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Background. Abdominal aortic occlusion (AAO) occurs frequently and causes ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury to distant organs. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether AAO induced I/R injury and subsequent damage in cardiac and neurologic tissue. We also aimed to investigate the how length of ischemic time in AAO influences reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inflammatory marker levels in the heart, brain, and serum. Methods. Sixty male C57BL/6 mice were used in this study. The mice were randomly divided into either sham group or AAO group. The AAO group was further subdivided into 1–4 hr groups of aortic occlusion times. The infrarenal abdominal aorta was clamped for 1–4 hr depending on the AAO group and was then reperfused for 24 hr after clamp removal. Serum, hippocampus, and left ventricle tissue samples were then subjected to biochemical and histopathological analyses. Results. AAO-induced I/R injury had no effect on cell necrosis, cell apoptosis, or ROS production. However, serum and hippocampus levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased in AAO groups when compared to sham group. Superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity decreased in the serum, hippocampus, and left ventricle. In the serum, AAO increased the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and decreased the levels of anti-inflammatory factors (such as arginase-1), transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin 4 (IL-4), and interleukin 10 (IL-10). In the hippocampus, AAO increased the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-4, and IL-6, and decreased the level of TGF-β1. In the left ventricle, AAO increased the level of iNOS and decreased the levels of TGF-β1, IL-4, and IL-10. Conclusions. AAO did not induce cell necrosis or apoptosis in cardiac or neurologic tissue, but it can cause inflammation in the serum, brain, and heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of Sonazoid and SonoVue in subjects with focal liver lesions. Methods: The patients who had untreated focal solid liver lesions confirmed by B‐mode ultrasonography were eligible for the study. The target lesion and whole liver were scanned by gray scale ultrasonography; then, contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography was performed, and the results were evaluated blindly. The main end point was accuracy improvement with postcontrast versus precontrast ultrasound examination for diagnosis of the target lesion of interest as malignant or benign against the reference standard. Results: There were 65 patients with 65 hepatic tumors enrolled in the study. The improvement of diagnostic accuracy was 0.30 in the Sonazoid group and 0.16 in the SonoVue group (95% confidence interval, –0.828–0.168; P = .24). Using 20% as the noninferiority margin, the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval (0.168) was less than 0.20. The number of lesions detected during the whole‐liver scanning in the Sonazoid group was significantly more than that detected in the SonoVue group (P = .024). Conclusion: The diagnosis value of Sonazoid is noninferior to SonoVue, and this new contrast agent can improves the whole‐liver image quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: To evaluate technical feasibility and treatment results of combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in single‐session for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) larger than 7 cm in diameter. Methods: Institutional review board approved this retrospective study. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Between June 2007 and July 2013, 87 patients (75 men, 12 women; mean age, 55.5 years ± 15.0) with solitary HCC with a mean maximum diameter of 9.5 cm ± 2.4 (range, 7.1–13.5 cm) not feasible for surgical resection underwent combined TACE and RFA in a single‐session. Immediately following TACE, RFA was performed under fluoroscopy and CB‐CT guidance. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were technical safety and local tumor progression (LTP) rates. OS and time to progression (TTP) were analyzed with the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors affecting OS and TTP. Results: Technical success of combined TACE and RFA in a single‐session was achieved in all patients (100%). On 1‐month follow‐up MRI, complete response (CR) was observed in 76 of 87 patients (87.4 %), partial response (PR) in 8 and stable disease (SD) in 3 patients. The median follow‐up period was 49.5 months (interquartile range, 30.0–70.0 months). The median OS was 39 months (range, 15–86 months). The cumulative OS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 100%, 65.5% and 47.5%, respectively. The estimated 1, 3 and 5 year LTP rates were 0 %, 29.9% and 55.2 %, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed a tumor larger than 10.0 cm (P < 0.05) and presence of portal vein branch invasion (P < 0.05) led to the worst prognosis. No major complications were noted. Conclusions: Combined use of TACE and RFA in single‐session is a safe and effective option in the treatment of patients with solitary large HCC (> 7 cm) not amenable to surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) often leads to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been increasingly used to treat BCS patients with HCC. The purposes of this study were to illustrate imaging features in BCS patients with HCC, and to analyze the effects of TACE on BCS patients with HCC.Methods: 246 consecutive patients with primary BCS were retrospectively studied. 14 BCS patients with HCC were included in this study. BCS were treated with angioplasty and/or stenting, and HCC were managed with TACE. Imaging features on ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and angiography and the serum AFP level were analyzed.Results: Inferior vena cava block and stricture of hepatic venous outflow tract more frequently occurred. Portal vein invasion was found in only 2 patients (14.2%). Imaging studies showed that most nodules of HCC were near the edge of liver, irregular, more than 3 cm in diameter, heterogeneous mass and solitary (≤3 nodules). HCC in patients associated with BCS was isointense or hypointense in nonenhanced CT images, and exhibited heterogeneous enhancement during the arterial phase and washout during the portal venous phase on enhanced CT and MRI. The serum AFP level significantly declined after TACE treatment.Conclusions: BCS patients with inferior vena cava block and stricture of hepatic venous outflow tract seems to be associated with HCC. A single, large, irregular nodule with a peripheral location appears to be HCC. TACE can effectively treat HCC in BCS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) poses a great challenge in liver surgery and transplantation because of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. The changes in glutamine synthetase (GS) expression during hepatic IRI remain unclear., Aim: To investigate the dynamic expression of GS during hepatic IRI., Methods: Following hepatic ischemia for 1 h and reperfusion, liver tissue samples were collected at 0.5, 6, and 24 hours postreperfusion for fixation, embedding, sectioning. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and GS staining were performed., Results: GS expression rapidly decreases in hepatocytes around the central vein after IRI, reaching its lowest point at 6 hours postreperfusion, and then gradually recovers., Conclusion: GS is highly sensitive to IRI, highlighting its potential role as an indicator of liver injury states and a target for therapeutic intervention., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hemorrhagic shock (HS) causes severe organ damage, worsened by high-altitude conditions with lower oxygen and temperatures. Existing research lacks specific insights on brain and heart damage under these conditions. This study hypothesizes that high-altitude and cold (HAC) environments exacerbate HS-induced damage in the brain and heart, aiming to improve treatment strategies., Materials and Methods: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (200-250 g of weight) were randomly assigned into sham, HS + normal, HS + HAC (4,000 m), and HS + HAC (6,000 m). The HS model was established in SD rats (35% loss of total blood volume), and histopathological injuries of the brain and heart were detected using hematoxylin and eosin staining, Sirius red staining, and immunohistochemistry. Apoptosis of the brain and heart tissues was detected by terminal transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) immunofluorescence staining. To determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (Mcp-1), BCL2-associated X (BAX), and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) protein, western blotting assay was used., Results: The HAC environment induced pathological damage to the brain and heart and aggravated the degree of cardiac fibrosis in HS rats. However, it did not cause apoptosis of the brain and heart. In addition, it upregulated TNF-α, IFN-γ, Mcp-1, and BAX protein levels, but downregulated Mcl-1 protein levels ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The HAC environment aggravated the degree of brain and heart damage in HS rats, which may be related to neuron nucleus pyknosis, myocardial fibrosis, and inflammatory and apoptosis activation., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Brain Circulation.)

