Feasibility of laparoscopic isolated caudate lobe resection for rare hepatic mesenchymal neoplasms.

Background: Mesenchymal tumors such as perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasm (PEComa) and inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (IPT-like FDC sarcoma) are relatively uncommon in the liver and are particularly rare in the caudate lobe. The clinical manifestations and available imaging tests lack specificity for hepatic mesenchymal tumors. To the best of our knowledge, no caudate PEComa or IPT-like FDC sarcoma has been completely resected by laparoscopy.

Aging aggravates hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice by impairing mitophagy with the involvement of the EIF2α-parkin pathway.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury fundamentally influences the performance of aged liver grafts. The significance of mitophagy in the age dependence of sensitivity to I/R injury remains poorly understood. Here, we show that aging aggravated hepatic I/R injury with decreased mitophagy in mice.

Laparoscopic open hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To perform a meta-analysis on laparoscopic hepatectomy conventional liver resection for treating hepatolithiasis.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, and undertook a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic hepatectomy conventional open liver resection for local hepatolithiasis in the left or right lobe. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes (time, estimated blood loss, blood transfusion rate, postoperative intestinal function recovery time, length of hospital stay, postoperative complication rate, initial residual stone, final residual stone and stone recurrence) were analyzed systematically.

Different techniques for harvesting grafts for living donor liver transplantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on minimally conventional invasive techniques for harvesting grafts for living donor liver transplantation.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched comprehensively for studies comparing MILDH with conventional living donor hepatectomy (CLDH). Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes (operative time, estimated blood loss, postoperative liver function, length of hospital stay, analgesia use, complications, and survival rate) were analyzed in donors and recipients.

Pretransplant Elevated Plasma Fibrinogen Level is a Novel Prognostic Predictor for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence and Patient Survival Following Liver Transplantation.

Background: Elevated plasma fibrinogen is associated with tumour progression and poor outcomes in several cancers. The present study investigated the prognostic value of preoperative fibrinogen in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after liver transplantation (LT).

Material And Methods: We analyzed the preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels of 41 patients who underwent LT for HCC.

[Reproduction after liver transplantation: a report of 13 cases from a single Chinese center].

Objective: To explore the recipient's reproduction after liver transplantation (LT) and assess the outcomes of their offspring.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the reproduction status of 13 post-LT patients among 336 post-LT recipients during a follow-up period. Physical and intellectual status of their offspring were evaluated by developmental index and Denever developmental screening test.

Symptomatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head after adult orthotopic liver transplantation.

Background: With the increase of survival in liver transplantation recipients, more patients are at a high risk of developing osteonecrosis, especially in the femoral head, due to immunosuppressive treatment. The purpose of this study was to report the incidence, possible risk factors, and outcome of symptomatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) in adult patients with current immunosuppressive agents and individual protocol after liver transplantation in China.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 226 adult patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at a single liver transplantation institution between January 2004 and December 2008.

Routine use of a transanastomotic stent is unnecessary for hepatojejunostomy in liver transplantation.

Background: The use of transanastomotic stents for Roux-en-Y hepatojejunostomy (RYHJ) in liver transplantation (LT) remains controversial. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the role of transanastomotic stent for RYHJ in LT.

Methods: RYHJ for biliary reconstruction in LT was performed in 52 patients.

Relationship between the genetic variation in interleukin 28B and response to antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Genetic variations at the interleukin 28B (IL-28B) locus are important in predicting outcome following therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of this research was to evaluate the role of IL-28B single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variations in Chinese patients undergoing pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin (PEG-IFN-α/RBV) treatment.

Methods: To determine the effect of IL-28B variation on the response to HCV therapy, these variants were genotyped in a cohort of 220 patients who were chronically infected with HCV and received combined PEG-IFN-α/RBV therapy.

Immunosuppressant-related hip pain after orthotopic liver transplant.

Objectives: Immunosuppressant-related hip pain can greatly affect a patient's mobility and increase the number of total hip arthroplasties. We investigated risk factors and causes of hip pain after orthotopic liver transplant.

Materials And Methods: The medical records of 175 adult orthotopic liver transplant patients, who were followed-up for more than 2 years, were retrospectively reviewed.

Health-related quality of life after liver transplantation: the experience from a single Chinese center.

Background: Few studies have been performed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in liver transplantation (LT) patients in the mainland of China. This study aimed to investigate the HRQOL of post-LT patients in a single center.

Methods: HRQOL was evaluated by the SF-36 (Chinese version) questionnaire in 60 patients (LT group) who had received LT for benign end-stage liver disease (BELD).

[Alterations of immune status in liver transplant patients with sepsis].

Objective: To explore the alterations of immune status in liver transplant recipients with sepsis so as to provide rationales for the adjustments of immunosuppressive agents.

Methods: A total of 47 cases complicated with sepsis after abdominal operations from January 2009 to December 2010 were divided into 4 groups according to the type of operations and the stage of sepsis: A. sepsis after transplantation (TS, n = 11), B.

Prognostic factors for late mortality after liver transplantation for benign end-stage liver disease.

