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Liver Transplantation 12/2006; 12(12 Suppl 3):S120-1. · 3.39 Impact Factor
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Charles Miller,
Sander Florman,
Leona Kim-Schluger,
Patrick Lento,
Julia De La Garza,
Josephine Wu,
Boxun Xie,
Wandi Zhang,
Edward Bottone,
David Zhang,
Myron Schwartz
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ABSTRACT: A 57-year-old male with a history of hypercholesterolemia and anxiety but otherwise in good health volunteered to donate the right lobe of his liver to his brother. The operation was performed uneventfully, without transfusion. Postoperatively he did well, until he developed tachycardia, profound hypotension, and coffee ground emesis on postoperative day 3. Despite resuscitative measures, he arrested and expired. Autopsy demonstrated gas gangrene of the stomach as the underlying cause of the hemorrhage and numerous colonies of Gram-positive bacilli were identified. Subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis identified these bacteria to be Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) type D. This patient's death was devastating, both to his family and his medical team. The impact of his death has transcended that of an individual occurrence. In conclusion, herein we present the facts and discuss this extraordinary example of florid clostridial infection and toxin-mediated shock. It was completely unexpected and probably unpreventable, and its cause was almost inconceivable.
Liver Transplantation 11/2004; 10(10):1315-9. · 3.39 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Biliary reconstruction represents one of the most challenging parts of right lobe (RL) living donor liver transplantations (LDLTs). Different causes, surgical techniques, and treatments have been suggested but are incompletely defined.
Between June 1999 and January 2002, 96 RL LDLTs were performed in our center. We reviewed the incidence of biliary complications in all the recipients.
Roux-en-Y reconstruction was performed in 53 cases (55.2%) and duct-to-duct was performed in 39 cases (40.6%). Both procedures were performed in 4 cases (4.2%). Multiple ducts (> or =2) were found in 58 grafts (60.4%). Thirty-nine recipients (40.6%) had 43 biliary complications: 21 had bile leaks, 22 had biliary strictures, and 4 had both complications. Patients with multiple ducts had a higher incidence of bile leaks than those patients with a single duct (P=0.049). No significant differences in complications were found between Roux-en-Y or duct-to-duct reconstructions. Freedom from biliary complications was 59% at 1 year and 55% at 2 years. The overall 1-year and 2-year survival rates for patients were 86% and 81%, respectively. The overall 1-year and 2-year survival rates for grafts were 80% and 77%, respectively. Occurrence of bile leaks affected patient and graft survival (76% and 65% 2-year patient and graft survival, respectively, vs. 89% and 85% for those without biliary leaks, P=0.07).
Despite technical modifications and application of various surgical techniques, biliary complications remain frequent after RL LDLT. Patients with multiple biliary reconstructions had a higher incidence of bile leaks. Patients who developed leaks had lower patient and graft survival rates.
Transplantation 06/2004; 77(12):1842-8. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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Sander Florman,
Thomas Schiano,
Leona Kim,
Dan Maman,
Adam Levay,
Gabriel Gondolesi,
Thomas Fishbein,
Sukru Emre,
Myron Schwartz, Charles Miller,
Patricia Sheiner
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ABSTRACT: Acute cellular rejection (ACR) after liver transplantation occurs in as much as 70% of patients within the first year. There is very little known about ACR that occurs more than 1 yr after transplant, and it is generally believed that late occurring ACR may be more resistant to medical treatment and is associated with a higher rate of chronic ductopenic rejection and graft loss. A total of 532 recipients with more than 1000 d follow-up and who did not have hepatitis C were identified. Forty-three (8.1%) had biopsy proven late ACR at a mean of 1545 +/- 441 d post-transplant. Additionally, 38 of the 43 (88.4%) patients with late ACR had earlier episodes of ACR before 1000 d post-transplant vs. only 295 of the 488 patients (60.5%) that did not have late ACR (p < 0.01). The incidence of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) was 32.6% among patients with late ACR and 11.1% among patients without late ACR (p < 0.01). The overall patient survival for patients who had late ACR (n = 43) is 81.4% while for patients without late ACR (n = 488) it is 82.0% (p = ns). Patients remain at risk for ACR even after 1000 d post-transplant, particularly those with PSC.