Background and Aims: Stem cell transplantation is a potential treatment option for liver cirrhosis (LC). Accurately and noninvasively monitoring the distribution, migration, and prognosis of transplanted stem cells using imaging methods is important for in-depth study of the treatment mechanisms. Our study aimed to develop Au-Fe 3 O 4 silica nanoparticles (NPs) as tracking nanoplatforms for dual-modal stem cell imaging., Methods: Au-Fe 3 O 4 silica NPs were synthesized by seed-mediated growth method and co-precipitation. The efficiency and cytotoxicity of the NPs-labeled bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, ICP-MS, phenotypic characterization, and histological staining. The biodistribution of labeled BM-MSCs injected through different routes (the hepatic artery or tail vein) into rats with LC was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic imaging (PAI), and Prussian blue staining., Results: Synthesized Au-Fe 3 O 4 silica NPs consisted of a core (star-shaped Au NPs) and an outside silica layer doped with Fe 3 O 4 NPs. After 24 h coincubation with 2.0 OD concentration of NPs, the viability of BM-MSCs was 77.91%±5.86% and the uptake of Au and Fe were (22.65±1.82) µg/mL and (234.03±11.47) µg/mL, respectively. The surface markers of labeled BM-MSCs unchanged significantly. Labeled BM-MSCs have osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential. Post injection in vivo , rat livers were hypointense on MRI and hyperintense on PAI. Prussian blue staining showed that more labeled BM-MSCs accumulated in the liver of the hepatic artery group. The severity of LC of the rats in the hepatic artery group was significantly alleviated., Conclusions: Au-Fe 3 O 4 silica NPs were suitable MRI/PAI dual-modal imaging nanoplatforms for stem cell tracking in regenerative medicine. Transhepatic arterial infusion of BM-MSCs was the optimal route for the treatment of LC., Competing Interests: FSW has been an associate editor of Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology since 2013. The other authors have no conflict of interests related to this publication., (© 2023 Authors.)

