Resection of sarcoma involving the intrahepatic vena cava: report of 2 cases from a specialized center.

Background: Primary leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the hepatic vena cava is a rare malignancy that has only been published in case reports. Only a few cases with successful R0 resection have been reported in the literature.

Methods: We report 2 similar cases of extended primary LMS of the intrahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC).

Optical monitoring during bioreactor conditioning of tissue-engineered heart valves.

Currently, one approach to tissue engineering has been to develop in vitro conditions to fabricate functional cardiovascular structures such as heart valves before final implantation. In vivo conditions are simulated using a bioreactor system that supplies cells with oxygen and culture media while providing mechanical stimulation to promote tissue maturation. In our experiment, we developed a novel combined optical monitoring and conditioning device.