Clinical Transplantation 04/2004; 18(2):152-5. · 1.67 Impact Factor
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Sander Florman,
Thomas Schiano,
Leona Kim,
Dan Maman,
Adam Levay,
Gabriel Gondolesi,
Thomas Fishbein,
Sukru Emre,
Myron Schwartz, Charles Miller,
Patricia Sheiner
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ABSTRACT: Acute cellular rejection (ACR) after liver transplantation occurs in as much as 70% of patients within the first year. There is very little known about ACR that occurs more than 1 yr after transplant, and it is generally believed that late occurring ACR may be more resistant to medical treatment and is associated with a higher rate of chronic ductopenic rejection and graft loss. A total of 532 recipients with more than 1000 d follow-up and who did not have hepatitis C were identified. Forty-three (8.1%) had biopsy proven late ACR at a mean of 1545 ± 441 d post-transplant. Additionally, 38 of the 43 (88.4%) patients with late ACR had earlier episodes of ACR before 1000 d post-transplant vs. only 295 of the 488 patients (60.5%) that did not have late ACR (p < 0.01). The incidence of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) was 32.6% among patients with late ACR and 11.1% among patients without late ACR (p < 0.01). The overall patient survival for patients who had late ACR (n = 43) is 81.4% while for patients without late ACR (n = 488) it is 82.0% (p = ns). Patients remain at risk for ACR even after 1000 d post-transplant, particularly those with PSC.
Clinical Transplantation 03/2004; 18(2):152 - 155. · 1.67 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Liver transplantation for the treatment of metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is radical. Although cure is not impossible, it is improbable. The reported experience with transplantation for NETs is limited to less than 150 cases with widely varying results and few 5-year disease-free survivors. We reviewed our experience with transplantation for patients with NETs. Fourteen symptomatic patients with unresectable NET liver metastases who had failed medical management were listed for transplantation. Two patients listed for transplantation underwent prior right lobectomies. Three patients were listed but did not undergo transplantation: one was lost to follow-up, one died 14 months after listing, and one remains waiting over 4 years. Eleven patients underwent liver transplantation, three with living donor grafts. There were four men (36.4%) and seven women (63.6%) who had a mean age of 51.2+/-6.3 years. Three patients had distal pancreatectomies and one patient had a Whipple procedure at the time of transplantation. There were six nonfunctioning tumors (54.6%), three carcinoid tumors (27.3%), and two (18.2%) Vipomas. In one patient, with fulminant hepatic failure, the NET was an incidental finding in the explant. The 1- and 5-year survival among transplanted patients is 73% and 36%, respectively, with a mean follow-up of 34+/-40 months (range 0 to 119 months). Of the three patients surviving more than 5 years, only one was disease free. In carefully selected patients with metastatic NETs, liver transplantation may be an appropriate option.
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 03/2004; 8(2):208-12. · 2.83 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Posttransplantation allograft malignancy of donor origin is a rare complication after liver transplantation. In the case described, subjective fevers and nonspecific abdominal complaints nearly 6 months following cadaveric liver transplantation in a young woman prompted an evaluation which was remarkable for a large central liver mass. A poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed, but was unresectable at exploration. The tumor was confined to the liver. Histocompatibility testing using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification techniques identified both donor and recipient HLA alleles. The patient was treated with chemoembolization, systemic chemotherapy and cessation of immunosuppression. Repeat biopsy 2 months later showed the tumor to be completely necrotic. With decompensated liver disease, she was relisted and retransplanted. More than 2 years later she remains disease-free with complete pathological remission. This is the only reported case of squamous cell carcinoma of donor origin arising in a transplanted liver.
American Journal of Transplantation 03/2004; 4(2):278-82. · 6.39 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Posttransplantation allograft malignancy of donor origin is a rare complication after liver transplantation. In the case described, subjective fevers and nonspecific abdominal complaints nearly 6 months following cadaveric liver transplantation in a young woman prompted an evaluation which was remarkable for a large central liver mass. A poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed, but was unresectable at exploration. The tumor was confined to the liver. Histocompatibility testing using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification techniques identified both donor and recipient HLA alleles. The patient was treated with chemoembolization, systemic chemotherapy and cessation of immunosuppression. Repeat biopsy 2 months later showed the tumor to be completely necrotic. With decompensated liver disease, she was relisted and retransplanted. More than 2 years later she remains disease-free with complete pathological remission. This is the only reported case of squamous cell carcinoma of donor origin arising in a transplantd liver.
American Journal of Transplantation 12/2003; 4(2):278 - 282. · 6.39 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Liver transplantation is the best therapeutic option for patients with end-stage liver disease from primary sclerosing cholangitis. Primary sclerosing cholangitis is associated with a markedly increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma, which adversely affects survival. Approximately 20% to 30% of cholangiocarcinomas are localized in the distal bile duct. Pancreatoduodenectomy is the curative therapy for cholangiocarcinomas in this location.
We reviewed our data on a patient with primary sclerosing cholangitis-related end-stage liver disease and a simultaneous distal bile duct tumor, which was treated with a combined right-lobe, living-donor liver transplantation and pancreatoduodenectomy.
The patient was discharged 32 days post-transplantation. He is currently alive 1 year after the procedure with no evidence of recurrent cancer.
Combined living-donor liver transplantation and pancreatoduodenectomy is feasible and allows timely and elective surgical control of carefully selected distal bile duct tumors in the setting of end-stage liver disease.
