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Background: The feasibility and efficacy of adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) in preventing the development of liver metastases in patients with advanced colon carcinoma have not been validated. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to compare the feasibility of HAI and the protective effect against liver metastasis after curative resection to those of systemic chemotherapy., Methods: Between July 2000 and June 2003, 91 patients were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) via continuous venous infusion (CVI) or intra-hepatic arterial weekly high-dose 5-FU (WHF). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS)., Results: In the WHF group, the cumulative failure rate of hepatic arterial catheterization was 16.7% at 6 months. The occurrence of grade 3 adverse events was comparable between the groups. The 5-year OS rates were 59.0% in the CVI group and 34.9% in the WHF group (P = 0.164). CVI tended to show a protective effect against liver metastasis regarding the 5-year liver-specific cumulative recurrence rate: CVI, 45.0% vs. WHF, 68.3%; P = 0.037)., Conclusion: HAI therapy has a certain protective effect against liver metastasis after curative resection in patients with colorectal cancer. However, this therapy did not contribute to any marked improvement in their overall survival.

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare complication of liver transplantation which can lead to graft failure and patient death. Treatment can be difficult, especially in cases of PVT from the intrahepatic portal vein to the proximal jejunal veins. A 55-year-old woman had undergone living-donor liver transplantation with splenectomy for end-stage liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C with hepatocellular carcinoma. Ten months after transplantation, massive ascites and slight abdominal pain developed, and computed tomography revealed a PVT between the intrahepatic portal vein and the superior mesenteric vein. Repeated interventional radiology procedures were used in combination with thrombolysis, thrombectomy, and metallic stent replacement to obtain favorable portal flow to the graft. Five years after being treated, the patient is well, with favorable portal flow having been confirmed. In conclusion, repeated and assiduous interventional radiological treatment combined with thrombolytic therapy, thrombectomy, and metallic stent replacement could be important for severe PVT.

A molecular cytogenetic analysis was performed on HS-RMS-2, a cell line established in this laboratory from a rare pleomorphic type of rhabdomyosarcoma. G-banding and multicolor-FISH analyses revealed that the cells have a complex chromosomal composition. Comparative genomic in situ hybridization (CGH) detected eight highly amplified regions at 1p36.1-p36.2, 1p31-p32, 1q21-q31, 8q12-q21, 8q24-qter, 11q12-q13, 12q13-q14 and 18q12-q22, suggesting the co-existence of multiple amplified oncogenes in these tumor cells. Reverse chromosome painting, using a probe regenerated by microdissection of a long marker chromosome, revealed the native location of three of eight possible genes to be on chromosomes 1p31-32, 12q14 and 18q21. FISH using BAC and cosmid probes revealed amplification of JUN (1p31), MYC (8q24), CCND1 (11q13), INT2 (11q13.3), MDM2 (12q14.3-q15) and MALT (18q21). These findings indicate that at least eight amplified oncogenes may contribute to the pathogenesis of a rare pleomorphic type of rhabdomyosarcoma. This new cell line should prove useful for in vitro preclinical studies of molecularly targeted therapies.

Although most patients with colonic diverticula have no symptoms, perforation or bleeding can be troublesome. Recently, we treated an elderly patient with a diverticular perforation of the sigmoid colon who required a loop colostomy and later resection of the diseased colon. Between the operations, the colostomy resembled a sea slug with horns, which represented eversions of the diverticula. This interesting phenomenon suggests that diverticula may be everted as pseudopolyps and ligated endoscopically. Therefore, the procedure was tested on a Landrace pig, of which the large bowel wall was pulled with an endoscope at 9 different sites using forceps (n=6) or suction (n=3) and ligated. Four days later, reexamination revealed total necrosis at 8 sites and ulceration at 1. The animal was well. The bowel removed 2 weeks later showed mucosal fold convergences without perforations. Our procedure can be used for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of patients with colonic diverticula.

