and 38% and 26%, respectively, for high NLR group. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.015). Overall survival was similar between low and high NLR groups in patients with cirrhosis; no difference was found between the groups (p=0.124). In patients without cirrhosis, low NLR group had longer overall survival compared with high NLR group (p=0.015). Univariate analysis identified four factors as significant predictors of long-term survival: cirrhosis, Child-Pugh score, platelet count, and NLR. On multivariate analysis, only platelet count and NLR were independent prognostic factors of long-term survival.ConclusionPrognostic value of NLR was confirmed in noncirrhotic HCC patients who underwent curative-intent liver surgery. In HCC patients with cirrhosis, the prognostic role of NLR was not confirmed.
The phenomenon now known as haemobilia was first recorded in XVII century by well known anatomist from Cambridge, Francis Glisson and his description was published in Anatomia Hepatis in 1654. Until today etiology, clinical presentation and management are clearly defined. Haemobilia is a rare clinical condition that has to be considered in differential diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. In Western countries, the leading cause of haemobilia is hepatic trauma with bleeding from an intrahepatic branch of the hepatic artery into a biliary duct (mostly iatrogenic in origin, e.g. needle biopsy of the liver or percutaneous cholangiography). Less common causes include hepatic neoplasm; rupture of a hepatic artery aneurysm, hepatic abscess, choledocholithiasis and in the Orient, additional causes include ductal parasitism by Ascaris lumbricoides and Oriental cholangiohepatitis. Clinical presentation of heamobilia includes one symptom and two signs (Quinke triad): a. upper abdominal pain, b. upper gastrointestinal bleeding and c. jaundice. The complications of haemobilia are uncommon and include pancreatitis, cholecystitis and cholangitis. Investigation of haemobilia depends on clinical presentation. For patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding oesophagogastroduodenoscopy is the first investigation choice. The presence of blood clot at the papilla of Vater clearly indicates the bleeding from biliary tree. Other investigations include CT and angiography. The management of haemobilia is directed at stopping bleeding and relieving biliary obstruction. Today, transarterial embolization is the golden standard in the management of heamobilia and if it fails further management is surgical.
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