Patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness following total pancreatectomy with islet cell transplantation for chronic pancreatitis.

Objectives: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) results in an extremely poor quality of life and substantially increases health care utilization. Few data exist regarding the cost-effectiveness of surgical treatment for CP.

Methods: This article examined the cost-effectiveness of total pancreatectomy (TP) with islet cell autotransplantation (IAT) for CP.

Extracorporeal liver perfusion system for artificial liver support across a membrane.

Background: An extracorporeal porcine liver perfusion (ECPLP) system circumvents the limitations of hepatocyte based bio-artificial liver, but its clinical application has been limited so far due to the potential risk of transmission of porcine endogenous retroviruses. The aim of this study was to develop an ECPLP model that can provide artificial hepatic support across a semi-permeable membrane, which has the potential to block porcine viruses due to its pore size.

Materials And Methods: Livers from white landrace pigs were perfused with normothermic oxygenated blood using Medtronic BP560 centrifugal pump (Medtronic, Inc.

Use of the recanalised umbilical vein for islet autotransplantation following total pancreatectomy.

Introduction: Islet autotransplantation requires access to the portal vein or tributaries. We originally infused islets into the liver via the middle or right colic veins, but since 2005 we have used the recanalised umbilical vein. Here, we describe the technique, the advantages and the early results achieved.

Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation: an overview.

Pain control is one of the most challenging aspects in the management of chronic pancreatitis. Total pancreatectomy can successfully relieve the intractable abdominal pain in these patients but will inevitably result in insulin-dependent diabetes. Islet autotransplantation aims to preserve, as far as possible, the insulin secretory function of the islet cell mass thereby reducing (or even removing) the requirement for exogenous insulin administration after a total pancreactomy.

Inter-laboratory evaluation of the response of primary human hepatocyte cultures to model CYP inducers - a European Centre for Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) - funded pre-validation study.

The aim of the current work was to harmonise protocols between three laboratories by performing independent isolations and cultures of human hepatocytes and to assess their responses to prototypical cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme inducers, beta-naphthoflavone (BNF), rifampicin (RIF) or phenobarbital (PB). The magnitudes of the induction responses were CYP and donor-dependent but there was a good reproducibility between laboratories. CYP1A2 activity was evident in all cultures treated with BNF but not RIF or PB.

Islet auto transplantation following total pancreatectomy: a long-term assessment of graft function.

Unlabelled: Total pancreatectomy is considered the final resort in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis; however, here we show that simultaneous islet autotransplantation can abrogate the onset of diabetes.

Methods: : In Leicester, 46 patients have now undergone total pancreatectomy with immediate islet auto transplant, and they have received a median of 2246 islet equivalent (IEQ)/kg body weight (range, 405-20,385 IEQ/kg body weight).

Results: : Twelve patients have shown periods of insulin independence, for a median of 16.

Differential effects of curcumin on cryopreserved versus fresh primary human hepatocytes.

Curcumin (CUR) is a major component of a dietary spice derived from the roots of Curcuma longa. It has strong antioxidant activities and hepatoprotective properties. Primary human hepatocytes are clinically used in transplantation or in bioartificial liver devices for the treatment of patients with liver failure.

Ultrasound changes within the liver after total pancreatectomy and intrahepatic islet cell autotransplantation.

Objective: Intrahepatic infusion is the most common method of islet autotransplantation. Structural and functional changes within the liver may result from a number of factors, including embolization of the terminal branches of the portal vein, the effects of high insulin concentration on surrounding hepatocytes or responses to the death of admixed exocrine tissue. Awareness of the potential changes in the appearance of the liver on ultrasonography (USS), together with an assessment of liver function, is important in the postoperative surveillance of these patients.

Effects of progestins of human proliferative endometrium: an in vitro model of potential clinical relevance.

Endometrium biopsy is a useful indicator of endometrium proliferation and is clinically relevant to diagnose cell proliferation and to evaluate response to progestin treatment and to monitor hormone replacement therapy. The aim of our study was to investigate the in vitro effects of progesterone and synthetic progestins on endometrium explants with a particular focus on estradiol receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression which reflects through cell secretion the hormone treatment efficiency. Most widely used progestagens belonging to three distinctive groups were investigated, i.