Background: Refractory hepatic encephalopathy (HE) frequently develops in patients with cirrhosis and portal-systemic shunt. Recently, patients with refractory HE associated with portal-systemic shunt have been treated with interventional radiology. We describe a promising new treatment for portal-systemic shunt, ligation of the patent paraumbilical vein (PUV) after partial splenic embolization, in patients with refractory HE., Patients: Four patients with cirrhosis (3 women and 1 man; mean age, 56 years) and refractory HE due to a patent PUV were studied. Patency of the PUV had recurred in 1 patient after primary occlusion by interventional radiological procedures. The Child-Pugh class was B in 2 patients and C in 2. Before the present treatment, all patients had been hospitalized at least 3 times because of recurrent HE., Surgical Procedure: Partial splenic embolization was performed in all patients to decrease portal venous pressure before surgery. Surgical ligation of the patent PUV was performed under epidural anesthesia. The patent PUV was carefully skeletonized and doubly ligated. Esophageal varices were evaluated with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy before and after surgery., Result: The mean follow-up duration was 15.8 months. After ligation, there were no clinically significant complications. Esophageal varices were unchanged. The serum ammonia level was higher before surgery (162.3 +/- 56.4 mug/dL, mean +/- SD) than after surgery (41.8 +/- 20.2 mug/dL; p=0.0299). No patient had symptoms of HE., Conclusion: Ligation of the patent PUV is an effective treatment for patients with refractory HE.

We present a case report of a posttransplant patient who had hepatotoxicity due to both tacrolimus and cyclosporine and cholestatic jaundice due to tacrolimus. The patient did not show sustained improvement in enzyme and bilirubin abnormalities after an initial change from tacrolimus to cyclosporine or with a change back to tacrolimus, but he ultimately showed improvement when the blood concentration of tacrolimus was lowered. A 56-year-old man with subacute fulminant hepatitis induced by acarbose was admitted to our hospital for living donor liver transplantation. The liver graft consisted of the left lobe from his ABO-identical son. The early posttransplant course was uneventful. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin improved initially, but the ALT and AST levels later increased. A liver biopsy suggested a presumptive diagnosis of drug reaction. All drugs were discontinued, the immunosuppressive agent was changed from tacrolimus to cyclosporine. After initial improvement, the ALT and AST levels increased again. Assuming a reaction to cyclosporine, we decreased the concentration of cyclosporine in the blood. The enzyme levels improved temporarily but again began to rise. We changed the immunosuppressive agent to tacrolimus, which resulted in improvements in the ALT and AST levels; however, the total bilirubin level increased. We interpreted this increase as tacrolimus-induced cholestasis; in response, we decreased the blood concentration of tacrolimus to between 3 and 5 ng/dL and added 1,000 mg of mycophenolate mofetil to the drug regimen. The patient recovered without further complications. Repeated liver biopsies throughout the hospital course suggested that the mild mononuclear cell infiltration observed in a few triads had not been caused by acute rejection but had possibly been drug-induced.

Background: Malignant ascites may produce a cluster of symptoms that include abdominal distention, early satiety, respiratory embarrassment, impaired mobility, and lethargy, and relief of these symptoms is often difficult to achieve. We report on the placement of peritoneovenous shunts (PVSs) in a group of patients with malignant ascites, with particular reference to the effectiveness and complications of the procedure., Patients and Method: PVSs were inserted in 9 patients with malignant ascites after obtaining their informed consent. The patients were 6 men and 3 women with a median age of 59 years. All had previously been treated with vigorous diuretic therapy or repeated paracentesis or both. Shunt insertion was carried out via a percutaneous approach under local anesthesia., Results: The procedure was well tolerated by all patients. The abdominal distention resolved in all patients, and urine volume increased significantly, demonstrating that the PVS did not affect renal function. The platelet count was reduced, and prothrombin time was prolonged. Two patients had the complication of shunt occlusion, and both patients underwent shunt replacement. There were no lethal complications. Median survival time after PVS placement was 21 days (range, 10 approximately 90 days), and the shunt was functioning at the time of death with good control of ascites in all patients., Conclusions: Malignant ascites produces troublesome symptoms for patients, who may live for some time. Placement of a PVS is a well-tolerated, relatively minor surgical procedure that can provide excellent control of ascites in most patients selected. The selection of optimal patients requires further study.