Background: Immune cells, including neutrophils, natural killer (NK) cells, T cells, NKT cells and macrophages, participate in the progression of acute liver injury and hepatic recovery. To date, there has been no systematic study on the quantitative changes in these different immune cells from initial injury to subsequent recovery., Aim: To investigate the infiltration changes of various immune cells in acute liver injury models over time, and to study the relationship between the changes in leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) and the infiltration of several immune cells., Methods: Carbon tetrachloride- and concanavalin A-induced acute liver injury models were employed to mimic toxin-induced and autoimmune-mediated liver injury respectively. The quantitative changes in various immune cells were monitored at different time points. Serum samples were collected, and liver tissues were harvested. Ly6G, CD161, CD4, CD8 and F4/80 staining were used to indicate neutrophils, NK/NKT cells, CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells and macrophages, respectively. Lect2-KO mice were used to detect the function of LECT2., Results: During the injury and repair process, different types of immune cells began to increase, reached their peaks and fell into decline at different time points. Furthermore, when the serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) indices reverted to normal levels 7 d after the injury, the infiltration of immune cells still existed even 14 d after the injury, showing an obvious lag effect. We found that the expression of LECT2 was upregulated in acute liver injury mouse models, and the liver injuries of Lect2-KO mice were less severe than those of wild-type mice. Compared with wild-type mice, Lect2-KO mice had different immune cell infiltration., Conclusion: The recovery time of immune cells was far behind that of serum ALT and AST during the process of liver repair. LECT2 could regulate monocyte/macrophage chemotaxis and might be used as a therapeutic target for acute liver injury., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) play a vital role in the prognosis of patients with HCC. The purpose of our study was to evaluate angio-computed tomography (angio-CT)-guided immediate lipiodol CT (a CT scan performed immediately after transarterial chemoembolization [TACE]) in the diagnosis of potential HCCs ≤1 cm in diameter., Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 31 patients diagnosed with HCCs after routine imaging (contrast-enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging) or pathologic examinations with undefined or undetermined tumor lesions (diameter ≤1 cm) from February 2016 to September 2016. After TACE guided by digital subtraction angiography of the angio-CT system, potential HCC lesions with a diameter ≤1 cm were diagnosed by immediate lipiodol CT. The number of well-demarcated lesions was recorded to calculate the true positive rate. The correlation between the number of small HCCs detected by immediate lipiodol CT and the size of HCC lesions (diameter >1 cm) diagnosed preoperatively was analyzed 1 month after TACE. A paired t-test was used to analyze differences in liver function. Pearson analysis was used to analyze correlation. Chi-square test was used to compare the rates., Results: Fifty-eight lesions were detected on preoperative routine imaging examinations in 31 patients including 15 lesions with a diameter ≤1 cm. Ninety-one lesions were detected on immediate lipiodol CT, of which 48 had a diameter ≤1 cm. After 1 month, CT showed that 45 lesions had lipiodol deposition and three lesions had lipiodol clearance. Correlation analysis showed that the number of small HCCs detected by lipiodol CT was positively correlated with the size of HCC lesions diagnosed by conventional imaging examination (R 2 = 0.54, P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Immediate lipiodol CT may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of potential HCC lesions with a diameter of ≤1 cm., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest

Aims: To evaluate technical feasibility and treatment results of combined transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in single-session for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) larger than 7 cm in diameter., Methods: Institutional review board approved this retrospective study. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Between June 2007 and July 2013, 87 patients (75 men, 12 women; mean age, 55.5 years ± 15.0) with solitary HCC with a mean maximum diameter of 9.5 cm ± 2.4 (range, 7.1-13.5 cm) not feasible for surgical resection underwent combined TACE and RFA in a single-session. Immediately following TACE, RFA was performed under fluoroscopy and CB-CT guidance. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were technical safety and local tumor progression (LTP) rates. OS and time to progression (TTP) were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors affecting OS and TTP., Results: Technical success of combined TACE and RFA in a single-session was achieved in all patients (100%). On 1-month follow-up MRI, complete response (CR) was observed in 76 of 87 patients (87.4 %), partial response (PR) in 8 and stable disease (SD) in 3 patients. The median follow-up period was 49.5 months (interquartile range, 30.0-70.0 months). The median OS was 39 months (range, 15-86 months). The cumulative OS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 100%, 65.5% and 47.5%, respectively. The estimated 1, 3 and 5 year LTP rates were 0 %, 29.9% and 55.2 %, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed a tumor larger than 10.0 cm (P < 0.05) and presence of portal vein branch invasion (P < 0.05) led to the worst prognosis. No major complications were noted., Conclusions: Combined use of TACE and RFA in single-session is a safe and effective option in the treatment of patients with solitary large HCC (> 7 cm) not amenable to surgery., (© 2017 The Authors. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology Published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Background: Currently, the treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still a challenging problem. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the main treatment for intermediate end-stage HCC, while it is only a palliative and not a curative treatment due to the existence of residual tumors, and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has limitations in complete ablation of large HCC. We hypothesized that TACE combined with simultaneous RFA (herein referred to as TACE + RFA) could improve the efficacy and survival of large HCC. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of TACE + RFA on single large HCC., Methods: A total of 66 patients with single large HCC (≥5 cm in diameter) were recruited between February 2010 and June 2016. TACE was first performed and computed tomography was performed immediately after TACE, and the lesions with poor lipiodol deposition were subjected to simultaneous RFA. The success rate, technique-related complications, liver and kidney functions, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, progression-free survival (PFS), median survival time (MST), focal control rate, and long-term survival rate were evaluated., Results: TACE + RFA were performed smoothly in all the patients with the success rate of 100%. Intra- and post-operative severe complications were not observed. There were no marked differences in mean alanine transaminase or aspartate transaminase before TACE + RFA compared with 7 days after TACE + RFA (all P > 0.05). In 57 AFP-positive patients, the levels of serum AFP were reduced by 100.0%, 100.0%, and 94.7% at 1, 3, and 6 months after TACE + RFA, respectively; the tumor control rates (complete remission + partial remission) were 100.0% (66/66), 92.4% (61/66), 87.9% (58/66), and 70.1% (39/55) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after TACE + RFA, respectively. Patients were followed up for 7-82 months after TACE + RFA. The MST was 18.3 months, PFS was 14.2 ± 6.2 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 93.2% (55/59), 42.5% (17/40), and 27.2% (9/33), respectively., Conclusion: TACE + RFA is safe, feasible, and effective in enhancing the focal control rate and survival rate of patients with large HCC.

Background: Currently, treatment of symptomatic polycystic liver disease (PLD) is still a challenging problem, especially for these patients who are not feasible for surgery. Minimally invasive options such as laparoscopic fenestration and percutaneous cyst aspiration with sclerotherapy demonstrated disappointing results due to multiple lesions. Because the cysts in PLD are mostly supplied from hepatic arteries but not from portal veins, transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) of the hepatic artery branches that supply the major hepatic cysts can lead to shrinkage of the cyst and liver size, relieve symptoms, and improve nutritional status. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of TAE with a mixture of N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and iodized oil for patients with severe symptomatic PLD during a more than 2-year follow-up., Methods: Institutional review board had approved this study. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. From February 2007 to December 2014, twenty-three patients (20 women and 3 men; mean age, 49.0 ± 14.5 years) infeasible for surgical treatments underwent TAE. Changes in the abdominal circumferences, volumes of intrahepatic cysts, hepatic parenchyma volume, and whole liver, clinical symptoms, laboratory data, and complications were evaluated after TAE., Results: Technical success was achieved in all cases. No procedure-related major complications occurred. The median follow-up period after TAE was 48.5 months (interquartile range, 30.0-72.0 months). PLD-related severe symptoms were improved remarkably in 86% of the treated patients; TAE failed to benefit in four patients (four patients did not benefit from TAE). The mean maximum abdominal circumference decreased significantly from 106.0 ± 8.0 cm to 87.0 ± 15.0 cm (P = 0.021). The mean intrahepatic cystic volume reduction rates compared with pre-TAE were 36% at 12 months, 37% at 24 months, and 38% at 36 months after TAE (P < 0.05). The mean liver volume reduction rates were 32% at 12 months, 31% at 24 months, and 33% at 36 months (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: TAE with the mixture of NBCA and iodized oil appears to be a safe and effective treatment method for patients with symptomatic PLD, especially for those who are not good candidates for surgical treatments, to improve both hepatic volume and hepatic cysts volume.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with a tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava (IVC) and right atrium (RA) rarely occurs and is usually associated with extremely poor prognosis, we carried out this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in the treatment of HCC with a tumor thrombus in the IVC and RA., Methods: From September 2005 to September 2008, 11 cases of HCC with a tumor thrombus in the IVC and RA were treated with a combination of TACE and EBRT. Clinical adverse events, laboratory toxicity, and survival were retrospectively studied., Results: Thirty-one interventional procedures were conducted and EBRT was performed 11 times. All treatments were successful and without significant complications. No severe adverse effects were observed. The median survival time of the 11 cases was 21.0 months. One patient was monitored for 97 months and no recurrence was observed., Conclusion: The combination of TACE and EBRT can be safely performed and may improve the prognosis of the HCC cases with a tumor thrombus in the IVC and RA.

