Long-term results of surgical treatment for bleeding oesophageal varices in children with portal hypertension

The progressive elevation of alpha fetoprotein for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with liver cirrhosis

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common cause of primary liver neoplasms and is one of the main causes of death in patients with liver cirrhosis. High Alpha fetoprotein serum levels have been found in 60–70% of patients with Hepatocellular carcinoma; nevertheless, there are other causes that increase this protein. Alpha fetoprotein levels ≥200 and 400 ng/mL in patients with an identifiable liver mass by imaging techniques are diagnostic of hepatocellular carcinoma with high specificity.

Methods

We analysed the sensitivity and specificity of the progressive increase of the levels of alpha fetoprotein for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with liver cirrhosis. Seventy-four patients with cirrhosis without hepatocellular carcinoma and 193 with hepatic lesions diagnosed by biopsy and shown by image scans were included. Sensitivity and specificity of transversal determination of alpha fetoprotein ≥ 200 and 400 ng/mL and monthly progressive elevation of alpha fetoprotein were analysed. Areas under the ROC curves were compared. Positive and negative predictive values adjusted to a 5 and 10% prevalence were calculated.

Results

For an elevation of alpha fetoprotein ≥ 200 and 400 ng/mL the specificity is of 100% in both cases, with a sensitivity of 36.3 and 20.2%, respectively. For an alpha fetoprotein elevation rate ≥7 ng/mL/month, sensitivity was of 71.4% and specificity of 100%. The area under the ROC curve of the progressive elevation was significantly greater than that of the transversal determination of alpha fetoprotein. The positive and negative predictive values modified to a 10% prevalence are of: 98.8% and 96.92%, respectively; while for a prevalence of 5% they were of 97.4% and 98.52%, respectively.

Conclusion

The progressive elevation of alpha fetoprotein ≥7 ng/mL/month in patients with liver cirrhosis is useful for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients that do not reach αFP levels ≥200 ng/mL. Prospective studies are required to confirm this observation.

Treatment of variceal hemorrhage in children

The etiology and management of portal hypertension in infants and children differ from those in adults. Both the plan of management and the prognosis of portal hypertension vary considerably depending upon the nature of the underlying pathologic process. It is essential to determine the type of obstruction as accurately as possible before definitive treatment is initiated. This article considers the management of extrahepatic, intrahepatic, and suprahepatic portal venous obstruction; treatment of the unshuntable patient; portosystemic shunts; and liver transplantation.

Injection sclerotherapy in adult patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction

Thirty-nine adult and teenage patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) were treated with injection sclerotherapy. There were 22 males and 17 females with a mean age of 27 years (range 12-69). Oesophageal varices were eradicated in 33 patients after seven injections (range 1-17) over a mean of 14.5 months (range 1-48). Fewer injections were needed to eradicate varices in older patients. Variceal bleeding occurred on 13 occasions in 9 patients before eradication of varices and on 4 occasions in 4 of the 33 patients in whom varices had been eradicated, with a mean follow-up of 44 months (range 3-105). There were no deaths during the study period. Complications, mostly of a minor nature, occurred in 25 patients and included injection site leak in 5, stenosis in 7 and mucosal ulceration in 23. We conclude that injection sclerotherapy is the treatment of choice in patients with EHPVO.

Bleeding oesophageal varices with long term follow up

Complete long term follow up was obtained in 27 children who had bled from oesophageal varices. Most presented with haematemesis or melaena at an average age of 5.2 years in the portal vein thrombosis group (20 children) and 9.5 years in the intrahepatic group (7 children). All had splenomegaly. Only 6 of 20 children with portal vein thrombosis had a possible precipitating factor. A total of 182 admissions for bleeding are reported, in 68 of which injection sclerotherapy was used to control bleeding. Control rate with injection sclerotherapy was 97%. Shunts performed below age 10 years were associated with a high thrombosis rate. A conservative approach to bleeding varices in children is recommended with transfusion, pitressin, and injection sclerotherapy. Oesophageal transection may have a role in the emergency management of the few children in whom bleeding is not controlled by injection sclerotherapy.

Portal hypertension in children. An experience of 33 cases

The pathology, treatment and progress of 33 children with portal hypertension are reviewed. There were 20 patients with extra-hepatic portal obstruction (EHB) and 13 with intra-hepatic obstruction (IHB). The lesion in all the EHB was a block in the portal vein: in IHB it was a post-hepatitis cirrhosis in two cases and in the others a congenital abnormality. Treatment was surgical in 32 patients. The prognosis in EHB is good and long survival after operation was the rule. In IHB the survival depended upon the type and severity of the hepatic disorder and the incidence of recurrent bleeding. The frequency of recurrent bleeding was found to vary with the operation performed being greatest after splenectomy alone or with devascularisation, and least after lieno-renal anastomosis. The follow-up ranged from one year to more than 28 years.

Congenital abnormalities associated with extrahepatic portal hypertension

Congenital abnormalities were present in 12 out of 30 (40%) children with extrahepatic portal hypertension of unknown cause, but in only 2 out of 17 (12%) children with extnahepatic portal hypertension secondary to umbilical vein catheterization or omphalitis. The most frequent abnormalities in this series and in published reports were atrial septal defect, malformation of the biliary tract, and anomalous inferior vena cava. These findings are consistent with the view that some cases with extrahepatic portal hypertension are congenital in origin.

Congenital hepatic fibrosis

During 10 years four patients with congenital hepatic fibrosis were seen in a general hospital in London; three presented in adult life. It is suggested that the condition may account for a larger proportion of patients with chronic liver disease than has been thought to be the case.