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) causing a major arterioportal (A-P) shunt is reported. The patient exhibited massive ascites and tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) examination showed a low-density lesion in the left lobe of the liver and an A-P shunt, but no tumor stain was visible. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed severe esophageal varices. Because the tumor marker level was abnormally high, an HCC causing an A-P shunt in a cirrhotic liver background with severe esophageal varices as a result of portal hypertension was diagnosed. We performed endoscopic variceal ligation to treat the severe esophageal varices and interventional radiology treatment for the A-P shunt and HCC, but the patients condition was unchanged. Because the patients liver function gradually improved, surgical treatment was selected. The patient underwent left hepatectomy. Pathological examination revealed a poorly differentiated HCC in a cirrhotic liver background. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 2 weeks after the operation. The patient subsequently underwent transcatheter arterial embolization therapy for recurrent HCC in the right lobe of the liver, but the esophageal varices disappeared.

Recurrence at the site of a stapled anastomosis is generally believed to result from the luminal implantation of viable cancer cells during stapling. We report a case in which colon cancer recurred twice at the site of a stapled anastomosis, despite povidone iodine (PVP-I) lavage consisting of an enema with 5% PVP-I solution before the operation and intraoperative lavage of the rectal remnant and the descending colon with a 10% PVP-I solution. Three months after sigmoidectomy to resect a carcinoma of the sigmoid colon, a circular anastomotic recurrence was found at the suture line after anastomosis with a stapler. However, 11 months after the subsequent resection and reanastomosis to remove the first anastomotic recurrence, another anastomotic recurrence was found. We performed abdominoperineal resection for the second recurrence at the site of the stapled anastomosis. Suture-line recurrence could not be prevented in the present case despite lavage with a PVP-I solution for prophylaxis.

We report a case of splenic abscess that was successfully treated with percutaneous ultrasound-guided drainage and without splenectomy. A 40-year-old woman was admitted to Nippon Medical School Hospital because of pyrexia and left upper quadrant pain, which had persisted despite antibiotic treatment. On admission, computed tomography demonstrated a low-density area in the spleen, which had been been seen on computed tomography 3 months earlier. Ultrasonography demonstrated a hypoechoic area in the spleen. Initial laboratory tests revealed a serum C-reactive protein concentration of 19.7 mg/dl and a white blood cell count of 15,800 /microl. The serum glucose concentration was 267 mg/dl, and the glycolated hemoglobin value was 7.7%. A splenic abscess was diagnosed and was treated with percutaneous drainage. Milky yellow fluid was obtained, and the patients left upper quadrant abdominal pain and pyrexia resolved. A culture of the drainage fluid yielded Escherichia coli. The drainage catheter was removed 12 days after insertion. The patient was discharged 6 days later. The splenic abscess has not recurred during 3 months of follow-up. Our results suggest that ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage is a safe and effective alternative to surgery for the treatment of splenic abscess and allows preservation of the spleen.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the advantages of laparoscopic hepatectomy over open surgery for liver tumors., Patients and Method: A retrospective study was performed of 10 patients with liver tumors (9 with hepatocellular carcinoma and 1 with focal nodular hyperplasia) at our hospital. Five patients who had received laparoscopic hepatectomy (Lap-Hx group) were compared with 5 patients who had undergone open hepatectomy (O-Hx group) in the same period. The operative procedure was partial hepatectomy and cholecystectomy in both groups. For liver excision, a microwave coagulation device and an ultrasonically activated scalpel were used., Results: Mean patient age was 55.6 +/- 13.9 years in the Lap-Hx group and 51.8 +/- 14.1 years in the O-Hx group. Four patients in the Lap-Hx group had hepatocellular carcinoma with liver cirrhosis and 1 patient had focal nodular hyperplasia. All patients in the O-Hx group had hepatocellular carcinoma and 4 patients had associated liver cirrhosis. The mean tumor size was 2.6 +/- 1.5 cm in the Lap-Hx group and 3.0 +/- 1.8 cm in the O-Hx group. The two groups did not thus differ significantly in the preoperative background factors. Blood loss and duration of the postoperative hospital stay were significantly less in the Lap-Hx than in the O-Hx groups(213 +/- 82 vs 247 +/- 97 min; 154 +/- 128 vs 648 +/- 468 ml, p=0.05: and 10.4 +/- 2.3 vs 18.0 +/- 5.1 days, p=0.017), but operating time did not differ significantly., Conclusions: Laparoscopic hepatectomy has the advantages of reducing the amount of operative blood loss because of the magnified view afforded by the laparoscope and shortening the hospital stay. The procedure is therefore recommended for patients with appropriate liver tumors, in particular, hepatocellular carcinoma in the cirrhotic liver.

