Surgical treatment for recurrent cholangiocarcinoma: a single-center series

Purpose

The present study aims to assess the results obtained after surgical treatment of cholangiocarcinoma (CC) recurrences.

Methods

We carried out a single-center retrospective study, including all patients with recurrence of CC. The primary outcome was patient survival after surgical treatment compared with chemotherapy or best supportive care. A multivariate analysis of variables affecting mortality after CC recurrence was performed.

Results

Eighteen patients were indicated surgery to treat CC recurrence. Severe postoperative complication rate was 27.8% with a 30-day mortality rate of 16.7%. Median survival after surgery was 15 months (range 0-50) with 1- and 3-year patient survival rates of 55.6% and 16.6%, respectively. Patient survival after surgery or CHT alone, was significantly better than receiving supportive care (p< 0.001). We found no significant difference in survival when comparing CHT alone and surgical treatment (p=0.113). Time to recurrence of <1 year, adjuvant CHT after resection of the primary tumor and undergoing surgery or CHT alone versus best supportive care were independent factors affecting mortality after CC recurrence in the multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

Surgery or CHT alone improved patient survival after CC recurrence compared to best supportive care. Surgical treatment did not improve patient survival compared to CHT alone.

Similar Results in Liver Transplantation From Controlled Donation After Circulatory Death Donors With Normothermic Regional Perfusion and Donation After Brain Death Donors: A Case-Matched Single-Center Study

Although good results have been reported with the use of normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) in controlled donation after circulatory death (cDCD) liver transplantation (LT), there is a lack of evidence to demonstrate similar results to donation after brain death (DBD). We present a single-center retrospective case-matched (1:2) study including 100 NRP cDCD LTs and 200 DBD LTs and a median follow-up of 36 months. Matching was done according to donor age, recipient Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and cold ischemia time. The following perioperative results were similar in both groups: alanine transaminase peaks of 909 U/L in the DBD group and 836 U/L in the cDCD group and early allograft disfunction percentages of 21% and 19.2%, respectively. The 1-year and 3-year overall graft survival for cDCD was 99% and 93%, respectively, versus 92% and 87%, respectively, for DBD (P = 0.04). Of note, no cases of primary nonfunction or ischemic-type biliary lesion were observed among the cDCD grafts. Our results confirm that NRP cDCD LT meets the same outcomes as those obtained with DBD LT and provides evidence to support the idea that cDCD donors per se should no longer be considered as "marginal donors" when recovered with NRP.

Early tacrolimus exposure does not impact long-term outcomes after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Tacrolimus trough levels (TTL) during the first weeks after liver transplantation (LT) have been related with long-term renal function and hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence. Nevertheless, the significance of trough levels of tacrolimus during the early post-transplant period for the long-term outcome is under debate

AIM

To evaluate the effect of TTL during the first month on the long-term outcomes after LT.

METHODS

One hundred fifty-five LT recipients treated de novo with once-daily tacrolimus were retrospectively studied. Patients with repeated LT or combined transplantation were excluded as well as those who presented renal dysfunction prior to transplantation and/or those who needed induction therapy. Patients were classified into 2 groups according to their mean TTL within the first month after transplantation: ≤ 10 (n = 98) and > 10 ng/mL (n = 57). Multivariate analyses were performed to assess risk factors for patient mortality.

RESULTS

Mean levels within the first month post-transplant were 7.4 ± 1.7 and 12.6 ± 2.2 ng/mL in the ≤ 10 and > 10 groups, respectively. Donor age was higher in the high TTL group 62.9 ± 16.8 years vs 45.7 ± 17.5 years (P = 0.002) whilst mycophenolate-mofetil was more frequently used in the low TTL group 32.7% vs 15.8% (P = 0.02). Recipient features were generally similar across groups. After a median follow-up of 52.8 mo (range 2.8-81.1), no significant differences were observed in: Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (P = 0.69), hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence (P = 0.44), de novo tumors (P = 0.77), new-onset diabetes (P = 0.13), or biopsy-proven acute rejection rate (12.2% and 8.8%, respectively; P = 0.50). Eighteen patients died during the follow-up and were evenly distributed across groups (P = 0.83). Five-year patient survival was 90.5% and 84.9%, respectively (P = 0.44), while 5-year graft survival was 88.2% and 80.8%, respectively (P = 0.42). Early TTL was not an independent factor for patient mortality in multivariate analyses.

