Endoscopic treatment of Bouveret syndrome with a combination of electrohydraulic lithotripsy and balloon expansion: A case report.

Bouveret syndrome is a rare type of ileus caused by the impaction of gallstones passing through a cholecystoenteric fistula in the duodenum. Endoscopic treatment with minimally invasive procedures is preferable for patients with this syndrome, typically for elderly individuals with a high surgical risk. Conventional endoscopic techniques often fail to remove impacted stones that are generally large and occasionally solid.

Mirizzi Syndrome Type IV Successfully Treated with Peroral Single-operator Cholangioscopy-guided Electrohydraulic Lithotripsy: A Case Report with Literature Review.

A 76-year-old man presented with liver dysfunction and intrahepatic bile duct dilatation. Imaging studies showed two large stones that had become impacted in the common hepatic duct, which was fused with the gallbladder. The patient was diagnosed with Mirizzi syndrome type IV.

Longitudinal increase in albumin-bilirubin score is associated with non-malignancy-related mortality and quality of life in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Due to the developments in the treatment for hepatitis, it is possible to prevent the progression of liver fibrosis and improve patients' prognosis even if it has already led to liver cirrhosis (LC). Consequently, a two-step study was conducted. To begin with, a retrospective study was conducted to identify the potential predictors of non-malignancy-related mortality from LC.

Intestinal duplication diagnosed preoperatively with double-balloon enteroscopy: an extremely rare case report and literature review.

Gastrointestinal duplications are congenital malformations that are usually observed in pediatric patients. Diagnosis in adulthood is quite rare, and preoperative diagnosis of gastrointestinal duplication is difficult, particularly in the small intestine. We encountered an extremely rare adult case of duplication of the jejunum, which showed a stomach-like form diagnosed using double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE).

Rapid decline in visceral adipose tissue over 1 month is associated with poor prognosis in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Background: Involuntary weight loss related to cachexia is common in patients with advanced cancer, but the association between body composition changes and survival is still unclear in pancreatic cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of 55 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer undergoing palliative therapy or best supportive care (BSC). The skeletal muscle index (SMI), visceral adipose tissue index (VATI), subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI), and visceral to subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR) were calculated based on the cross-sectional area on two sets of computed tomography images obtained at cancer diagnosis and 1 month later before treatment.

Long-term survival of 11 years with multidisciplinary therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis to the ovary and peritoneum: a case report.

We herein report a rare case of HCC metastases to the ovary and peritoneum in a 61-year-old female patient who has achieved 11-year survival with multidisciplinary therapy. The patient was diagnosed with HCC during balloon angioplasty performed for Budd-Chiari syndrome in 1994 and underwent partial hepatectomy twice. Five years after the second hepatectomy, allochronic recurrence of a single nodule detected in S8 was treated by radiofrequency ablation, followed by percutaneous ethanol injection therapy and stereotactic body radiotherapy.

Vascular sound visualization system is useful for monitoring and surveillance of vascular access.

Backgrounds: Vascular access (VA) is a lifeline for maintenance hemodialysis patients. Monitoring and surveillance of VA, therefore, play an important role for maintaining VA patency. Surveillance needs special apparatus to estimate the VA function, while, monitoring including physical examination does not usually need such devices but highly skill-dependent and qualitative.

Risk factors for walled-off necrosis associated with severe acute pancreatitis: A multicenter retrospective observational study.

Background: This study aimed to identify the risk factors for walled-off necrosis (WON) associated with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in eight institutions in Japan between 2014 and 2017. We analyzed WON incidence, patient characteristics, and risk factors for WON in patients with SAP who were observed for >28 days.

Effect of methionine/choline-deficient diet and high-fat diet-induced steatohepatitis on mitochondrial homeostasis in mice.

Considering the increase in cases of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the use of appropriate animal model of NASH is essential to understand the underlying pathogenesis mechanism. To date, several mice models have been used; however, significant differences in the etiologies and food administered affected the results, with inconsistent conclusions. Therefore, it is necessary to understand these models and their differences to be able to choose appropriate models.

A case report of psychiatric symptoms following direct-acting antiviral and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C in a patient with innate anxiety.

Background: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) result in a highly sustained virological response rate and better patient tolerance. However, this therapeutic approach may, on rare occasions, give rise to psychiatric symptoms. We describe a case requiring discontinuation of DAA and ribavirin combination therapy due to psychiatric symptoms in a patient with congenital anxious personality traits.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Induced Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages Synergistically Improve Liver Fibrosis in Mice.

We describe a novel therapeutic approach for cirrhosis using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and colony-stimulating factor-1-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages (id-BMMs) and analyze the mechanisms underlying fibrosis improvement and regeneration. Mouse MSCs and id-BMMs were cultured from mouse bone marrow and their interactions analyzed in vitro. MSCs, id-BMMs, and a combination therapy using MSCs and id-BMMs were administered to mice with CCl -induced cirrhosis.

Prognostic value of subcutaneous adipose tissue volume in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapy.

Background: Prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who undergo transcatheter intra-arterial therapies, including transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy, is affected by many clinical factors including liver function and tumor progression. However, the effect of body composition such as skeletal muscle and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (VAT and SAT, respectively) on the prognosis of these patients remains unclear. We investigated the prognostic value of body composition in HCC patients treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapies.