A 60-year-old woman with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and high levels of ALP, gamma-GTP, and DUPAN-2 was admitted to our institution for examination. The patient did not have ulcerative colitis or pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. Imaging studies revealed atypical dilation of bile ducts in the left lobe of the liver. Repeated cytologic examinations of the bile showed atypical cells consistent with adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent extended resection of the left lobe of the liver and was found to have intraductal papillary carcinoma with associated mucin-producing bile duct carcinoma. This carcinoma fills dilated bile duct lumens with mucin. This tumor differs morphologically from typical cholangiocarcinoma, which is usually seen in the late stages of PSC. Just one case of mucin-producing bile duct carcinoma arising from PSC has been reported worldwide. The patient has had no signs of recurrence after 27 months. Patients with mucin-producing bile duct carcinoma, as in the case of its pancreatic counterpart, may have a better prognosis and a higher survival rate than patients with typical cholangiocarcinomas.

Aim: To elucidate the biological effects of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) on intrahepatic cholan-giocarcinoma (ICC)., Methods: We investigated the effects of TGF-beta1 on human ICC cell lines (HuCCT1, MEC, and HuH-28) by monitoring the influence of TGF-beta1 on tumor growth and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression in ICC cells., Results: All three human ICC cell lines produced TGF-beta1 and demonstrated accelerated growth in the presence of TGF-beta1 with no apoptotic effect. Studies on HuCCT1 revealed a TGF-beta1-induced stimulation of the expression of TGF-beta1, as well as a decrease in TGF-beta1 mRNA expression induced by neutralizing anti-TGF-beta1 antibody. These results indicate that TGF-beta1 stimulates the production and function of TGF-beta1 in an autocrine fashion. Further, IL-6 secretion was observed in all three cell lines and exhibited an inhibitory response to neutralizing anti-TGF-beta1 antibody. Experiments using HuCCT1 revealed a TGF-beta1-induced acceleration of IL-6 protein expression and mRNA levels. These findings demonstrate a functional interaction between TGF-beta1 and IL-6. All three cell lines proliferated in the presence of IL-6. In contrast, TGF-beta1 induced no growth effect in HuCCT1 in the presence of small interfering RNA against a specific cell surface receptor of IL-6 and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3., Conclusion: ICC cells produce TGF-beta1 and confer a TGF-beta1-induced growth effect in an autocrine fashion. TGF-beta1 activates IL-6 production, and the functional interaction between TGF-beta1 and IL-6 contributes to ICC cell growth by TGF-beta1.

We report a rare case of bleeding ileal varices successfully treated with emergency enterectomy. A 72-year old woman with hepatic cirrhosis due to hepatitis C was admitted to our hospital because of anemia and hematochezia. An endoscopic examination showed no evidence of bleeding in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts. Angiographic studies of portal hemodynamics revealed extravasation from the ileal varices and total occlusion of the portal vein due to portal thrombus. This made it difficult to remove the ileal varices using interventional radiology. Therefore, the patient underwent emergency enterectomy for the ileal varices. No further gastrointestinal bleeding occurred during the 1-year follow-up.

