Clinical symptoms and sonographic follow-up after surgical treatment of nonparasitic liver cysts.

Background: The optimal treatment of nonparasitic liver cysts is still a topic of debate. Only symptomatic cysts are being considered as requiring treatment. Aim of this study is to evaluate our experience with this disease over the past ten years with a structured follow-up program.

The PRAISE study: a prospective, multi-center, randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled study for the evaluation of iloprost in the early postoperative period after liver transplantation (ISRCTN12622749).

Background: Liver graft dysfunction can deteriorate to complete organ failure and increases perioperative morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation. Therapeutic strategies reducing the rate of graft dysfunction are of current clinical relevance. One approach is the systemic application of prostaglandins, which were demonstrated to be beneficial in reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Non-curative gastric resection for patients with stage 4 gastric cancer--a single center experience and current review of literature.

Purpose: The majority of patients with gastric cancer present with an advanced stage and, therefore, may not be eligible for curative treatment. The role of non-curative gastric resection in situations other than emergency treatment for life threatening tumor-related complications is still under discussion.

Methods: Data from 290 consecutive patients with advanced gastric cancer who were treated in our hospital were analyzed.

Impact of clinical and pathohistological characteristics on the incidence of recurrence and survival in elderly patients with gastric cancer.

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the most frequent malignant tumors worldwide. Despite improvements in diagnostic procedures, as well as the introduction of multimodal treatment strategies, the overall prognosis remains poor. The role of gastric resection in elderly patients with gastric cancer has not been clearly defined as yet.

IgG4-related systemic disease--a rare indication for multi-visceral transplantation.

Multivisceral transplantations (MVT) are rarely performed procedures. In this case report, we present a 37-year-old male patient with a large retroperitoneal tumor. After exclusion of malignancy, we performed MVT (distal stomach, liver, pancreas, and small bowel).

Impact of stable PGI₂ analog iloprost on early graft viability after liver transplantation: a pilot study.

Background: Ischemia/reperfusion injury after liver transplantation (LT) may be associated with primary graft dysfunction (PDF) or non-function. Prostaglandins were demonstrated to be beneficial in reducing ischemic injury by improving microcirculation and protecting endothelial cells. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the continuously administered prostaglandin I(2) analog iloprost on allograft function after LT.

Resection of liver metastases is beneficial in patients with gastric cancer: report on 15 cases and review of literature.

Background: Although up to 9% of patients with gastric cancer develop liver metastases, liver resection is rarely performed because of co-existing non-curative factors. Furthermore, the benefit of liver resection is still controversially discussed. Our goal was to investigate the outcome of patients who underwent liver resection or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatic metastasized gastric cancer.

Predictors of long-term survival in patients with colorectal liver metastases: a single center study and review of the literature.

Purpose: Prognosis after resection of liver metastases of colorectal cancer is influenced by a variety of clinical factors. For more than 20 years, efforts have been made to restructure and simplify prognostic parameters into clinical scores. We evaluated the influence of various clinical and pathological factors on survival and recurrence and developed a simple model for risk stratification.

Relationship between degree of chromosomal aberration and survival in intestinal-type gastric cancer - a preliminary report based on three cases of hepatic metastasized gastric cancer with long-time survival.

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the most frequent malignancies worldwide. More than 50% of all patients present with advanced stage of disease, with long-time survival of less than 5%. In selected subgroups, palliative gastric resection seems to be beneficial for survival and improved quality of the remaining life time, but is still controversially discussed.

Radio-guided parathyroidectomy in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and concomitant multinodular goiter.

Purpose: We investigated possible instances where the standard bilateral neck exploration for parathyroid adenoma may be omitted in primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) if preoperative diagnostics for the location have been performed.

Methods: Ten patients underwent surgical treatment for pHPT and multinodular goiter between October 2006 and October 2008. Identification of the parathyroid adenomas' location with cervical ultrasound and (99m)technetium-sestamibi nuclear scanning ((99m)Tc-MIBI) was not possible in any of these patients.