Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is useful for the evaluation of focal liver lesions in children.

Introduction: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a widely used diagnostic method. In adults, it has been proven to be a useful alternative to CT and MRI for the characterisation of focal liver lesions (FLLs). However, since there is no official paediatric licensing for any ultrasound contrast agents in Europe, its use has been restricted.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound for identifying circulatory complications after liver transplants in children.

Our main goal with this study was to share our off-label experience with CEUS for identifying circulatory complications after liver transplantation in children. A total of 74 CEUS examinations performed on 34 pediatric patients who underwent a liver transplant were retrospectively included. About 53% of the examinations were performed on children 2 years old or younger.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound using sulfur hexafluoride is safe in the pediatric setting.

Background Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) by using sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles is not licensed for use in children, but its off-label use is widespread. Purpose To outline our experience with the off-label use of CEUS in children, specifically with regards to safety. Material and Methods We retrieved all records of 10681 patients aged under 18 years who underwent abdominal ultrasound (US) January 2004 to December 2014.

Liver transplantation in the Nordic countries - An intention to treat and post-transplant analysis from The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry 1982-2013.

Aim And Background: The Nordic Liver Transplant Registry (NLTR) accounts for all liver transplants performed in the Nordic countries since the start of the transplant program in 1982. Due to short waiting times, donor liver allocation has been made without considerations of the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. We aimed to summarize key outcome measures and developments for the activity up to December 2013.

Peg-IFN and ribavirin treatment for recurrence of genotype 2 and 3 hepatitis C after liver transplantation.

Background: Relapse of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation (LT) is universal. Tolerance for treatment with pegylated-interferon (peg-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) is suboptimal and withdrawals due to adverse events frequent. We sought to improve tolerance for treatment to improve outcome.

Introducing hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic live donor nephrectomy: learning curves and development based on 413 consecutive cases in four centers.

Background: Hand-assisted and retroperitoneoscopic techniques reduce the risk of bleeding and intraabdominal complications in living donor nephrectomy (LDN). This study reports on our four-center experience, development, and learning curves from the first 413 LDNs using a hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic (HARS) technique.

Methods: The first 413 consecutive donors operated on using HARS were included in the study.

Living-related liver transplantation in children--a single center evaluation of the outcome of donor candidates and recipients.

The aim was to study the outcome of donor candidate investigations for living-related donor liver transplantation from adult to child. The charts of 25 donor candidates were reviewed. All 22 recipients, of whom 18 had BA, were already listed for DD organ transplantation.

High adherence with a low initial ribavirin dose in combination with pegylated-IFN alpha-2a for treatment of recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation.

Patients with recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation often cannot tolerate full dose of pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) and are often withdrawn prematurely from treatment. We chose a low initial RBV dose, later increased due to tolerance to a mean dose of 600 mg daily (range 200-1000 mg daily) in combination with a peg-IFN alpha-2a 180 mcg weekly in an effort to improve tolerance and minimize withdrawals. 16 patients with hepatitis C recurrence and 1 with de novo HCV infection with a mean age of 54 y (range 43-66 y), 71% males, were treated.

Hepatitis C impairs survival following liver transplantation irrespective of concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: Liver transplantation (LTX) is the only curative treatment for end-stage liver disease caused by hepatitis C (HCV). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is common in patients with HCV cirrhosis.

Methods: Two hundred and eighty-two HCV patients listed for LTX in the Nordic countries in a 17-year period were included.

Long-term consequences of domino liver transplantation using familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy grafts.

Domino liver transplantation (DLT) using grafts from patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is an established procedure at many transplantation centers. However, data evaluating the long-term outcome of DLT are limited. The aim of the present study was to analyze the risk of de novo polyneuropathy, possibly because of amyloidosis, and the patient survival after DLT.

The Stockholm experience with ABO-incompatible kidney transplantations without splenectomy.

Background: ABO-incompatible kidney transplantations have previously only been performed after several pre-operative sessions of plasmapheresis followed by splenectomy, and with the conventional triple-drug immunosuppressive protocol being reinforced with anti-lymphocyte globulin and B-cell-specific drugs. We have designed a protocol without splenectomy, based on antigen-specific immunoadsorption, rituximab and a conventional triple-drug immunosuppressive protocol.

Methods: The protocol called for a 1-month pre-transplantation conditioning period, starting with one dosage of rituximab and followed by full-dose tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone.