Strategy and Outcomes of Cardiac Surgery in Patients With Cirrhosis: Comprehensive Approach With Liver Transplant Program.

Background: Cardiac surgery is considered a contraindication in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis (LC) due to increased mortality and morbidity. There are limited data on the treatment strategy and management of this population. We aimed to present our strategy and evaluate the clinical outcome of cardiac surgery in patients with LC.

Cirrhosis and COVID-19: Diffuse venous thrombosis and its clinical implication.

A 60-year-old woman with Hepatitis C infection, cirrhosis, recurrent hepatic hydrothorax, and hepatocellular carcinoma was hospitalized with Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). After her initial discharge, she was re-admitted three weeks later with decompensated liver disease. Imaging revealed extensive thrombosis in the portal vein, superior mesenteric vein, splenic vein and bilateral brachial veins.

Trends and outcomes of liver transplantation among older recipients in the United States.

Background: The average age of recipients and donors of liver transplantation (LT) is increasing. Although there has been a change in the indications for LT over the years, data regarding the trends and outcomes of LT in the older population is limited.

Aim: To assess the clinical characteristics, age-related trends, and outcomes of LT among the older population in the United States.

Fatal acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by blastomycosis after recent orthotopic liver transplantation in a non-endemic area.

In blastomycosis, immunosuppression such as that following solid organ transplantation appears to be a risk factor for the development of overwhelming lung infection fulfilling criteria for the acute respiratory distress syndrome. Our transplant center, located outside traditional endemic areas for spp, experienced a case of fatal acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to blastomycosis pneumonia in a recipient of recent orthotopic liver transplantation. The patient expired despite support with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Improving Liver Transplant Outcomes for Hepatitis C Virus Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy Era.

Background: Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has transformed the outcomes of liver transplant (LT) with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study aimed to analyze the effects of DAA treatment for HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in LT.

Methods: We included patients confirmed with HCC on explant, analyzed data from United Network for Organ Sharing, and defined the pre-DAA era (2012-2013) and DAA era (2014-2016).

Inferior Liver Transplant Outcomes during early COVID-19 pandemic in United States.

Background: : Since its declaration as a global pandemic on March11 2020, COVID-19 has had a significant effect on solid-organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on Liver transplantation (LT) in United States.

Methods: : We retrospectively analyzed the United Network for Organ Sharing database regarding characteristics of donors, adult-LT recipients, and transplant outcomes during early-COVID period (March 11- September 11, 2020) and compared them to pre-COVID period (March 11 - September 11, 2019).

Complex Abdominal Wall Reconstruction with Biologic Mesh for Ventral Hernia Repair in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Background: Ventral hernia is a common occurrence in patients undergoing solid organ transplant (SOT) and who require complex abdominal wall reconstruction (CAWR). The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes of CAWR in SOT patients in a tertiary center.

Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study in patients who underwent CAWR with biological mesh at our center from January 2016 to November 2021.

Impact of Liver Transplantation on Carbon Monoxide Production as Measured by Arterial Carboxyhemoglobin Levels in Cirrhotic Patients with and without Hepatopulmonary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Hepatic dysfunction is associated with increased production of carbon monoxide. End-stage liver disease patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) have been shown to have higher blood carbon monoxide levels than those without HPS. The impact of liver transplantation on blood carbon monoxide levels is currently unknown.

Successful Management of COVID-19 Infection in 2 Early Post-Liver Transplant Recipients.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected all facets of life and continues to cripple nations. COVID-19 has taken the lives of more than 2.1 million people worldwide, with a global mortality rate of 2.

Complex Abdominal Wall Reconstruction in Neutropenic Patients.

The aim of our study was to determine whether patients with neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≤1,500 cells/µL) had higher rates of surgical site infection after elective abdominal wall reconstruction. This was a case series from a prospective complex abdominal wall reconstruction cohort describing the surgical outcomes of 4 neutropenic patients (ANC ≤1,500 cells/µL) within 48 hours of index operation. Median age was 55 years, 3 patients were female.

Successful liver transplantation in a patient recovered from COVID-19.

Transplantation in potential candidates who have recently recovered from COVID-19 is a challenge with uncertainties regarding the diagnosis, multi-organ systemic involvement, prolonged viral shedding in immunocompromised patients, and optimal immunosuppression. A 42 year male with alcoholic hepatitis underwent a successful deceased donor liver transplantation 71 days after the initial diagnosis of COVID-19. At the time of transplant, he was SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative for 24 days and had a MELD score of 33.

