Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes related with neurological events after liver transplantation in adult and pediatric recipients

The Effect of Patient-controlled Intravenous Analgesia (PCIA) on Postoperative Delirium in Patients with Liver Transplantation: a Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Objectives Postoperative opioid use and pain are related to postoperative delirium. This study aims to compare the incidence of delirium in patients with and without patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) among liver transplant recipients. Methods The medical records of 253 patients who received liver transplantation (LT) from January 2010 to July 2017 in a single university hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: the patients who had used PCIA (P group, n = 71) and those who did not use PCIA (C group, n = 182) after LT in intensive care unit (ICU). The patient data were collected, which included demographic data, and details about perioperative management and postoperative complications. Results There was no difference in the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score between the two groups. Postoperative delirium occurred in 10 / 71 (14.08 %) in the P group and 26 / 182 (14.29 %) in the C group after LT, respectively (P = 0.97). After propensity score matching, no differences were observed in the incidence of delirium (P = 0.359) and the time from surgery to discharge (P = 0.26) between the two groups. Conclusions Patients with PCIA after LT exhibited no relationship with postoperative delirium. Therefore, it is necessary to actively control postoperative pain using PCIA.

A case report of reversible posterior encephalopathy syndrome with intracranial hemorrhage in a child

INTRODUCTION

The objective is to analyze the clinical diagnosis and treatment of children with rescindable posterior encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) to improve the pediatrician's understanding of PRES combined with ICH in children.

PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSIS

After liver transplantation, the patient developed symptoms of epilepsy and coma. Meanwhile, massive necrosis of acute cerebral infarction and small hemorrhage was observed in the left cerebellar hemisphere and left occipital lobe, respectively. The above symptoms were initially diagnosed as PRES.

INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES

After adjusting the anti-rejection drug regimen, it was found that the child's neurological symptoms were relieved, and the limb motor function gradually recovered during follow-up. Imaging examination showed significant improvement on abnormal signals in brain.

CONCLUSION

In general, children with PRES may further develop ICH and contribute to a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis, detection of risk factors and timely adjustment of medication regimen are the keys to prevent irreversible brain damage.

Bile-duct ligation renders the brain susceptible to hypotension-induced neuronal degeneration: Implications of ammonia

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a debilitating neurological complication of cirrhosis. By definition, HE is considered a reversible disorder, and therefore HE should resolve following liver transplantation (LT). However, persisting neurological complications are observed in as many as 47% of LT recipients. LT is an invasive surgical procedure accompanied by various perioperative factors such as blood loss and hypotension which could influence outcomes post-LT. We hypothesize that minimal HE (MHE) renders the brain frail and susceptible to hypotension-induced neuronal cell death. Six-week bile duct-ligated (BDL) rats with MHE and respective SHAM-controls were used. Several degrees of hypotension (mean arterial pressure of 30, 60 and 90 mm Hg) were induced via blood withdrawal from the femoral artery and maintained for 120 min. Brains were collected for neuronal cell count and apoptotic analysis. In a separate group, BDL rats were treated for MHE with the ammonia-lowering strategy ornithine phenylacetate (OP; MNK-6105), administered orally (1 g/kg) for 3 weeks before induction of hypotension. Hypotension 30 and 60 mm Hg (not 90 mm Hg) significantly decreased neuronal marker expression (NeuN) and cresyl violet staining in the frontal cortex compared to respective hypotensive SHAM-operated controls as well as non-hypotensive BDL rats. Neuronal degeneration was associated with an increase in cleaved caspase-3, suggesting the mechanism of cell death was apoptotic. OP treatment attenuated hyperammonaemia, improved anxiety and activity, and protected the brain against hypotension-induced neuronal cell death. Our findings demonstrate that rats with chronic liver disease and MHE are more susceptible to hypotension-induced neuronal cell degeneration. This highlights MHE at the time of LT is a risk factor for poor neurological outcome post-transplant and that treating for MHE pre-LT might reduce this risk.

Liver Transplant Patients with High Preoperative Serum Bilirubin Levels Are at Increased Risk of Postoperative Delirium: A Retrospective Study

Postoperative delirium is a common complication after liver transplantation (LT). A high model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score is an independent risk factor for postoperative delirium, but it is unclear which of the components of this score are risk indicators. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of postoperative delirium according to the preoperative serum bilirubin level, a component of the MELD score, in patients who underwent LT. The medical records of 325 patients who underwent LT from January 2010 to February 2019 at a single university hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: those who experienced postoperative delirium (Delirium group, n = 69) and those who did not (Control group, n = 256). Data on the patients’ demographic characteristics, perioperative management, and postoperative complications were collected. Mean preoperative bilirubin level was higher in the Delirium group than in the Control group (p < 0.0001). In the Delirium group, 54 (78.26%) patients had preoperative bilirubin levels above 3.5 mg/dL. In the multivariate analysis, preoperative bilirubin above 3.5 mg/dL was associated with postoperative delirium (p = 0.002). Therefore, preoperative hyperbilirubinemia is an independent risk factor for postoperative delirium.