We report a case of postoperative refractory bile leakage managed successfully by intrahepatic biliary ablation with ethanol. A 75-year-old man diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent extended posterior segmentectomy including the caudate lobe and a part of the anterior segment. The hepatic tumor attached to the anterior branch of the bile duct was detached carefully and resected. Fluid drained from the liver surface postoperatively contained high concentrations of total bilirubin, at a constant volume of 150 mL per day. On d 32 after surgery, a fistulogram of the drainage tube demonstrated an enhancement of the anterior bile duct. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography demonstrated complete obstruction of the proximal anterior bile duct and no enhancement of the peripheral anterior bile duct. On d 46 after surgery, a retrograde transhepatic biliary drainage (RTBD) tube was inserted into the anterior bile duct under open surgery. However, a contrast study of RTBD taken 7 mo post-surgery revealed that the fistula remained patent despite prolonged conservative management, so we decided to perform ethanol ablation of the isolated bile duct. Four mL pure ethanol was injected into the isolated anterior bile duct for ten minutes, the procedure being repeated five times a week. Following 23 attempts, the volume of bile juice reached less than 10 mL per day. The RTBD was clamped and removed two days later. After RTBD removal, the patient had no complaints or symptoms. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated atrophy of the ethanol-injected anterior segment without liver abscess formation.

We report an extremely rare case of resectable asynchronous quadruple advanced colonic carcinomas. Successful reconstruction was performed after resection with an ileal interposition between the remaining colon and rectum, and the patient recovered bowel function. Resections of the four colonic lesions in three operations allowed us to leave a portion of the large bowel and to thereby preserve the rectum and a portion of the transverse colon. After resection of the third and fourth cancer lesions, we reconstructed the large bowel with ileal segment interposition between the residual transverse colon and rectum, leaving a 15-cm-long segment portion of the transverse colon. This surgical procedure is an option for reconstruction after left-sided colectomy.

With the increasingly widespread acceptance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), the number of cases of incidental gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) has increased; however, management of incidental GBC is a difficult issue in the absence of established guidelines. The present study aims to evaluate the treatment of patients with incidental GBC diagnosed with LC. We performed a 14-year review of 10 patients with GBC discovered with LC. From April 1991 through March 2004, we performed LC for 1,195 patients at Nippon Medical School Main Hospital. Of these patients, 10 (0.83%) were found to have GBC. Seven patients were women and 3 were men, with a mean age of 61.4 years. Four patients had mucosal tumors (pT1a), 5 had subserosal tumors (pT2), and 1 had a serosal lesion (pT3). Eight of the 10 patients underwent radical surgery. Two patients with pT1a tumors underwent no additional surgery. All 4 patients with pT1a tumors are alive without recurrence. One patient with a pT2 tumor with metastases to the liver and pericholedochal lymph nodes found with additional resection died of recurrence of metastasis to the liver and lung 70 months after LC. One patient with a pT2 tumor died of primary lung cancer 35 months after LC. The remaining 3 patients with pT2 tumors are alive without recurrence 51 to 128 months after surgery. One patient with a pT3 tumor is alive with no recurrence for 9 months. For stage Tis or T1a tumors, LC is sufficient. Patients with T1b tumors should undergo liver-bed resection and lymphadenectomy, and patients with >pT2 tumors should undergo systematic liver resection with lymphadenectomy. Even when incidental GBC diagnosed with LC is advanced, adequate additional surgery may improve the prognosis.

Chronic anisakiasis of the colon is rare and difficult to diagnose. We report a case of chronic anisakiasis associated with advanced colonic carcinoma. A 69-year-old man was admitted for abdominal pain, diarrhea, and urticaria. Right hemicolectomy was performed because of an obstruction of the ascending colon and a palpable tumor of the right lower abdomen. The lesion was thought to be located in the deeper layers of the ascending colon. Preoperative examinations failed to detect the coexistence of anisakiasis and carcinoma of the colon. The anisakis was identified morphologically in the intestinal wall of the resected specimen and by an elevated titer of an IgE antibody specific to the parasite. Seventy-five cases of colonic and rectal anisakiasis, including the present case, have been reported in Japan. This is the only reported case of anisakiasis to appear in association with colonic carcinoma.

