Safety and Efficacy of Laparoscopic Caudate Lobectomy: A Systematic Review.

Resection of the caudate lobe of the liver is considered a highly challenging type of liver resection due to the region's intimacy with critical vascular structures and deep anatomic location inside the abdominal cavity. Laparoscopic resection of the caudate lobe is considered one of the most challenging laparoscopic liver procedures. The objective of our systematic review was to evaluate the safety, technical feasibility and main outcomes of laparoscopic caudate lobectomy LCL.

The Evolution of Living Donor Nephrectomy Program at A Hellenic Transplant Center. Laparoscopic vs. Open Donor Nephrectomy: Single-Center Experience.

Since its introduction in 1995, laparoscopic nephrectomy has emerged as the preferred surgical approach for living donor nephrectomy. Given the ubiquity of the surgical procedure and the need for favorable outcomes, as it is an elective operation on otherwise healthy individuals, it is imperative to ensure appropriate preoperative risk stratification and anticipate intraoperative challenges. The aim of the present study was to compare peri-and postoperative outcomes of living kidney donors (LD), who had undergone laparoscopic nephrectomy (LDN), with a control group of those who had undergone open nephrectomy (ODN).

Primary thoracic chondrosarcoma with intra-abdominal extension in a renal transplant recipient: A case report.

Primary thoracic bone tumors are relatively rare. The most common type is chondrosarcoma, accounting for up to 48% of all cases. Patients with primary thoracic bone tumors commonly present with atypical thoracic pain or a solitary palpable chest mass, which gradually develops over months to years.

The Paradox of Increasing Waiting List Mortality and Declining Utilization of Deceased Donor Grafts in Kidney Transplant.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are a rare type of tumor with malignant potential, characterized by slowgrowth, frequent hepatic metastatic lesions that usually stay contained within the liver. In patients with unresectable liver metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, liver transplant is the only treatment available. Insulinomas are the most common pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and 5% to 10% of insulinomas are malignant.

Renal autotransplantation: A final option to preserve the kidney after an iatrogenic ureteral injury.

Background: Ureteral injuries are not very common and can occur after many surgical procedures. Kidney salvage is desirable. Renal autotransplantation is a final option for some cases.

Prediction of Microvascular Tumor Invasion in Liver Transplant Candidates With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Feasible Concept or a Misleading Illusion?

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhosis is a widely accepted indication for liver transplantation (LT). Many scoring systems have been proposed intending to an extension of the established Milan criteria. Bridging treatments are systematically applied in order to maintain or to downstage such patients to the listing criteria.

Solid Organ Transplantation After Retrieval From Deceased Donors With Abdominal Aortic Grafts.

Introduction: Organ procurement from deceased donors has been steadily augmented over the last 20 years. With a more aged donor population, a higher incidence of intraabdominal pathologies, including abdominal aortic aneurysms and atherosclerotic aortic disease, is commonly being encountered. The objective of our study was to report our institutional experience with abdominal aortic grafts during solid organ harvesting.

A "Trapped Heart" in an Octopus Pot: Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy; Review of a Rare Clinical Syndrome Following Solid-Organ Transplant.

Objectives: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as "broken heart syndrome," "apical ballooning syndrome," and "stress-induced cardiomyopathy," was first des cribed in Japanese patients in 1990 by Sato and colleagues. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is an increasingly recognized syndrome characterized by transient and reversible systolic dysfunction of the apical and middle segments of the left ventricle. This syndrome resembles acute myocardial infarction in the absence of evident coronary artery occlusion.

Liver transplantation in patients with liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumors: A systematic review.

Background: Liver transplantation to treat neuroendocrine tumors, especially in the setting of diffuse liver involvement not amenable to operative resection remains controversial. We sought to perform a systematic review of the current literature to summarize data on patients undergoing liver transplantation with neuroendocrine tumors liver metastases as the indication.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines.

Liver transplantation for unresectable colorectal liver metastases: A systematic review.

The use of liver transplantation (LT) for liver metastases attempted in the early 1990's was associated with poor perioperative outcomes and unacceptably low overall survival. Recently, there has been renewed interest in LT as a treatment option for colorectal liver metastases (CLM) in countries where organ supply is high. To date, no meticulous analysis about the efficacy, safety and outcomes of LT in CLM patients has been published.

Updates and Critical Evaluation on Novel Biomarkers for the Malignant Progression of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of the Pancreas.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are presumed to evolve from low-grade dysplasia to high-grade dysplasia to invasive carcinoma. Resection of lesions before the development of pancreatic cancer may prevent the development of an incurable process as, once IPMNs progress to invasive cancer, the prognosis may be as poor as resected conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Resection of IPMNs, particularly in the setting of high-grade dysplasia, is presumed to provide a survival benefit.

Tailoring the 'Perfect Fit' for Renal Transplant Recipients with End-stage Polycystic Kidney Disease: Indications and Timing of Native Nephrectomy.

Background: The ideal timing of native nephrectomy in relation to kidney transplantation in patients with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) can be a very puzzling decision for transplant surgeons and remains a matter of debate. This review article aims to present current literature regarding this highly controversial issue.

