High rate of stone-related complications after stapling the cystic duct during laparoscopic cholecystectomy-an underrecognized risk.

Background: Laparoscopic staplers (LS) have been suggested as a safe alternative to metal clips in laparoscopic cholecystectomy when the cystic duct is too inflamed or wide for complete clip occlusion. We aimed to evaluate the perioperative outcomes of patients whose cystic ducts were controlled by LS and evaluate the risk factors for complications.

Methods: Patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with LS used to control the cystic duct from 2005 to 2019 were retrospectively identified from an institutional database.

Sarcopenia in high acuity liver transplantation: Does it predict outcomes?

Background: Sarcopenia has gained momentum as a potential risk-stratification tool in liver transplantation (LT). While LT recipients recently have more advanced end-stage liver disease, the impact of sarcopenia in high acuity recipients with a high model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score remains unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed sarcopenia by calculating skeletal muscle index (SMI) from cross-sectional area at third lumbar vertebra (cm ) and height (m ) in 296 patients with a CT ≤ 30 days prior to LT.

The Utility of Extended Criteria Donor Livers in High Acuity Liver Transplant Recipients.

Background: Although the use of extended criteria donor (ECD) liver allografts has gained momentum as a potential method by which to expand the donor pool, their use largely remains relegated to low acuity liver transplant (LT) recipients. Thus, we sought to examine whether such grafts also have utility in high acuity (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease [MELD] ≥ 35) recipients.

Study Design: Extended criteria donors were defined as donor age > 60 years, hepatitis C virus positive donor, split livers, livers with cold ischemia time > 12 h, donor after cardiac death livers, or having macrosteatosis > 30%.

The impact of marijuana use on liver transplant recipients: A 900 patient single center experience.

Introduction: Increased societal prevalence of marijuana continues to challenge liver transplant (LT) programs. This study aimed to examine the potential effects of marijuana use on outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study included recipients who underwent LT between 1/2012 and 6/2018.

The Impact of Previous Abdominal Surgery in a High-Acuity Liver Transplant Population.

Background: It is not uncommon for liver transplant (LT) recipients to have had previous abdominal surgery (PAS) preceding transplant. The impact of PAS on morbidity and mortality in LT patients remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the correlation between PAS and LT outcomes in a high-acuity patient population.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury and its relationship with early allograft dysfunction in liver transplant patients.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is believed to contribute to graft dysfunction after liver transplantation (LT). However, studies on IRI and the impact of early allograft dysfunction (EAD) in IRI grafts are limited. Histological IRI was graded in 506 grafts from patients who had undergone LT and classified based on IRI severity (no, minimal, mild, moderate, and severe).

Impact of Rifaximin Therapy on Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Liver Transplantation: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Intestinal microbiota is thought to play an important role in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) after liver transplantation (LT). Rifaximin, a nonabsorbable antibiotic used to treat encephalopathy, exhibits antibacterial activity within the gut. We report the first study examining the impact of pre-LT rifaximin use on reducing hepatic IRI and inflammatory cell infiltration after LT.