AIMTo treated with electrochemotherapy (ECT) a prospective case series of patients with liver cirrhosis and Vp3-Vp4- portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in order to evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of this new non thermal ablative technique in those patients.METHODSSix patients (5 males and 1 female), aged 61-85 years (mean age, 70 years), four in Child-Pugh A and two in Child-Pugh B class, entered our study series. All patients were studied with three-phase computed tomography (CT), contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and ultrasound-guided percutaneous biopsy of the thrombus before ECT. All patients underwent ECT treatment (Cliniporator Vitae®, IGEA SpA, Carpi, Modena, Italy) of Vp3-Vp4 PVTT in a single session. At the end of the procedure a post-treatment biopsy of the thrombus was performed. Scheduled follow-up in all patients entailed: CEUS within 24 h after treatment; triphasic contrast-enhanced CT and CEUS at 3 mo after treatment and every six months thereafter.RESULTSPost-treatment CEUS showed complete absence of enhancement of the treated thrombus in all cases. Post-treatment biopsy showed apoptosis and necrosis of tumor cells in all cases. The follow-up ranged from 9 to 20 mo (median, 14 mo). In 2 patients, the follow-up CT and CEUS demonstrated complete patency of the treated portal vein. Other 3 patients showed a persistent avascular non-tumoral shrinked thrombus at CEUS and CT during follow-up. No local recurrence was observed at follow-up CT and CEUS in 5/6 patients. One patient was lost to follow-up because of death from gastrointestinal hemorrage 5 wk after ECT.CONCLUSIONIn patients with cirrhosis, ECT seems effective and safe for curative treatment of Vp3-Vp4 PVTT from HCC.

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We will present our experience and our preliminary data about the correlation between cardiac calcification and QT interval (and QT dispersion) in uraemia. We studied 32 haemodialysis (HD) patients (age 69 ± 16 years, time on dialysis 32 ± 27 months) and 12 chronic kidney disease stage 4 (CKD-4) patients (age 66 ± 17 years, uraemia duration 38 ± 16 months). The patients were characterized by a good mineral control, as shown by serum phosphate levels (3.6 ± 1.3 mg/dl in CKD-4 and 4.3 ± 1.6 mg/dl in HD patients) and Ca × P product (46 ± 17 and 49 ± 16 mg²/dl², respectively). The parathyroid hormone levels were higher in HD than CKD-4 patients (p < 0.0001). A TC score >400 was found to be highly prevalent in both groups. Significantly more HD patients (62.5%) showed cardiac calcification than CKD-4 patients (33%; p = 0.01). The patients were matched for TC scores higher or lower than 400. The two groups differed by gender (p < 0.05), age (p = 0.026), frequency of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.01), uraemia follow-up period (p < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (p = 0.009), Ca × P product (p = 0.002), parathyroid hormone level (p < 0.0001), and corrected QT dispersion (p < 0.0001). The QT interval was higher in HD and CKD-4 patients with higher TC scores (approximately 11%), but QT interval dispersion was significantly higher in patients with TC scores >400. QT dispersion showed a linear correlation with TC scores in both groups (r = 0.899 and p < 0.0001 and r = 0.901 and p < 0.0001). Male gender, age, time (months) of uraemia, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, albumin, calcium × phosphorus product, parathyroid hormone, and TC score are important determinants of QT dispersion. Our data show that it is possible to link dysrhythmias and cardiac calcification in uraemic patients.

Thin-section single-phase MDCT is an accurate technique for the diagnosis and assessment of resectability in patients with a suspected pancreatic neoplasm. This technique provides optimal tumor-to-pancreas contrast and maximal pancreatic parenchymal and peripancreatic vascular enhancement. It allows visualization of the entire liver and the whole upper abdomen during the portal phase for accurate identification of liver metastases and peritoneal seeding.

IntroductionSolid pseudopapillary Carcinoma (SPC) is a rare pancreatic Tumor with variable, usually low, malignancy potential. Howewer, several SPC are associated with aggressive behavior, local vascular infiltration, organ invasion, distant metastasis, and can be unresectable. Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) is an emerging non-thermal ablation technique for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma. We report the results of four year disease-free follow-up in a case of locally advanced unresectable SPC treated with IRE.Presentation of caseA 24-year female patient with SPC of the pancreas underwent IRE during laparotomy under general anesthesia with intubation. Computed Tomography (CT) showed complete tumor thrombosis of splenic vein, encasement of celiac artery and mesenteric vein. Six insertions of 3–4 electrodes per insertion were performed. One month-CT-control showed shrinkage of the tumor. 6 months-post-treatment imaging showed complete regression of the mass, patent Splenic/mesenteric veins, absence of local recurrence or distant metastasis. Post treatment CTs at 12-18-24-30-36-42-48 months follow-up confirmed absence of local or distant recurrence.DiscussionSurgery is the first choice curative treatment of SPC. Howewer aggressive surgery (duodeno-pancreasectomy) in unresectable cases, may have a high risk of recurrences, morbidities and death, and bring concerns about endocrine and exocrine insufficiency in a young patient. In these cases, IRE could be a safe and effective alternative treatment and could realize, in selected cases, the condition for a radical surgery, and a bridge to R-0 resection.ConclusionsIRE could represent an effective alternative therapy to surgery in local advanced, unresectable SPC.