Materials And Methods: The MEDLINE/PubMed database was searched using "polycystic kidney disease", "renal/kidney transplantation" and "native nephrectomy" as key words.

Hepatocellular carcinoma development in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Is it going to be the "Plague" of the 21st century? A literature review focusing on pathogenesis, prevention and treatment.

Liver carcinogenesis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a subject of intense research nowadays, since NAFLD is the most common chronic liver disease, affecting a great percentage of the population worldwide, while hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which represents the most common primary liver malignancy, is the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The underlying pathogenic pathways of both NAFLD and HCC are not completely understood, but there is growing evidence that they share many common pathophysiologic mechanisms and risk factors. Due to lack of solid evidence, though, the ultimate goal of designing effective diagnostic tools, treatment options and screening policies remain unmet for the time being.

Renal Cell Carcinoma of Native Kidneys in Renal Transplant Recipients: A Single-center Experience.

Background: The risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development in renal transplant recipients is 15-100 times higher than in the general population. The majority of RCCs found in renal transplant recipients develop in the recipient's native kidneys, only 9% of tumors develop in the allograft itself. The mechanisms of development of RCC in native kidneys and renal allografts are not completely understood.

The effect of Guidelines in surgical decision making: The paradigm of hepatocellular carcinoma.

It is not inconceivable to envision surgeons, offering extended liver resection in patients beyond the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system criteria with intermediate/advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), to be found negligent since extensive liver resection is correlated with increased morbidity compared to conservative or palliative treatment. Given that no other classification system than BCLC has been adopted widely for HCC staging and treatment, a revision of the BCLC algorithm and clinical guidelines should be tailored using new molecular and clinical treatment algorithms, as well as including patient's preferences.

Parenchymal-sparing Hepatectomy as the New Doctrine in the Treatment of Liver-metastatic Colorectal Disease: Beyond Oncological Outcomes.

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in the Western world. Half of patients with colorectal cancer will develop liver-metastatic (CLM) disease, with fewer than 30% having surgically resectable disease at diagnosis. It is well established in the literature that major hepatectomy offers a high rate of R0 resection, however, with concommitant increased rates of mortality and morbidity.

Incisional Infections after Renal Transplant: Outcome Data From 238 Consecutive Recipients.

Objectives: Surgical incision infections, along with urinary tract infections, are among the most common infective complications after kidney transplant. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the incidence and predisposing factors of surgical incision infection development in renal transplant recipients.

Materials And Methods: Between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2015, there were 238 consecutive kidney transplant procedures performed in our unit.

A Heartbreaking Renal Transplantation: Is Norepinephrine the Culprit to Blame?

Introduction: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), also known as "broken heart syndrome," "apical ballooning syndrome," and "stress-induced cardiomyopathy," was first described in Japanese patients in 1990 by Sato et al. TCM is an increasingly recognized syndrome characterized by transient and reversible systolic dysfunction of the apical and middle segments of the left ventricle. This syndrome resembles acute myocardial infarction in the absence of evident coronary artery occlusion.

Arteriovenous renal replacement therapy in end-stage left-sided heart failure patients has a detrimental effect on patients with impaired right ventricular function.

Objective: Chronic intermittent renal replacement therapy(RRT) is an alternate method of decongestion for patients presenting with diuretic-resistant, end-stage heart failure(HF) and cardiorenal syndrome. The optimal method of vascular access has not been confirmed. This study investigated the 6-month outcomes of patients with end-stage HF after the creation of arteriovenous communications (AVC) compared with other means of RRT.

Renal paratransplant hernia revealed: a review of the literature.

Background: Renal paratransplant hernia (RPH) is an uncommon variant of internal hernias developed in renal transplant recipients. The aim of this review is to meticulously present and analyze all data coming mainly from case reports or short-case studies on this very uncommon surgical entity.

Materials And Methods: The MEDLINE/PubMed database was searched for publications with the medical subject heading ''renal paratransplant hernia''.

Single-Center Experience on Liver Transplantation for Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score 40 Patients.

Background: Organ shortage and waiting list mortality have led to changes in the allocation policy in Eurotransplant.

Aim: To identify factors influencing the survival of liver transplanted patients with model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score of 40.

Patients And Methods: Data of listed adult patients who reached a MELD score 40 in the period 12/2006-06/2010 were reviewed.

Mechanistic insights of rapid liver regeneration after associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for stage hepatectomy.

Aim: To highlight the potential mechanisms of regeneration in the Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Stage hepatectomy models (clinical and experimental) that could unlock the myth behind the extraordinary capability of the liver for regeneration, which would help in designing new therapeutic options for the regenerative drive in difficult setup, such as chronic liver diseases. Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Stage hepatectomy has been recently advocated to induce rapid future liver remnant hypertrophy that significantly shortens the time for the second stage hepatectomy. The introduction of Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Stage hepatectomy in the surgical armamentarium of therapeutic tools for liver surgeons represented a real breakthrough in the history of liver surgery.