Aim: To investigate the therapeutic effect of the hepatic arterial administration of sorafenib in rabbit VX-2 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model., Methods: Rabbit VX-2 HCC models were established via implanting VX-2 tumors into the livers, and randomly divided into four groups, respectively treated with (1) The hepatic arterial administration of iodized oil alone (TACE-i), (2) The hepatic arterial administration of iodized oil and pharmorubicin (TACE-ip), (3) The hepatic arterial administration of iodized and cis-DDP (TACE-ic), (4) The hepatic arterial administration of iodized and sorafenib (TACE-is). The growth rate and intrahepatic metastasis of implanted VX-2 tumor in each rabbit were measured. Microvessel density (MVD) in the adjacent tissues of implanted VX-2 tumor were estimated by detecting the expression of CD34 and VEGF level in tumor adjacent tissues were also examined by Immunohistochemistry., Results: Compared with other groups, TACE-is treatment group presented a better effect on inhibiting tumor growth rate and intrahepatic metastasis in rabbit VX-2 HCC model. The angiogenesis (assessed by MVD) in the adjacent tissues were suppressed more dramatically in TACE-is treated group. Moreover, TACE-is treatment did not significantly increase the levels of alanine transaminase and creatinine compared to the group with TACE-i treatment., Conclusion: The hepatic arterial administration of sorafenib and iodized oil (TACE-is) effectively attenuates tumor growth and intrahepatic metastasis in rabbit VX-2 HCC model without obvious hepatic and renal toxicity. One of the related mechanisms may be due to the inhibition of angiogenesis in the adjacent tissues. Our data indicated that TACE-is may be a secure and effective treatment for HCC.

Aim: To assess the technical safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with immediate radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for large hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) (maximum diameter ≥ 5 cm)., Methods: Individual lesions in 18 patients with HCCs (mean maximum diameter: 7.5 cm; range: 5.1-15.5 cm) were treated by TACE combined with percutaneous RFA between January 2010 and June 2012. All of the patients had previously undergone one to four cycles of TACE treatment. Regular imaging and laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the rate of technical success, technique-related complications, local-regional tumor responses, recurrence-free survival time and survival rate after treatment., Results: Technical success was achieved for all 18 visible HCCs. Complete response (CR) was observed in 17 cases, and partial response was observed in 1 case 1 mo after intervention. The CR rate was 94.4%. Local tumors were mainly characterized by coagulative necrosis. During follow-up (2-29 mo), the mean recurrence-free survival time was 16.8 ± 4.0 mo in 17 cases of CR. The estimated overall survival rate at 6, 12, and 18 mo was 100%. No major complications were observed. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the blood of 17 patients transiently increased on the third day after treatment (ALT 200.4 ± 63.4 U/L vs 24.7 ± 9.3 U/L, P < 0.05; AST 228.1 ± 25.4 U/L vs 32.7 ± 6.8 U/L, P < 0.05). Severe pain occurred in three patients, which was controlled with morphine and fentanyl., Conclusion: TACE combined with immediate RFA is a safe and effective treatment for large solitary HCCs. Severe pain is a major side effect, but can be controlled by morphine.