A 59-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome who was hospitalized for evaluation of fever and generalized fatigue had elevated levels of C-reactive protein and pancytopenia. A search for a site of infection and empiric treatment with antibiotics were unsuccessful. Over 5 to 6 weeks right upper quadrant pain and rebound tenderness developed. Sonographic Murphys sign was present. Computed tomography showed thickening of the gallbladder wall, and repeated ultrasonography demonstrated changes consistent with cholecystitis. Open cholecystectomy was performed as an emergency procedure. Macroscopically the resected gallbladder showed an edematous and thickened wall. Histopathologic examination revealed transmural infiltration by atypical mononuclear cells with distinct nuclei. The cells showed immunohistochemical staining for CD15, indicating myeloid lineage. By 10 days after surgery, counts of leukocytes and leukoblasts had markedly increased, reaching 36,700/microL and 76.0%, respectively. The blast crisis was thought to indicate progression from myelodysplastic syndrome to leukemia. The patient died of progressive disease 12 days after surgery. We have described a rare case of acute cholecystitis caused by infiltration of immature myeloid cells to the gallbladder. An acute abdomen complicating hematologic disorders is life-threatening and requires prompt and appropriate treatment.

A 58-year-old man with a chief complaint of epigastralgia was admitted to our hospital. Physical examination disclosed a large, firm mass in the right hypochondrium. Abdominal computed tomography confirmed thickening of the gallbladder wall and a 15 x 8 cm mass occupying almost all of the right lobe and medial segment of the liver. With a preoperative diagnosis of malignant gallbladder tumor infiltrating the liver, right hepatic trisegmentectomy was performed. Histopathologic examination showed atypical cells with small round to oval nuclei and sparse eosinophilic cytoplasm, proliferating in a solid and focal nesting pattern. Near this small cell proliferation was a focus of tubular adenocarcinoma that showed a zone of transition from the small cell neuroendocrine pattern. The small cells demonstrated immunohistochemical reactivity for chromogranin A. Electron microscopy disclosed neurosecretory granules 150 nm in diameter, representing dense round core vesicles, confirming a neuroendocrine cell lineage. The patient was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cell carcinoma combined with adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder. Tumor recurrence became evident 3 months after surgery, and he died 4 months after surgery.

Background: We retrospectively identified the prognostic factors in cases of synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer and established a clinical strategy at our institution., Methods: One hundred eight patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer underwent a first radical hepatic resection. Of these, 67 were diagnosed with hepatic synchronous metastases from colorectal primaries (S group) and 41 were diagnosed with metachronous metastases (M group). Hepatic lesions were diagnosed concurrently with the primary lesions in 45 of the 67 patients in the S group. Of these 45 patients, 37 underwent synchronous hepatectomy (SH group) and 8 underwent metachronous hepatectomy (MH group)., Results: The overall 3-, 5- and 10-year survival rates were 51.4%, 41.6%, and 30.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences between the S and M groups in overall survival. Univariate analysis of the S group revealed significant differences in survival based on tumor factor, pathological lymph node metastases of the primary tumor, and the tumor-free margin. There were no significant differences between the SH and MH groups in overall survival., Conclusions: Patients with synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer should undergo radical resection of the primary lesion and simultaneous hepatectomy with an adequate tumor-free margin as a standard surgical course.

We describe a patient with a ruptured and rapidly enlarging secondary tumor of the liver metastasized from an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer. The ruptured liver metastasis was successfully treated by transarterial embolization (TAE) followed by hepatic resection. A 65-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with residual gastric cancer. No liver metastasis was detected by preoperative computed tomography (CT), or ultrasonography, and total gastrectomy was performed. Microscopically, the tumor was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma invading no deeper than the subserosa, with positive staining for AFP and positive staining for Ki67 in approximately 80% of the tumor cells. Severe venous and lymphatic involvements were evident. The serum AFP level was 100 ng/ml at 3 weeks after the total gastrectomy, but decreased to 16 ng/ml by the end of postoperative month 3. At 6 months, the patient was referred and readmitted to our hospital with sudden severe pain in the upper abdomen. She was admitted in a state of shock with laboratory findings of anemia. A liver tumor surrounded by effusion was detected in segment 8 and diagnosed as a ruptured liver metastasis. Emergency arteriography revealed a large hypervascular tumor, and a TAE performed promptly thereafter was successful in improving the blood pressure. A second TAE was performed 2 months after first TAE due to a dramatic elevation of serum AFP to 180,000 ng/ml. The second TAE decreased the patient's serum AFP to 2,200 ng/ml, but the level remained in the abnormal range. A right hepatectomy was performed after confirming the absence of other detectable metastatic tumors. The resected specimen contained a well-defined tumor, measuring 6 x 6 cm that appeared almost necrotic under microscope. Over the 6 years since the hepatectomy, no recurrence has appeared and serum AFP has remained within the normal range.

