Effectiveness and safety of once-daily tacrolimus formulations in de novo liver transplant recipients: The PRETHI study.

Data comparing long-term effectiveness and safety of once-daily tacrolimus formulations in de novo liver transplantation are scarce. We compared the effectiveness, pharmacokinetic profile, and safety of LCPT (Envarsus) and PR-Tac (Advagraf) for up to 12 months post-transplant. Adult de novo liver transplant recipients who started IR-Tac (Prograf) and were converted to LCPT or PR-Tac 3-5 days post-transplant were included.

Pancreatic encephalopathy, a little known complication of acute pancreatitis.

A 62-year-old male presented with severe post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (post-ERCP) acute pancreatitis. He required admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) twice due to respiratory and renal failure and neurological deterioration. On the hospitalization ward, he presented a fluctuating alteration of the level of consciousness, with bradypsychia, disorientation and somnolence, which persisted after hemodynamic, metabolic and renal stabilization.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and liver transplantation, a new paradigm.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a type of hemolytic anemia acquired by the PIG-A gene mutation. This causes a deficiency of a complement regulatory protein, CD59, which results in hemolysis, hemoglobinuria and thrombosis (due to the release of procoagulant factors). Budd-Chiari syndrome is characteristic in these patients and has classically been considered as a contraindication for liver transplantation (LT) due to post-transplant recurrence.

Hemorrhagic complications following paracentesis.

Paracentesis is a common and well accepted technique for its diagnostic-therapeutic profitability. This procedure is considered rapid, minimally invasive and safe, but we must not forget that it can lead to severe complications. In this letter we present two patients with hemorrhagic complications following paracentesis.

Fungal cholangitis of the hepatobiliary tract: a case report.

We report the case of a 52-year-old male diagnosed with primary sclerosing colangitis, mainly of the extrahepatic bile duct, with a long evolution. After liver transplantation, the explanted liver showed necrosis of the bile duct wall, with fungal structures inside the bile duct that was compatible with Candida. The patient was treated with mesalazine and ursodeoxycholic acid and does not have a stent in the bile duct.

Segmental arterial mediolysis in splanchnic arteries: an uncommon cause of abdominal pain.

Segmental arterial mediolysis is an uncommon arterial disease that primarily involves splanchnic arteries; abdominal pain is the most common clinical manifestation. We report the case of a 53-year-old male with postprandial diffuse abdominal pain of one month's standing. Physical examination was uneventful, and laboratory tests revealed no abnormal findings.

Liver transplantation in patients with type IIIa glycogen storage disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Type III glycogen storage disease (GSD-III) is an autosomal recessive disorder due to the deficiency of the glycogen debrancher enzyme. 80% of the patients have hepatic and muscular involvement (IIIa), compared to 15% with only liver involvement (IIIb). As the life expectancy improves in these patients, the possible liver complications are better understood.

Protecting renal function: a relevant decision for liver transplantation.

Advances in surgical technique, as well as in medical management and immunosuppression (IS), have represented a significant improvement in the survival of patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT), with 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year survival rates of 86%, 73%, and 62%, respectively, according to the Spanish liver transplant registry.

Hepatic encephalopathy secondary to a splenorenal shunt that manifested a long time after a liver transplantation.

Splenorenal shunts are a rare cause of hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy in the absence of cirrhosis. We report the case of a woman, who presented hepatic encephalopathy, with a normal functioning graft, after 14 years of liver transplantation, confirmed by liver biopsy.

Recommendations of everolimus use in liver transplant.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, everolimus (EVL) and sirolimus are immunosuppressive agents with a minor nephrotoxic effect, limited to the development of proteinuria in some cases. The combination of EVL and low-dose tacrolimus has proven to be as safe and effective as standard therapy with tacrolimus for the prevention of acute cellular rejection. Early initiation of EVL-based immunosuppressive regimens with reduced exposure to calcineurin inhibitors has been shown to significantly improve renal function of LT recipients during induction and maintenance phases, with comparable efficacy and safety profiles.

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing liver transplantation. Useful, necessary or irrelevant?

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive tumor entity, with the only curative options being surgical resection or orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The presence of one single tumor nodule of less than 5 centimeters diameter or a maximum of 3 nodules, with the largest of these not exceeding 3 centimeters (Milan criteria) constitute the clinical situation in which the best results for OLT in patients with HCC have been achieved. The survival of patients fulfilling the Milan criteria after transplantation is comparable to patients with similar tumor stages without cirrhosis, undergoing hepatic resection.

Hepatoportal sclerosis clinical different evolutionary stages: presentation of 3 cases and literature review.

Hepatoportal sclerosis (HPS) is characterized by presinusoidal intrahepatic portal hypertension associated with splenomegaly and anemia in patients with non-cirrhotic liver. Liver biopsy is essential, especially to rule out other processes. Being a disease of unknown etiology, the majority of cases have been described in eastern countries.