Predictors of surgical site infection after liver resection: a multicentre analysis using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data.

Background:   Postoperative infections are frequent complications after liver resection and have significant impact on length of stay, morbidity and mortality. Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common nosocomial infection in surgical patients, accounting for 38% of all such infections.

Objectives:   This study aimed to identify predictors of SSI and organ space SSI after liver resection.

The influence of immunosuppression switching in liver function in adult hepatic transplantation.

We evaluate the 5-year results of a single-centre prospective randomized trial that compared cyclosporine microemulsion (CyA-me) in triple therapy (plus steroids and azathioprine) and Tacrolimus (Tac) in double therapy (plus steroids) for primary immunosuppression. One hundred adult patients undergoing liver transplantation were randomized to receive Tac (n=51) or CyA-me (n=49). Ten patients in group A, and thirty-one patients in group B had their main immunosuppressive agent switched.

Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for solid and cystic pancreatic neoplasms: outpatient postoperative management.

Background: Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy is a challenging procedure that has been reported in the last decade. The aim of this study is to describe our experience with laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and an outpatient postoperative management after an early hospital discharge.

Methods: Retrospective study of 11 laparoscopic distal pancreatectomies carried out at our institution between November 2005 and June 2007 for cystic and solid pancreatic neoplasms.

Epiphrenic diverticulum: robotic-assisted transhiatal approach.

Surgery of the epiphrenic diverticulum has been related to high postoperative morbidity. Even through a minimally invasive approach, dissection of the neck-proximal portion of the diverticulum can be difficult. Robotic-assisted (RA) technologies have been developed recently.

Liver transplantation using uncontrolled non-heart-beating donors under normothermic extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Because of the organ shortage, non-heart-beating donors have been proposed as a possible source of grafts for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Despite the widespread use of controlled non-heart-beating donors, there are only a few published studies reporting the outcomes with uncontrolled non-heart-beating donors (UNHBDs). A prospective case-control study on adult patients undergoing OLT was designed.

Artificial liver support system in acute liver failure patients waiting liver transplantation.

Background/aims: To assess the efficacy of the Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System MARS (GAMBRO LUNDIA AB, Europe) in patients with acute liver failure waiting for liver transplantation.

Methodology: Case-control study in a medical-surgical ICU of a referral hospital. Patients admitted to ICU with severe acute liver failure of any etiology were included.

Preformed antibodies detected by cytotoxic assay or multibead array decrease liver allograft survival: role of human leukocyte antigen compatibility.

The significance of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility and preformed antibodies in liver transplantation remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to evaluate, in a single-center cohort comprising 896 liver transplants, whether the degree of donor-recipient compatibility and preformed antibodies modified graft survival. Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that donor-recipient HLA compatibility had a marginal impact on allograft survival.