Gasless single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Purpose: Single-port laparoscopic surgery is anticipated to become the future of minimally invasive surgery. We have devised an alternative approach for laparoscopic cholecystectomy by inserting a single port at the umbilicus and using the abdominal wall-lifting method, without establishing pneumoperitoneum.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 130 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy was done to compare the conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) (n = 69) and the novel single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SLC) using the abdominal wall-lifting method (n = 61).

A long-term survival case of advanced biliary cancer with repeated resection due to recurrence in the pancreaticogastrostomy site after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

A 62-year-old man underwent endoscopic mucosal resection for early gastric cancer. The follow-up computed tomography revealed biliary dilatation. The tumor was located in the lower bile duct with biliary dilatation, and no evidence of metastasis in other organs was noted.

Clinical role of Foxp3+ regulatory T cell in Living donor related liver transplantation for prediction of life-threatening complications.

Purposes: It is no doubt that regulatory T cells (Foxp3(+)CD4(+)CD25(+)T cells: Treg) play important roles in transplant immunity. We investigated the significance of Treg expression in acute stage of living donorrelated liver transplantation (LDLT) for the possibility of the sensitive marker for immunological state and homeostatic stress after liver transplantation.

Methods: Peripheral blood was drawn from 5 recipients of LDLT preoperatively and on post operative 1, 4, 7, and 14 days.

Bevacizumab improves splenomegaly and decreases production of hyaluronic acid after L-OHP based chemotherapy.

Background: Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy can cause hepatic sinusoidal injury such as sinusoidal obstructive syndrome (SOS). Spleen size is correlated with sinusoidal damage, and serum hyaluronic acid is also a marker of SOS. The aim of the present study was to clarify the impact of the current chemotherapeutic regimen plus bevacizumab against oxaliplatin-associated hepatic damage with serum hyaluronic acid and spleen size.

Abrogation of Rbpj attenuates experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis by inhibiting IL-22-producing CD4+ T cells.

Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is an organ-specific T cell-mediated disease induced by immunizing mice with interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP). Autoaggressive CD4(+) T cells are the major pathogenic population for EAU. We investigated the contribution of Notch signaling in T cells to EAU pathogenesis because Notch signaling regulates various aspects of CD4(+) T cell functions.

Cytokine expression in spleen affects progression of liver cirrhosis through liver-spleen cross-talk.

Aim: It is unclear whether the spleen affects the progression of liver cirrhosis (LC) through "liver-spleen cross-talk". Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is reported to be the most potent cytokine of liver fibrosis, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important factor of liver regeneration. In this study, we investigated the expression of cytokines in the spleens of LC patients in order to attempt to prove the existence of liver-spleen cross-talk.

Atypically large well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma with extensive fatty metamorphosis: report of a case.

A large well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with fatty change is rare, and to date only a few cases have been reported. Herein, we present a 68-year-old man who developed a well-differentiated HCC with extensive fatty metamorphosis. The patient was referred to our institute because of a rapidly growing tumor in the left lobe of the liver.

Hepatic epithelioid angiomyolipoma with arterioportal venous shunting mimicking hepatocellular carcinoma: report of a case.

A patient with hepatic epithelioid angiomyolipoma (Epi-AML) with arterioportal venous shunting, who was successfully treated by a laparoscopic left lateral sectionectomy, is presented herein. AML is an uncommon benign neoplasm of the liver. Tumors composed predominantly of epithelioid cells have been subcategorized into Epi-AML, and the treatment strategy for Epi-AML is currently undetermined.

The role of Aurora B expression in non-tumor liver tissues of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Aurora B is a serine-threonine kinase and chromosomal passenger protein involved in the control of chromosome assembly and segregation during mitosis. Aberrant expression of Aurora B has been reported in some tumors, including lung and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the role of Aurora B expression in both HCC and matched adjacent non-tumor tissue.

Specific miRNA expression profiles of non-tumor liver tissue predict a risk for recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: It is reasonable to investigate non-tumor liver tissues to predict a risk for development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A molecular analysis of chronically damaged liver tissues may identify specific miRNA expression profiles associated with a risk for multicentric (MC) HCC.

Methods: Twenty HCC patients, who underwent a curative hepatectomy were classified into two groups: a non-MC group (no MC recurrence in more than 3 years, n = 10) and an MC group (MC recurrence within 3 years after hepatectomy, n = 10).

Beneficial effects of enteral nutrition containing with hydrolyzed whey peptide on warm ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat liver.

Aim: This study examined the efficacy of enteral nutrition containing hydrolyzed whey peptide (HWP) on warm ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in the rat liver.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were subjected to 30 min of warm hepatic ischemia followed by immediate p.o.

Beneficial effects of green tea catechin on massive hepatectomy model in rats.

Background: Green tea catechin, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), is a well-known scavenger of reactive oxygen species and it may also function as an antioxidant through modulation of transcriptional factors and enzyme activities.

Methods: Green tea extract (GTE®) which contained numerous EGCG was used. Wistar rats were performed 90 % hepatectomy and classified into 2 groups with (GTEHx, n = 25) or without GTE treatment (Hx, n = 25) and sacrificed at 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after operations.

The impact of pegylated-interferon α-2b on partial and massive hepatectomy model in rats.

Background/aims: The impact of pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN) α-2b on liver regeneration has not yet been elucidated.

Methodology: Rats were divided into the following four groups: 70% hepatectomy (Hx); 70% Hx+PEG-IFN; 90% Hx and 90% Hx+PEG-IFN group (n=6 each). Rats were pretreated with subcutaneous of PEGIFN α-2b (1.

Regulatory T cells in the blood: a new marker of surgical stress.

Purpose: The function of regulatory T cells (Foxp3(+)CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells: Treg) after surgery remains unspecified. We investigated the potential role of Treg as a new stress marker for various operations.

Methods: Thirty-three patients who underwent various operations at our department were divided into the following three groups based on the invasiveness of their surgery: Group A, those who underwent massively invasive surgery; Group B, those who underwent moderately invasive surgery; and Group C, those who underwent minimally invasive surgery.

The protective effect of adipose-derived stem cells against liver injury by trophic molecules.

Background: In this study we investigated whether adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) had any beneficial protective effects on liver injury and regeneration in vivo. Moreover, we examined whether ADSCs protect hepatocytes via trophic molecules.

Materials And Methods: We transplanted ADSCs into mice after 70% hepatectomy and ischemia-reperfusion, and observed liver injury and regeneration after reperfusion.

Hepatic screlosed hemangioma which was misdiagnosed as metastasis of gastric cancer: report of a case.

A screlosed hemangioma of the liver is rare among hepatic tumors. A 75 years old male was referred to our hospital for gastric cancer and a hepatic tumor. The histological finding of gastric cancer was revealed to be well differentiated adenocarcinoma.

Role of CD44 expression in non-tumor tissue on intrahepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: CD44 is well known to be one of the cancer stem cell markers and is a cell-surface glycoprotein involved in cell-cell interactions, cell adhesion, and cell migration. We investigated the role of CD44 expression in both tumor and non-tumor tissues on recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Forty-eight patients with HCC who underwent hepatic resection at our institution were enrolled in this study.

Prediction of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative hepatectomy using preoperative Lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of alpha-fetoprotein.

Aim:   Lens culinaris agglutinin A-reactive fraction of α-fetoprotein (AFP-L3) status has been reported to be an independent prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we evaluated the clinical usefulness of measuring preoperative AFP-L3 to predict the recurrence and prognosis of HCC after curative hepatectomy.

Methods:   One hundred and forty-two HCC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy were examined for the correlation between preoperative tumor marker, including AFP, des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) and AFP-L3, and clinicopathological variables.

ALTA injection sclerosing therapy:non-excisional treatment of internal hemorrhoids.

Background/aims: Aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA) is a new sclerosing therapy for internal hemorrhoids. This injection therapy is a four-step direct injection sclerosing procedure intended to shrink and harden internal hemorrhoids to eliminate hemorrhoidal prolapse and bleeding. The aim of this study was to assess the short term efficacy of this treatment.