Cardio-hepatic risk assessment by CMR imaging in liver transplant candidates.

Background: The preoperative workup of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) patients is practically complex given the need for multiple imaging modalities. We recently demonstrated in our proof-of-concept study the value of a one-stop-shop approach using cardiovascular MRI (CMR) to address this complex problem. However, this approach requires further validation in a larger cohort, as detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as cardiovascular risk assessment is critically important in these patients.

Exploratory use of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in liver transplantation: a one-stop shop for preoperative cardiohepatic evaluation.

Background: Preoperative cardiovascular risk stratification in orthotopic liver transplantation candidates has proven challenging due to limitations of current noninvasive modalities. Additionally, the preoperative workup is logistically cumbersome and expensive given the need for separate cardiac, vascular, and abdominal imaging. We evaluated the feasibility of a "one-stop shop" in a magnetic resonance suite, performing assessment of cardiac structure, function, and viability, along with simultaneous evaluation of thoracoabdominal vasculature and liver anatomy.

Isoflurane and desflurane uptake during liver resection and transplantation.

When reducing fresh gas flows, the course of the vaporizer dial settings required to maintain a constant end-expired concentration of a potent inhaled anesthetic becomes more dependent on the uptake pattern of the inhaled anesthetic. However, the uptake pattern of potent inhaled anesthetics during prolonged procedures remains poorly quantified. Therefore, we determined isoflurane and desflurane uptake (V(iso) and V(des), respectively) during liver resection (LR, n = 17) and orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT, n = 18) using a liquid injection closed-circuit anesthesia technique maintaining the end-expired concentration at 0.

Effect of hemofiltration filter adsorption on circulating IL-6 levels in septic rats.

Introduction: Hemofiltration may modulate the inflammatory response in sepsis through a variety of mechanisms. We sought to distinguish clearance from adsorption as the principal mechanism responsible for reducing circulating IL-6 levels with hemofiltration.

Materials And Methods: Nine hours after cecal ligation and puncture in 18 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, we divided the rats into three groups (6 animals each) and placed groups 2 and 3 on a hemofiltration circuit connected between the right carotid artery and femoral vein using an AN69 membrane.