A 73-year-old male with C type liver cirrhosis and poor liver function reserve was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)(Segment V, 2 x 2 cm in diameter) and underwent open microwave coagulation therapy (MCT). Ten months later, a movable hard mass about the size of a quail egg was palpable at the left supra-clavicular lymph node (LN)(Virchow's LN) and blood tests revealed an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level of 26.7 ng/dl. Abdominal and chest CT showed no evidence of recurrence in liver or lung, and no metastases of abdominal LN. Barium and bone scintigraphy revealed no abnormal spots. The affected left supra-clavicular LN was extirpated. The tumor was confirmed to be an LN metastasis from HCC by histopathological examination. After the operation, the patient developed uncontrollable pleural effusion and ascites, and intrahepatic and abdominal LN metastases were visible on abdominal CT with great haste. He died 1.5 months after the LN was extirpated. We herein report a case of HCC treated by MCT which later resulted in a solitary Virchow's LN metastasis in the absence of any abdominal LN or recurrence in the liver or lung.

We describe an inflammatory tumor in the Spiegel lobe of the liver of an 81-year-old woman. The patient was referred to our hospital for evaluation of a fever of over 39 degrees C and upper abdominal pain. Both conditions had persisted for five days in spite of antibiotic treatment. Initial laboratory tests revealed a serum C-reactive protein concentration of 20.9 mg/dL and white blood cell count of 15,500/microL. Abdominal ultrasound showed a hypoechoic lesion measuring 4 cm in diameter in the Spiegel lobe of the liver. A follow-up abdominal ultrasound revealed that the hypoechoic lesion was not decreased in size. Computed tomography showed a moderate-to-high-density area in the arterial phase and a low-density area in the Spiegel lobe on delayed phase. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a faint low-intensity lesion on T1-weighted imaging and moderate-to-high-intensity lesion on T2-weighted imaging in the Spiegel lobe. Angiography showed a slight hypervascularity in the area of the Spiegel lobe. Antibiotics and nu-globulin were commenced soon after admission and the fever gradually improved. Ultrasound-guided liver biopsy revealed that the hepatic parenchyma was almost completely replaced by dense hyalinized fibrous tissue and inflammatory cells. These findings were construed to indicate a benign lesion, but the tumor remained unchanged. Malignant disease could not be completely ruled out. Segment 1 of the liver was resected. Macroscopic examination of the resected specimen revealed a gray, fibrotic, solid tumor. The border of the tumor was well-circumscribed but not encapsulated. Microscopically, the tumor showed a marked fibrotic background with infiltration by a mixed population of lymphocytes, plasma cells, histiocytes, and reactive, plump spindle cells. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient has remained well in the 10 months since the resection without recurrence.

We describe successful resection of rapidly enlarging liver metastases from an alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer, as these usually carry a dismal prognosis. A 68-year-old woman underwent distal gastrectomy for an alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer without liver metastasis. The tumor was a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma with invasion of the muscularis propria. Venous and lymphatic invasion were noted, as was metastasis to lymph nodes along the greater curvature. Serum alpha-fetoprotein was 331 ng/mL before gastrectomy, decreasing to 18.6 ng/mL by postoperative day 28. At 2 months after operation, computed tomography detected no metastasis, but at 4 months alpha-fetoprotein increased to 2,190 ng/mL, and at 5 months liver tumors were detected by ultrasonography and computed tomography. Serum alpha-fetoprotein increased to 5,673 ng/mL, and serum PIVKA2 concentration was 18 mAU/ml just before operation. Extended left hepatectomy was performed. The resected specimen of segment 4 contained two well-defined tumors, measuring 5 x 4 cm and 2 x 2 cm, while that of segment 5 contained a similar-appearing tumor measuring 2 x 2 cm. The resected tumors had the same histologic appearance as the previously removed gastric cancer. The tumor cells were immunohistochemically reactive for alpha-fetoprotein. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 15. Serum alpha-fetoprotein decreased to 20 ng/mL by postoperative day 15, and to 5 ng/mL by 2 months after operation. For 5 months since operation, no recurrence has become evident, and serum alpha-fetoprotein has remained within the normal range.