Rapidly declining skeletal muscle mass predicts poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapies.

Background: The impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who receive transcatheter intra-arterial therapies, including transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy, remains unclear. We investigated the prognostic value of skeletal muscle loss (SML) stratified by cutoffs for sarcopenia and rate of change in skeletal muscle mass over 6 months.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 102 patients with HCC treated with transcatheter intra-arterial therapies between 2005 and 2015.

Clinical outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma can be predicted by the expression of hepatic progenitor cell markers and serum tumour markers.

The high heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) complicates stratification of HCC patients for treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive panel of HCC biomarkers related to tumour behaviour and cancer prognosis. Resected HCCs from 251 patients were stained for hepatic progenitor cell (HPC) markers epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1), and cytokeratin 19 (CK19).

Effective prevention of sorafenib-induced hand-foot syndrome by dried-bonito broth.

Background: Sorafenib (SOR) is a molecular medicine that prolongs the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, the management of side effects is essential for the longer period of continuous medication. Among the various side effects, hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is the most common, occurring in 30%-50% of patients, and often results in discontinuation of the SOR medication.

Bleeding from a Small-Intestinal Ulcer Associated with Chronic Hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus infection is probably the most common chronic viral infection and affects an estimated 180 million people worldwide. Extrahepatic manifestations are well recognized among patients with chronic HCV infection. CASE REPORT We report a case of melena occurring in a 69-year-old Japanese man who had been diagnosed with CHC and who was treated with antiviral therapy.

Management decision based on lymphovascular involvement leads to favorable outcomes after endoscopic treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) invading the muscularis mucosae (MM) and submucosa up to 200 µm (SM1) has a risk of metastasis. The aims of this study were to investigate the long-term outcome of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for MM/SM1 ESCC and to assess the management after ESD in our hospital.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a single institution.

A Case of Hepatorenal Syndrome and Abdominal Compartment Syndrome with High Renal Congestion.

BACKGROUND Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a reversible renal impairment that occurs in patients with acute liver failure and advanced liver cirrhosis. HRS is due to a renal vasoconstriction that results from extreme vasodilatation. It is therefore a functional disorder, not associated with structural kidney damage.

Effect of double platinum agents, combination of miriplatin-transarterial oily chemoembolization and cisplatin-hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Report of two cases.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers and the third highest cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. The treatment of HCC is complicated by its variable biological behavior and the frequent coexistence of chronic liver disease, particularly cirrhosis. To date, multiple treatment modalities have been developed according to the stage of the tumor and the hepatic functional reserve, including transarterial treatments such as transarterial chemoembolization, transarterial oily chemoembolization (TOCE), and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC).

Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma: A mini-review.

Spontaneous tumor regression is an extremely rare phenomenon in the oncology field. However, there are several case reports resulted in the regression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the accumulation of clinical information and analyses of the mechanism can contribute to the development of a novel therapy. For this purpose, we have carefully reviewed 23 cases of spontaneously regressed HCC published in recent 5 years and our case.

Long-term efficacy and safety of nalfurafine hydrochloride on pruritus in chronic liver disease patients: Patient-reported outcome based analyses.

Background And Aim: Among various symptoms accompanied with chronic liver disease, pruritus affects the quality of life of patients, causing physical and mental stress, and worsens hepatic function. Recently, κ-opioid receptor agonist, nalfurafine hydrochloride was approved to treat central pruritus in patients with liver disease in Japan. This study aimed to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of nalfurafine hydrochloride on pruritus in chronic liver disease patients.

Increase of Soluble Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.

To determine whether the soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 (sPD-L1) levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are associated with the clinical features of the disease and the efficacy of treatment, including interferon (IFN)-α. We investigated the sPD-L1 levels in the sera of 80 genotype 1b Japanese patients with CHC who underwent 12 weeks of telaprevir (TVR)- or simeprevir (SMV)-based triple therapy followed by 12 weeks of dual therapy with pegylated IFN-α plus ribavirin. Serum was also obtained from 22 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and from 10 healthy donors (HC).

Transhepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy using a combination of miriplatin and CDDP powder versus miriplatin alone in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Based on promising results from a Phase I study of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy using a combination of miriplatin and cisplatin powder (DDP-H) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (UMIN-CTR000003541), a multicenter, open-label, randomized phase II study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy versus miriplatin monotherapy.

Methods: Nineteen patients, five and fourteen Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer staging classification A and B cases, respectively, were randomly assigned to receive either miriplatin monotherapy (n = 9) or miriplatin/DDP-H combination therapy (n = 10). DDP-H and/or miriplatin were administered through the hepatic arteries supplying the lobes of the liver containing tumors, and progression free survival was analyzed as a primary end point in addition to other secondary endpoints.

Lusutrombopag increases hematocytes in a compensated liver cirrhosis patient.

A 56-year-old Japanese man with liver cirrhosis (LC) due to hepatitis C virus was admitted to our hospital for radiofrequency ablation of residual tumor following lusutrombopag administration. Laboratory tests revealed thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. The patient's LC was managed, and he was classified as Child-Pugh A.