T-tube or no T-tube in cadaveric orthotopic liver transplantation: the eternal dilemma: results of a prospective and randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To compare the incidence and severity of biliary complications due to liver transplantation after choledochocholedochostomy with or without a T-tube in a single-center, prospective, randomized trial.

Summary Background Data: The usefulness of the T-tube for end-to-end biliary anastomosis to reduce the incidence of biliary complications in patients undergoing liver transplantation has been controversial.

Methods: A per-protocol analysis was designed for liver recipients, who were randomly assigned to choledochocholedochostomy with (n = 95) or without (n = 92) a T-tube.

Clinical outcome of hepatocyte transplantation in four pediatric patients with inherited metabolic diseases.

Hepatocyte transplantation (HT) has become an effective therapy for patients with metabolic inborn errors. We report the clinical outcome of four children with metabolic inborn errors that underwent HT, describing the cell infusion protocol and the metabolic outcome of transplanted patients. Cryopreserved hepatocytes were used as this allows scheduling of treatments.

[Prosthetic infection after hernioplasty. Five years experience].

Introduction: Prosthesis infection is an infrequent but important complication in abdominal wall surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for the infection of the prosthesis after hernia repair, as well as the treatment to apply.

Material And Method: Between January 2002 and December 2006, we performed 1055 prosthetic hernia repairs: 761 inguinal hernias (72.

[Liver transplant in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma].

Liver transplant in patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is indicated in the early stages of the disease, which can be achieved with early detection programs using liver ultrasound. Dynamic imaging techniques (ultrasound with contrast, magnetic resonance and tomography) are essential in the diagnosis of this tumour, being able to type the lesion clearly, and, in the majority of cases, lead to the therapy to follow. Surgery is the treatment of choice in these patients, and liver transplant, from a theoretical point of view, is the best.

[Liver transplantation in patients with benign hepatic lesions].

Benign hepatic lesions are rare and liver transplantation in these cases is exceptional. We present a review of the subject, commenting on the aspects that have been subsidiary to liver transplantation, of which are highlighted: adenomatosis, polycystosis and hepatic epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (although this process may be a low to intermediate malignant grade). We assessed specific epidemiological, aetiopathogenic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and aspects of the lesions as well as indication for transplantation, and the experiences of different authors on these pathologies.

[Donors yesterday and today: have the characteristics of liver donors changed over the last 15 years?].

Introduction: The social, medical and demographic changes of our population and the increase in the number of patients on waiting lists have led to some changes in the selection criteria of organ donors.

Material And Method: A retrospective, descriptive and comparative study of the liver cadaveric donors features accepted in the Liver Transplant Unit in La Fe University Hospital of Valencia (Spain) in 2 different periods. We distributed the cases into 2 groups, including in group A the first 200 first donors (from January 1991 to June 1995) and in group B the last 200 donors (from February 2004 to December 2005).

[Hepatic undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma in an adult: a case report and literature review].

Undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma of the liver (USL) is a rare malignant hepatic tumor in adults. We report the case of a 40-year-old man with USL who was successfully treated with surgical resection and chemotherapy using ifosfamide and adriamycin. To our knowledge, only 70 cases of USL in adults have been reported worldwide in the 40 years since this clinicopathological entity was defined.

[Right hepatic lobe agenesis. Where is the gallbladder?].

Anomalies of the liver are infrequent. Agenesis of the right hepatic lobe is an uncommon, usually asymptomatic, entity that is diagnosed through new imaging techniques or during surgery. We present the case of a 51-year-old woman with right hepatic lobe agenesis who underwent technically difficult cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstones.

[Reflections on 250 interventions for colorectal carcinoma metastases to the liver].

Introduction: The best results in the treatment of colorectal cancer metastases to the liver are currently achieved with surgical resection performed under high quality standards. OBJECTIVES. To analyze the results and quality standards of the surgical treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases in a referral liver unit over an 11-year period.

[Acute cholecystitis and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the elderly].

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of age in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for the treatment of acute cholecystitis by determining the benefits and postoperative complications in patients older than 65 years.

Material And Method: Between January 2003 and March 2006, we performed 134 urgent LC for acute cholecystitis: 58 patients older than 65 years (group 1) were compared with 76 patients younger than 65 years (group 2). Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative variables were compared between groups 1 and 2.

Efficacy and safety of repeated perioperative doses of recombinant factor VIIa in liver transplantation.

Patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) have excessive blood loss during surgery that requires blood transfusions, leading to increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. We studied the efficacy and safety of activated recombinant factor VII (rFVIIa) in reducing transfusion requirements in OLT. This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled patients undergoing OLT because of cirrhosis (Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B or C).

An open, randomized, multicenter clinical trial of oral tacrolimus in liver allograft transplantation: a comparison of dual vs. triple drug therapy.

Triple therapy combining an anticalcineurin agent, corticosteroids, and azathioprine (AZA) in liver transplantation has been frequently applied, particularly in Europe. Debates have arisen concerning the use of a third drug (AZA), mainly in patients receiving tacrolimus (TAC). An open-label, multicenter, prospective, and randomized trial was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of TAC and corticosteroids (dual therapy [D]) vs.

Corticosteroid-free immunosuppression with tacrolimus following induction with daclizumab: a large randomized clinical study.

This open, randomized (1 : 1), multicenter, 3-month study compared a dual tacrolimus plus steroids (Tac / steroids) regimen with a steroid-free immunosuppressive regimen of tacrolimus following daclizumab induction therapy (Tac / Dac) in adult liver transplant recipients. The full analysis set comprised 347 patients in the Tac / steroids group and 351 in the Tac / Dac group. Mean tacrolimus dose during month 3 was 0.