Background: Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) often leads to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been increasingly used to treat BCS patients with HCC. The purposes of this study were to illustrate imaging features in BCS patients with HCC, and to analyze the effects of TACE on BCS patients with HCC., Methods: 246 consecutive patients with primary BCS were retrospectively studied. 14 BCS patients with HCC were included in this study. BCS were treated with angioplasty and/or stenting, and HCC were managed with TACE. Imaging features on ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and angiography and the serum AFP level were analyzed., Results: Inferior vena cava block and stricture of hepatic venous outflow tract more frequently occurred. Portal vein invasion was found in only 2 patients (14.2%). Imaging studies showed that most nodules of HCC were near the edge of liver, irregular, more than 3 cm in diameter, heterogeneous mass and solitary (≤3 nodules). HCC in patients associated with BCS was isointense or hypointense in nonenhanced CT images, and exhibited heterogeneous enhancement during the arterial phase and washout during the portal venous phase on enhanced CT and MRI. The serum AFP level significantly declined after TACE treatment., Conclusions: BCS patients with inferior vena cava block and stricture of hepatic venous outflow tract seems to be associated with HCC. A single, large, irregular nodule with a peripheral location appears to be HCC. TACE can effectively treat HCC in BCS patients.

Background: Preoperative embolization of tumors is a well-established procedure that has been successfully applied in various clinical situations. Preoperative embolization can reduce the vascularity of tumors resulting in a clearer operative field, less difficult dissection, decreased blood loss, and, in some cases, a decrease in tumor size. However, few studies have been conducted regarding the preoperative embolization of giant thoracic tumors., Purpose: To examine the effectiveness and safety of interventional embolization of giant thoracic tumors before surgical resection., Material and Methods: A total of 14 consecutive patients with giant thoracic tumors received angiography and the feeding arteries of the tumors were embolized using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles and gelatin sponges 1 day before surgical resection. The patient records were retrospectively reviewed and data regarding diagnoses, embolization, and surgical resection were recorded., Results: Angiography revealed the feeding arteries of the tumors to be characterized by multiple branches and thickened vessel trunks with abnormal distal branches superimposed of the tumor shadow. Embolization was successfully without complications in all patients, and all feeding vessels of each tumor were occluded. Embolization reduced the severity of bleeding during surgery and decreased the difficulty of resection of the tumor. No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred., Conclusion: Interventional embolization is a safe and efficient method to facilitate the surgical resection of giant thoracic tumors.

Objective: This work aimed to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with c-arm cone-beam CT guided synchronous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)., Methods: 21 patients with large HCC were studied from January 2010 to March 2012. TACE combined with synchronous C-arm cone-beam CT guided RFA were performed on a total of 25 lesions. Conventional imaging examination (CEUS, enhanced CT or MRI) and AFP detection were regularly conducted to evaluate the technical success rate of combined treatment, complications, treatment response, time without disease recurrence and survival rate., Results: The technical success rate of combined treatment was 100%, without any significant complication. After 1 month, there were 19 cases with complete response and 2 cases with partial response, with an complete response rate of 90.4% (19/21) and a clinical effective rate of 100% (21/21). The complete response rates of single nodular lesions (100%, 17/17) was significantly higher than that of multiple nodular lesions (50%, 2/4) (P < 0. 05). During 2 to 28 months of follow- up, in 19 cases with complete response, the average time without disease recurrence was 10.8 ± 6 months. The total survival rates of 6, 12 and 18 months in 21 patients were 100%, respectively., Conclusion: TACE combined with synchronous C-arm CT guided RFA is safe and effective for treatment of large HCC. The treatment efficacy for single nodular lesion is better than that for multiple nodular lesions.

We present a case with hepatic myelopathy (HM) due to a surgical splenorenal shunt that was successfully treated by endovascular interventional techniques. A 39-year-old man presented with progressive spastic paraparesis of his lower limbs 14 mo after a splenorenal shunt. A portal venogram identified a widened patent splenorenal shunt. We used an occlusion balloon catheter initially to occlude the shunt. Further monitoring of the patient revealed a decrease in his serum ammonia level and an improvement in leg strength. We then used an Amplatzer vascular plug (AVP) to enable closure of the shunt. During the follow up period of 7 mo, the patient experienced significant clinical improvement and normalization of blood ammonia, without any complications. Occlusion of a surgically created splenorenal shunt with AVP represents an alternative therapy to surgery or coil embolization that can help to relieve shunt-induced HM symptoms.