CONCLUSION

Differences in tacrolimus levels restricted to the first month after transplant did not result in significant differences in long-term outcomes of LT recipients.

Totally laparoscopic simultaneous resection of colorectal cancer and synchronous liver metastases: a single-center case series

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study is to analyze the feasibility, the safety and short- and medium-term survival of totally laparoscopic simultaneous resections (LSR) of colorectal cancer (CRC) and synchronous liver metastases (LM).

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of a single-center series. Patients ASA IV, ECOG ≥ 2, major hepatectomies (≥ 3 segments), symptomatic CRC as well as low rectal tumors were excluded from indication. The difficulty level of all liver resections was classified as low or intermediate according to the Iwate Criteria. Dindo-Clavien classification for postoperative complications evaluation was used.

RESULTS

15 Patients with 21 liver lesions were included. Laparoscopic liver surgery was performed first in every case. Median size of the lesions was 20 mm (r 8-69). Major complications (Dindo-Clavien ≥ 3) occurred in 3 patients (20%); median hospital stay was 7 days (r 4-35), and only one patient (6.6%) was readmitted upon the first month from the surgery. 90-day mortality rate was 0%. After a median follow-up of 24 months (r 7-121), disease-free survival at 1, 2 and 3 years was 58%, 36% and 24%, respectively; overall survival at 1, 2 and 3 years was 92.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

In selected patients, LSR of CRC and LM is technically feasible and has an acceptable morbidity rate and mid-term survival.

A case of COVID-19 immediately after liver transplantation: Not only bad news

COVID-19, the illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus originated in December 2019 in Wuhan, China and has caused more 3,3 million cases and more than 230,000 deaths throughout the world, with 25,000 of them only in Spain, where the first case was diagnosed on January 31st, 2020. As COVID-19 is a “new” disease, we still do not have data on prognosis or treatment in transplant patients or on how to manage immunosuppression in this complex scenario. We present a case of COVID-19 diagnosed during the early postoperative period in a recipient whose liver transplantation was performed on late March during the lockdown in Spain, with donor and recipient previously negative rRT-PCR to SARS-CoV-2. In the first post-operative week the patient suffered COVID-19 pneumonia that was treated with immunosuppression minimization, oral Hydroxycloroquine and Azithromycin with favorable outcome. The patient was discharged on POD 21 without complications. To date, few early post-liver transplantation SARS-CoV-2 infected recipients have been published, but only one was an early postoperative infection. In our case the outcome was favorable, even though it was an early post -liver transplantation COVID-19 in a frail patient.

Endovascular Therapy of Arterial Complications Within the First Week After Liver Transplant

BACKGROUND

Recent radiologic advances have made endovascular treatment a very successful option for arterial complications after liver transplant. This article presents our experience of using endovascular treatments during the first week after liver transplant.

METHODS

This study is a retrospective, single-center analysis. Liver transplants performed between 2010 and 2018 were analyzed. All patients underwent Doppler ultrasonography on days 1 and 7. Endovascular therapy was indicated in hepatic artery thrombosis diagnosed early after transplant and in stenosis when hepatic narrowing was > 70%. Patients were treated with subcutaneous anticoagulant therapy and with antiplatelet agents after endovascular therapy.

RESULTS

Seven patients (1.1%) were included in the study. Stenosis was the reason in 5 patients while 2 patients had symptoms of thrombosis. The first 2 patients were initially treated with angioplasty; both had restenosis and were treated with angioplasty and stent placement, respectively. The 5 most recent patients received stenting as a primary treatment. Two of these patients developed a new stenosis. No patient developed any hepatic artery complication related to the procedure, and only 1 patient experienced a postprocedure complication (femoral artery pseudoaneurysm), which was managed conservatively. No patient required retransplant. After a median follow-up of 48 months (range, 35-85 months) 1 patient had died, and the rest were alive and asymptomatic.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there is scant experience of the use of endovascular therapy very shortly after liver transplant, recent advances in interventional radiology have made the technique feasible and safe, and it achieves a high success rate.

Long-Term Outcomes of Liver Transplantation in Patients With Pretransplant Renal Dysfunction Treated With Induction Therapy and Delayed Reduced De Novo Once-Daily Tacrolimus

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Renal dysfunction is related to short- and long-term survival after liver transplantation. We present herein a retrospective analysis of our experience with liver transplantation in recipients with pretransplant renal dysfunction treated with induction therapy followed by delayed/reduced de novo once-daily tacrolimus.