Background: There are increasing numbers of patients who survive more than one year after liver transplantation. Many studies have focused on the early mortality of these patients. However, the factors affecting long-term survival are not fully understood.

[Clinical analysis between "early" versus "late" liver retransplantation].

Objective: To compare early and late orthotopic liver retransplantation (re-OLT) for patients with poor graft function after primary transplantation at our center and sum up our clinical experience in re-OLT.

Methods: The clinical data of 36 re-OLTs from January 2004 to July 2009 were analyzed retrospectively, consisting of the first group with 17 cases of early re-OLT and the second group with 19 cases of late re-OLT. The average ages were (45 ± 13) years and (48 ± 10) years, and the time intervals were (49 ± 54) days and (514 ± 342) days in early re-OLT group and late re-OLT group, respectively.

[Anxiety and depression for liver transplant recipients and their impact factors].

Objective: To investigate the status of anxiety and depression for liver transplant (LT) recipients and explore their impact factors.

Methods: During the period of January 2005 to December 2008, the symptoms of anxiety and depression for 53 post-LT recipients (LT group) and 48 patients with benign end-stage liver disease (BELD group) were assessed by the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and the self-rating depression scale (SDS). And they were compared with that of domestic norm (Norm group).

[Preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a prognostic predictor after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: To analyze the negative impact of preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on the tumor recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Methods: The clinical data of HBV (hepatitis B virus)-associated HCC patients undergoing liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical and pathological risk factors for tumor-free survival were evaluated by univariate analysis.

Inhibition of rejection in murine islet xenografts by CTLA4Ig and CD40LIg gene transfer.

Background: Costimulatory signals play a vital role in T cell activation. Blockade of costimulatory pathway by CTLA4Ig or CD40LIg have enhanced graft survival in experimental transplantation models yet mechanisms remain undetermined. We investigated the effects of CTLA4Ig and CD40LIg gene transfer on islet xenografts rejection in rats.

[Risk factors predicting late mortality after liver transplantation for benign end-stage liver disease].

Objectives: To find out the risk factors predicting long-term survival, and to explore the measures for further improving the survival outcome of whom underwent liver transplantation (LT) for benign end-stage liver disease.

Methods: The common causes of late death after LT and risk factors were retrospectively analyzed in 221 consecutive patients, who underwent LT from October 2003 to June 2007 and survived more than one year. Twenty-six potential risk factors were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method, and those variables found to be univariately significant at P < 0.

Liver transplantation for end-stage alcoholic liver disease: a single-center experience from mainland China.

There has been a gradual increase in the number of patients with end-stage alcoholic liver disease (ALD) undergoing liver transplantation (LT) in mainland China. However, few studies have focused on the post-transplant outcomes of this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of LT in patients with ALD, mainly focusing on survival rates, complications, and alcohol recidivism.

[Multimodality interventional treatments for biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation: a preliminary study].

Objective: To describe the technique, efficacy, and safety of multimodality interventional treatments for biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The core of multimodality interventional treatments is percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD).

Methods: From January 2006 to May 2008, seventy-two patients with biliary complications afte OLT were closed in our study.

[Effects of Rapamycin on angiogenesis and tumor progression in human hepatocellular carcinoma implantation mice].

Objective: To study the effects of Rapamycin (RPM) on angiogenesis and tumor progression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) implantation mice.

Methods: Tumor tissues of HCC were implanted into the liver of nude mice. Then, nude mice were treated with RPM and cyclosporine A (CsA).

[Risk factors predicting the prognosis of orthotopic liver transplantation in hepatopulmonary syndrome].

Objective: To observe the effect of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) on hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) and investigate risk factors predicting the prognosis of OLT.

Methods: Twenty-six cases of HPS and 30 cases of non-HPS were analyzed treated from April 2004 to January 2006. Survival rates after OLT were compared and risk factors predicting the prognosis of OLT in HPS were researched by univariant and COX analysis.

[Significance of lipopolysaccharides, toll-like receptor and inducible nitric oxide synthase in hepatopulmonary syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the role of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the development of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS).

Methods: Seventy-one patients were divided into 3 groups: end-stage liver disease with HPS (HPS group, n = 31), end-stage liver disease without HPS (non-HPS group, n = 30) and healthy volunteers (n = 10). Blood was collected at pre-OLT and Days 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 post-OLT to detect the plasma LPS level, TLR2mRNA and iNOSmRNA in peripheral blood monocytes.

Transplantation of human thioredoxin gene-modified hepatocytes for treatment of acute liver failure in rat model.

Background: Mostly because of the limited number and proliferative ability of the transplanted hepatocytes, hepatocyte transplantation offers only temporary support to the hepatic function with rather poor functional replacement of the damaged liver parenchyma. This study aimed to observe the therapeutic effect of human thioredoxin (hTrx) gene-modified hepatocytes on experimental acute liver failure in rats.

Methods: hTrx cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from human osteosarcoma 143 (TK-) cells to construct the recombinant retrovirus vector pLEGFP/hTrx, which was packaged into PA317 cells to collect the recombinant retrovirus containing hTrx gene.