Journal of the American College of Surgeons 12/2003; 197(5):765-9. · 4.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Resection offers the only potential cure of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Portal bifurcation involvement is often thought to contraindicate resection. We reviewed our experience with aggressive surgical management in 28 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.
All patients underwent hepatectomy and bile duct resection with hepaticojejunostomy. In 10 cases (group 1) the portal bifurcation was involved, necessitating portal resection and reconstruction; 18 (group 2) had no portal involvement. Frozen section of duct margins was routine. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test.
Portal reconstruction in group 1 was by graft interposition (1), venoplasty using the posterior wall of the right portal vein (2), or end-end anastomosis (7). Hepatectomies included right trisegmentectomy (8), right lobectomy (4), and left lobectomy (16); 20 (71%) had concomitant caudate resection. Median survival was 18 months in group 1 and 32 months in group 2 ( P, not significant [NS]). One-, 3-, and 5-year survivals were 60%, 22%, and 22%, respectively, in group 1 and 70%, 47%, and 38%, respectively, in group 2 ( P= 0.319).
Portal involvement by hilar cholangiocarcinoma does not contraindicate resection.
Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery 02/2002; 9(2):237-41. · 1.60 Impact Factor
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Transplantation 08/1994; 58(3):372-376. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Macroregenerative nodules, also called nodules of adenomatous hyperplasia, have been well documented in Japan. Extensive studies support the hypothesis that in the Japanese population these lesions represent a possible pathway for hepatocarcinogenesis. However, reporting of these lesions in non-Japanese populations has so far been rare. We examined 44 sequential cirrhotic hepatectomy specimens from adult patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation at our institution. All livers were serially sectioned every 0.5 cm. Macroregenerative nodules were defined as regenerative nodules at least 1 cm in diameter. Forty-eight macroregenerative nodules were found in 11 livers (25% of livers). The antecedent diseases in these livers included hepatitis C (3), alcoholism (2), primary biliary cirrhosis (2) (one with iron overload), cryptogenic cirrhosis (2), hepatitis B (1) and α1-antitrypsin deficiency (1). The macroregenerative nodules often differed from the surrounding nodular parenchyma in color, texture or the degree to which they bulged beyond the cut liver surface. Three livers contained grossly apparent hepatocellular carcinomas. Microscopically, macroregenerative nodules could be classified as those with (type 2) and without (type 1) dysplasia. Four livers had type 1 lesions, two had type 2 lesions and five had lesions of both types. We found 36 type 1 lesions in all and 12 type 2 lesions, 3 containing foci of microscopic carcinoma. All hepatocellular carcinomas arose in livers containing macroregenerative nodules (either type). Liver cell dysplasia, large-cell or small-cell, was observed in cirrhotic nodules of 27 livers. Microscopic or macroscopic hepatocellular carcinoma occurred in three livers with large-cell but not small-cell dysplasia and in one liver without dysplasia. We conclude that macroregenerative nodules are common in non-Japanese cirrhotic patients, occur in a wide range of chronic liver diseases and may represent precancerous lesions in this population. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;16:949–955.)
Hepatology 09/1992; 16(4):949 - 955. · 11.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: It is a common assumption in ethics that everyone is due equal access to basic human goods. In our modern society, at least since the French Revolution, healthcare is counted along with food, shelter, and security as such a basic good. Anyone suffering from a treatable life-threatening disease can therefore, be seen as having a prima facie claim on medical treatment.
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics 08/1992; 1(04):327 - 331. · 0.49 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Cadaveric liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited by donor organ availability. This report reviews our initial experience with living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for HCC. Since August 1998, a total of 71 adults have undergone LDLT; 27 (38%) for HCC. Underlying diagnoses included hepatitis C in 17, hepatitis B in eight, cryptogenic cirrhosis in one, and primary biliary cirrhosis in one. Four patients had recurrent HCC after resection. Patients with tumors measuring 5 cm or larger received a single dose of intravenous doxorubicin intraoperatively and six cycles of doxorubicin at 3-week intervals beginning 6 weeks postoperatively. All HCC patients are followed with CT scans and alpha-fetoprotein measurements every 3 months during the first 2 years after transplant. Mean waiting time to transplant for patients with HCC was 83 days, compared to 414 (P = 0.001) days for 50 patients with HCC who were transplanted with cadaveric organs during this period. At median follow-up of 236 days, there have been four deaths due to non-tumor-related causes and one death from recurrence; recurrence has been observed in one other patient. LDLT permits expeditious transplantation in patients with early HCC, and provides access to transplantation for patients with HCC exceeding the United Network of Organ Sharing criteria for prioritization who are, in effect, barred from receiving cadaveric organs.
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 6(1):102-7. · 2.83 Impact Factor