Background: Embolization of collateral arteries is important for transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of TACE, and the prevention and management of complications among patients in whom the internal thoracic artery (ITA) was involved., Methods: A total of 3614 cases of HCC were treated with 12 645 TACEs and 211 of these cases were given ITA angiography, including 156 cases of which the ITA was involved. We performed 562 TACEs in the 156 cases. We analyzed imaging examinations, types of embolization, and the incidence, prevention, and treatment of complications., Results: The ITA was successfully embolized in 156 cases. Angiography of the ITA showed that the major trunks were thickened with an increased number of branching vessels, contributing to intrahepatic and extrahepatic tumor blood supply. Different embolization methods were selected according to the blood supply, to effectively embolize the tumor and mitigate or avoid serious complications. TACE with ITA embolization extended the mean interval time between two treatments from 2.54 months (1 - 17 months) to 4.23 months (1 - 30 months) compared with that without ITA embolization. The ITA supplied the HCC in the following instances: HCC was located in the ventral hepatic area and abutted the diaphragm (P = 0.0064) and repeated TACE (P = 0.0003). The survival rate of TACE with ITA embolization for HCC was better than TACE without ITA embolization (P < 0.00001)., Conclusions: In cases with massive HCC or nodular HCC, the ITA may be involved in supplying blood to the tumor. This occurs when the tumor is positioned in the ventral hepatic area and abuts the diaphragm (S2, S4, and S8), and especially if cases have a previous history of TACE. In this case series, embolization was effective, extended the mean interval time of interventional therapy, and prolonged survival time.

Background/aims: We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of interventional therapy for symptomatic benign portal vein occlusion., Methodology: Forty-four patients with symptomatic-benign portal vein occlusion (stenosis, thrombosis) underwent interventional therapy. There were 32 cases of acute-subacute portal vein thrombosis and 12 cases of portal vein anastomotic stricture post-liver transplantation. Eighteen patients were treated through percutaneous transhepatic portal vein branch puncture and 26 through the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt approach., Results: All patients received successful interventional therapy, without serious complications. At the end of the treatment, repeat angiography revealed patent portal vein; portal vein trunk lumen residual stenosis was <20% (34 cases) and <40% (8 cases). The patients were followed for 48 months; abdominal imaging examinations and liver function tests were regularly performed and reviewed in combination with patients' self-perceived symptoms. Portal vein thrombus formed again in 3 patients at 1 month, 3 months, and 4 months respectively. All received portal vein thrombolysis again through interventional therapy. In the other 41 patients, repeat ultrasonic examination did not reveal thrombosis recurrence., Conclusions: Interventional techniques, including local thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy, balloon dilatation, and stent placement, are safe and effective methods for symptomatic-benign portal vein occlusion treatment.

Aim: To present a series of cases with life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) treated with placement of stent-grafts., Methods: Massive hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after PD in 9 patients (6 men, 3 women) at the age of 23-75 years (mean 48 years), were treated with placement of percutaneous endovascular balloon-expandable coronary stent-grafts. All patients were not suitable for embolization because of a non-patent portal vein. One or more stent-grafts, ranging 3-6 mm in diameter and 16-55 mm in length, were placed to exclude ruptured pseudoaneurysm. Follow-up data, including clinical condition, liver function tests, and Doppler ultrasound examination, were recorded at the outpatient clinic., Results: Immediate technical success was achieved in all the 9 patients. All stent-grafts were deployed in the intended position for immediate cessation of bleeding and preservation of satisfactory hepatic arterial blood flow. No significant procedure-related complications occurred. Recurrent bleeding occurred in 2 patients at 16 and 24 h, respectively, after placement of stent-grafts and treated with surgical revision. One patient died of sepsis 12 d after the interventional procedure. The remaining 6 patients were survived when they were discharged. The mean follow-up time was 10.5 mo (range 4-16 mo). No patient had recurrent bleeding after discharge. Doppler ultrasound examination verified the patency of hepatic artery and stent-grafts during the follow-up., Conclusion: Placement of stent-grafts is an effective and safe procedure for acute life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm.