The correlation between sarcopaenia and post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt hepatic encephalopathy: a single-institution review.

Introduction: Sarcopaenia, or muscle wasting, can be used to objectively quantify malnutrition in cirrhotic patients.

Material And Methods: In this retrospective study, a list of all patients who underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure at Westchester Medical Centre from September 2009 to July 2018 was obtained, and individual chart reviews were performed.

Results: In total, 90 charts were reviewed.

Heart Transplantation for Hepatitis C Virus Non-Viremic Recipients From Hepatitis C Virus Viremic Donors.

Multiple strategies have been implemented to increase the donor pool to avoid transplant wait-list mortality. The approval of highly effective direct-acting antiviral regimens for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has enabled expansion of the donor pool by allowing the transplantation of organs from HCV-viremic donors to HCV-negative recipients. Multiple centers have recently published data on outcomes of heart transplantation from HCV-viremic heart donors to HCV-negative recipients, with acceptable posttransplant outcomes.

Tracheobronchitis with stridor in a patient with ulcerative colitis.

Bronchopulmonary involvement is a rare but well documented extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD-related pulmonary disease can range from subglottic stenosis to tracheobronchitis to interstitial lung disease and is often misdiagnosed on initial presentation. We present a case of tracheobronchitis with stridor in a 23-year-old-woman with well controlled ulcerative colitis (UC).

Periampullary Variceal Bleeding: An Atypical Complication of Portal Hypertension.

Variceal bleeding remains a fatal complication of portal hypertension. Periampullary varices are rare and, due to their location, are difficult to diagnose and treat. Similar to esophagogastric varices, they are the result of high portosystemic pressures secondary to intrahepatic causes such as cirrhosis and extrahepatic causes such as portal or splenic vein thrombosis.

Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management of Orthotopic Liver Transplant Candidates With Portopulmonary Hypertension.

Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) is seen in 5-8% of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) candidates and has significant implications for clinical outcomes. POPH is characterized by vasoconstriction and remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature. It is exacerbated by the hyperdynamic circulation that is common in advanced liver disease.

Bilirubin in coronary artery disease: Cytotoxic or protective?

Bilirubin has traditionally been considered a cytotoxic waste product. However, recent studies have shown bilirubin to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, anti-apoptotic and anti-proliferative functions. These properties potentially confer bilirubin a new role of protection especially in coronary artery disease (CAD), which is a low grade inflammatory process exacerbated by oxidative stress.

Abdominal Skin Rash After TACE Due to Non-Target Embolization of Hepatic Falciform Artery.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a well-recognized procedure for management of hepatocellular carcinoma. We present a 54-year-old man who presented with a periumbilical maculopapular skin rash that developed after an otherwise uneventful TACE procedure. A retrospective review of imaging was consistent with non-target embolization of the hepatic falciform artery (HFA).

Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Disorders of Bilirubin Excretion.

We aimed to determine the predictors of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with abnormal bilirubin excretion, that is, Gilbert syndrome, Crigler-Najjar syndrome, Dubin-Johnson syndrome, and Rotor syndrome. We analyzed data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD for the period 2009 to 2010. All patients ≥18 years of age with a primary diagnosis of "disorders of bilirubin excretion" [International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-9CM) code 277.

Autoimmune Hepatitis in Association With Sofosbuvir.

Sofosbuvir in combination with ribavirin was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment option for hepatitis C (HepC) in 2013. We describe a case of autoimmune hepatitis triggered in a patient on therapy with sofosbuvir and ribavirin. A 65-year-old woman with a medical history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and HepC (genotype 2) underwent pretreatment liver biopsy in May 2012, which demonstrated mild chronic active hepatitis with focal piece-meal necrosis and mild stage 1 periportal fibrosis with no increased iron deposition.

Timing of hepatic artery reperfusion and biliary strictures in liver transplantation.

During orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), biliary tract perfusion occurs with hepatic artery reperfusion (HARP), commonly performed after the portal vein reperfusion (PVRP). We examined whether the average time interval between PVRP and HARP impacted on postoperative biliary strictures occurrence. Patients undergoing OLT from 2007 to 2009 were included if they were ≥18 years old, had survived 3 months postoperatively, and had data for PVRP and HARP.

Use of endoscopic ultrasound.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) should be performed when it has the potential to affect the patient's management, as when establishing a diagnosis, performing locoregional tumor staging, or providing therapeutic intervention. Luminal malignancies, extraluminal malignancies, and other common indications for performing EUS are discussed in this article.