METHODS

Liver transplantations performed between April 2008 and August 2011 were included in this study. Pretransplant renal dysfunction was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min. Interleukin-2 receptor antagonists were used for induction therapy. Initial once-daily tacrolimus dose was 0.10 mg/kg/day or 0.07 mg/kg/day if combined with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Tacrolimus target trough levels were 4 to 6 ng/mL during the first post-transplant year and <4 ng/mL the rest of the follow-up.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients comprised the study cohort with a median follow-up of 56.4 months (range, 11-78). Median day of tacrolimus introduction was 7 (range, 3-12). Once-daily tacrolimus was withdrawn in 6 patients (31.6%) due to evolution of renal dysfunction in all cases. At 5 years, 30% of the patients were under MMF monotherapy. Mean tacrolimus trough levels were maintained under 5 ng/mL. Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate at 5 years was 55.3 ± 12.7 mL/min. No patient needed hemodialysis or renal transplantation over the follow-up. Patient survival at 5 years was 78.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

Induction therapy followed by delayed/reduced de novo once-daily tacrolimus and maintenance of low tacrolimus exposition during the follow-up is effective to maintain long-term renal function and to achieve favorable patient survival in liver transplant recipients with pretransplant renal dysfunction.

Long term recurrence free survival in a stage IV gallbladder cancer treated with chemotherapy plus trastuzumab and salvage liver resection

Surgery is the only treatment for biliary tract cancer with long term survival. Unfortunately, most patients are diagnosed at stage IV with distant metastases. In these circumstances, life expectancy is less than one year due to aggressive tumour biology and a lack of effective systemic therapies. HER2 overexpression or amplification is predominantly seen in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer (10–18%) and rarely in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (1%). Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets HER-2. We present a clinical case with a stage IV gallbladder cancer (liver and interaortocaval lymph node metastases), which presented progression during first-line chemotherapy treatment, which prompted a change in therapy to study the Her 2/Neu mutation which showed an intense positive overexpression. A combination of HER2/Neu-directed therapy (Trastuzumab) with second-line chemotherapy, was able to achieve a long term complete radiological, metabolic, and biochemical response. A curative intention surgery was performed and the patient is alive and recurrence-free at five years. To the best of our knowledge, we present a case which is the first report of a patient with a Stage IV gallbladder cancer who achieved a five-year survival without recurrence after a conversion therapy combining chemotherapy plus Trastuzumab and radical salvage surgery.

Intraoperative Portal Flow of Less Than 1 Liter per Minute After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation Is Not Associated Per Se With an Increased Rate of Early Graft Dysfunction

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether a portal flow of <1,000 mL/min in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is associated with a higher incidence of early graft dysfunction (EGD) and graft loss.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed of 540 OLTs carried out consecutively from December 2004 to December 2013. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group A, portal flow <1,000 mL/min; and group B, portal flow >1,000 mL/min. We studied the incidence of EGD and graft survival. A subanalysis was performed to define the minimum acceptable portal flow/100 g of liver weight to reduce the development EGD and graft loss.

RESULTS

Group A included 29 patients and group B, 511 patients. Group A had significantly lower-weight donors and recipients, female recipients with cholestatic disease, lower MELD scores, and lower hepatic artery flow. EGD occurred in 7 patients in group A (24.1%) versus 101 patients in group B (19.8%; P = .43). No significant differences were found in 1- and 5-year graft survival. A portal flow of <80 mL/min/100 g of liver weight was related to a significantly higher risk of developing EGD (odds ratio, 4.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.46-12.91; P = .008) and graft loss (hazard ratio, 4.05; 95% CI, 1.32-12.42; P = .014).

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative portal flow of <1,000 mL/min in OLT was not related per se with a higher incidence of EGD or graft loss. Significantly higher risk of developing EGD and graft loss was associated with a portal flow of <80 mL/min/100 g of liver weight.