Aim: To summarize our methods and experience with interventional treatment for symptomatic acute-subacute portal vein and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis (PV-SMV) thrombosis., Methods: Forty-six patients (30 males, 16 females, aged 17-68 years) with symptomatic acute-subacute portal and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis were accurately diagnosed with Doppler ultrasound scans, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. They were treated with interventional therapy, including direct thrombolysis (26 cases through a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt; 6 through percutaneous transhepatic portal vein cannulation) and indirect thrombolysis (10 through the femoral artery to superior mesenteric artery catheterization; 4 through the radial artery to superior mesenteric artery catheterization)., Results: The blood reperfusion of PV-SMV was achieved completely or partially in 34 patients 3-13 d after thrombolysis. In 11 patients there was no PV-SMV blood reperfusion but the number of collateral vessels increased significantly. Symptoms in these 45 patients were improved dramatically without severe operational complications. In 1 patient, the thrombi did not respond to the interventional treatment and resulted in intestinal necrosis, which required surgical treatment. In 3 patients with interventional treatment, thrombi re-formed 1, 3 and 4 mo after treatment. In these 3 patients, indirect PV-SMV thrombolysis was performed again and was successful., Conclusion: Interventional treatment, including direct or indirect PV-SMV thrombolysis, is a safe and effective method for patients with symptomatic acute-subacute PV-SMV thrombosis.

Aim: To present a series of cases with symptomatic acute extensive portal vein (PV) and superior mesenteric vein (SMV) thrombosis after splenectomy treated by transjugular intrahepatic approach catheter-directed thrombolysis., Methods: A total of 6 patients with acute extensive PV-SMV thrombosis after splenectomy were treated by transjugular approach catheter-directed thrombolysis. The mean age of the patients was 41.2 years. After access to the portal system via the transjugular approach, pigtail catheter fragmentation of clots, local urokinase injection, and manual aspiration thrombectomy were used for the initial treatment of PV-SMV thrombosis, followed by continuous thrombolytic therapy via an indwelling infusion catheter in the SMV, which was performed for three to six days. Adequate anticoagulation was given during treatment, throughout hospitalization, and after discharge., Results: Technical success was achieved in all 6 patients. Clinical improvement was seen in these patients within 12-24 h of the procedure. No complications were observed. The 6 patients were discharged 6-14 d (8 +/- 2.5 d) after admission. The mean duration of follow-up after hospital discharge was 40 +/- 16.5 mo. Ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography confirmed patency of the PV and SMV, and no recurrent episodes of PV-SMV thrombosis developed during the follow-up period., Conclusion: Catheter-directed thrombolysis via transjugular intrahepatic access is a safe and effective therapy for the management of patients with symptomatic acute extensive PV-SMV thrombosis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the interventional techniques in the treatment of renal vascular injury., Methods: A total of 16 patients with renal vascular injuries were treated by superselective arterial embolization. The renal injuries resulted from renal biopsy in 7 patients, endovascular intervention in 2, percutaneous puncture and pyelostomy in 2, local resection of renal tumor in 1 and trauma in 4. With regards to clinical manifestations, there was hemorrhagic shock in 8 patients, severe flank pain in 14, and hematuria in 14. CT and ultrasonography confirmed that 15 patients had perirenal hematoma. The embolization was performed with microcoils in 13 and standard stainless steel coils in 3 patients, associated with polyvinyl alcohol particles (PVA) in 9, and gelfoam particles in 6 cases., Results: Renal angiogram revealed arteriovenous fistula in renal parenchyma in 9 cases, pseudoaneurysm in 3 and extravasation of contrast media in 4. The arterial embolization was successful in all 16 cases in a single session. The angiography at the end of therapy showed that abnormal vessels had disappeared without other major intrarenal arterial branch occlusion. In 13 patients with hemodynamical compromise, blood loss-related symptoms were immediately relieved after blood transfusion. In 14 patients with severe flank pain, the pain was progressively relieved. Hematuria ceased in 14 patients 2-14 days after the embolization procedures. The renal function was impaired after the procedure in 6 cases, in which preoperative renal insufficiency was exacerbated in 3 and developed new renal dysfunction in 3, 2 of whom received hemodialysis. The ultrasonography showed that perirenal hematoma was gradually absorbed within 2-6 months after the procedure. All patients were followed up in 6-78 months (mean, 48 months). Six patients died of primary diseases (5 cases of renal failure and multiple organ failure and 1 case of malignant tumor). Ten patients survived without bleeding and further intervention. The deterioration of renal function did not occur and the serum creatinine and blood urea were in normal range., Conclusion: Transcatheter selective renal arterial embolization is a safe and effective method in the treatment of renal vascular injuries.