Favorable longterm outcomes of liver transplant recipients treated de novo with once-daily tacrolimus: Results of a single-center cohort

The once-daily prolonged-release formulation of tacrolimus has been recently related with significant graft and patient mid-term survival advantages; however, practical information on the de novo administration after liver transplantation and longterm outcomes is currently lacking. This study is a 5-year retrospective analysis of a single-center cohort of liver transplant recipients treated de novo with once-daily tacrolimus (April 2008/August 2011). The study cohort consisted of 160 patients, including 23 with pretransplant renal dysfunction, with a median follow-up of 57.6 months (interquartile range, 46.6-69.0). Tacrolimus target trough levels were 5-10 ng/mL during the first 3 months after transplant, reducing progressively to <7 ng/mL after the first posttransplant year. Once-daily tacrolimus was withdrawn in 35 (21.8%) patients during follow-up, mostly due to renal dysfunction and/or metabolic syndrome. The biopsy-proven acute rejection rate was 12.5% with no cases of steroid-resistant rejection. The cumulative incidence of de novo diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were 16.9%, 31.2%, and 6.5%, respectively. Hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence rate was 2.8%. Renal function remained stable after the sixth month after transplant with a mean estimated glomerular filtration rate of 77.7 ± 19.6 mL/minute/1.73 m(2) at 5 years. None of our patients developed chronic kidney disease stage 4 or 5. Patient survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 96.3%, 91.9%, and 88.3%, respectively. Overall survival of patients with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score > 25 points was not significantly different. In conclusion, our study suggests that immunosuppression based on de novo once-daily tacrolimus is feasible in routine clinical practice, showing favorable outcomes and outstanding longterm survival even in patients with high MELD scores. Liver Transplantation 22 1391-1400 2016 AASLD.

Risk factors for biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation with T-tube: a single-center cohort of 743 transplants

BACKGROUND

Despite recent advances in organ preservation, surgical procedures, and immunosuppression, biliary reconstruction after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) remains as a major source of morbidity. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for the development of biliary complications (BCs) after end-to-end choledochocholedochostomy (EE-CC) with a T-tube as the standard technique for biliary reconstruction after OLT.

METHODS

A total of 833 consecutive liver transplantations that took place from February 1996 to April 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with concomitant hepatic artery complications were excluded, as were those who underwent urgent retransplantation or died within 1 week after transplantation. Finally, the study group comprised 743 patients.

RESULTS

The overall BC rate was 9.8% (73 patients), including stricture in 19 patients (2.6%) and bile leakage in 39 patients (5.2%). After univariate analysis, significant risk factors for BCs were surgery time >5 hours, arterial ischemia time >30 minutes, use of a classic transplant technique, transfusion of red blood cells ≥5 units, anti-cytomegalovirus treatment, and period of transplantation between 1996 and 2002. Stepwise logistic regression study was performed, including those variables with a value of P <.200. Multivariate analysis showed that pretransplant serum creatinine (odds ratio = 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.57; P = .025) and arterial ischemia time >30 minutes (odds ratio = 2.44; 95% CI, 1.45-4.12; P = .001) were the only independent risk factors related to the development of BCs after biliary reconstruction with the T-tube.

CONCLUSIONS

The performance of different variables in predicting occurrence of BCs was assessed with the use of receiver operating characteristic analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of our model was 0.637 (95% CI, 0.564-0.710), and therefore we must conclude that other variables not included in our model may have influence in the development of BCs after OLT with an EE-CC with a T-tube as the procedure for biliary reconstruction.

Cumulative iron dose and resistance to erythropoietin

INTRODUCTION

Optimizing anemia treatment in hemodialysis (HD) patients remains a priority worldwide as it has significant health and financial implications. Our aim was to evaluate in a large cohort of chronic HD patients in Fresenius Medical Care centers in Spain the value of cumulative iron (Fe) dose monitoring for the management of iron therapy in erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA)-treated patients, and the relationship between cumulative iron dose and risk of hospitalization.

METHODS

Demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters from EuCliD(®) (European Clinical Dialysis Database) on 3,591 patients were recorded including ESA dose (UI/kg/week), erythropoietin resistance index (ERI) [U.I weekly/kg/gr hemoglobin (Hb)] and hospitalizations. Moreover the cumulative Fe dose (mg/kg of bodyweight) administered over the last 2 years was calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the main predictors of ESA resistance and risk of hospitalization. Patients belonging to the 4th quartile of ERI were defined as hypo-responders.

RESULTS

The 2-year iron cumulative dose was significantly higher in the 4th quartile of ERI. In hypo-responders, 2-year cumulative iron dose was the only iron marker associated with ESA resistance. At case-mix adjusted multivariate analysis, 2-year iron cumulative dose was an independent predictor of hospitalization risk.

DISCUSSION

In ESA-treated patients cumulative Fe dose could be a useful tool to monitor the appropriateness of Fe therapy and to prevent iron overload. To establish whether the associations between cumulative iron dose, ERI and hospitalization risk are causal or attributable to selection bias by indication, clinical trials are necessary.