Adenocarcinoma is the most common malignant neoplasm of the gallbladder, but squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is rare with an incidence of 1.4 approximately 3.3%. We present a recent case of a 63-year-old man complaining of abdominal distention. Preoperative US and CT revealed a large tumor of the gallbladder infiltrating the liver and transverse colon. Cholecystectomy, subsegmental resection of the liver, lymph node dissection, and partial resection of the transverse colon were performed. The resected specimen was histologically diagnosed as SCC without nodal metastases.

We report a case of hepatocellular carcinoma with situs inversus totalis treated by hepatectomy. A 70-year-old asymptomatic female with hepatocellular carcinomas in segments 5, 6 and 8 underwent transarterial embolization in the department of medicine. However, hepatocellular carcinoma in segment 8 relapsed, and she was referred to the department of surgery. Laboratory tests revealed elevation of serum PIVKA2 level (4,690 ng/mL). Angiography revealed tumor stain in segment 8, 3 cm in diameter. No aberrant vessels were detected on angiography. The operator stood on the patient's left, and partial hepatectomy could be performed safety after careful examination of the anatomy. Although aberrant vessels are detected in many patients with situs inversus totalis, operations can be performed safely on them with sufficient understanding of the anatomy.

A 74-year-old woman with advanced carcinoma of the gall bladder underwent anterior and medial segmentectomies, extrahepatic bile duct resection, lymph node dissection, and hepaticojejunostomy with retrograde transhepatic biliary drainage. On the sixteenth postoperative day, bleeding was noted through the biliary drain, but it stopped spontaneously. Two days later, the biliary drain showed bleeding again. Ultrasonography revealed mild dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct. Cholangiography via the drain disclosed a defect in the jejunal limb. Emergency angiography revealed an aneurysm, 2 cm in diameter, in the posterior branch of the right hepatic artery. Contrast medium demonstrated extravasation into the jejunal limb. The pseudoaneurysm was embolized with coils. No further hemorrhage was noted, and the patient was discharged 30 days after operation.

A rare case of carcinoid tumor in the duodenal bulb associated with early gastric carcinoma is reported. An 85-year-old asymptomatic male was admitted to our hospital, referred by his neighboring doctor because of early gastric carcinoma shown by endoscopic examination. X-ray studies of the upper gastrointestinal tract showed irregular lesser curvature of the gastric antrum and a filling defect (phi1 cm) at the duodenal bulb. Gastric biopsy revealed the histological findings of Group V. Distal gastrectomy including the duodenal bulb with D2 lymph node dissection was performed. A resected specimens showed superficial depressed type carcinoma at the lesser curvature of the antrum, and an isolated submucosal tumor of 7x7 mm in size at the duodenal bulb. Histological examination disclosed papillary adenocarcinoma in the gastric mucosa and a carcinoid tumor of the duodenal bulb in the submucosal layer without high malignant findings. The patient has been well for 5 years since the surgery. In conclusion, we discussed 46 collected cases of carcinoid tumor of the duodenum associated with gastric carcinoma in Japan. Preoperative diagnosis of carcinoid tumor of the duodenum is very difficult, and thorough examinations are needed for submucosal lesion.

Living-related liver transplantation is widely accepted as a treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease, with survival rates of up to 80%. Liver transplant recipients are at risk for the same postoperative complications as any patient undergoing a major intraabdominal operation, in addition to several complications specific to this procedure. Maintenance immunosuppression relies principally on administration of tacrolimus and methylprednisolone. Nevertheless, approximately 36% of liver transplant recipients suffer acute rejection in the early posttransplant period and require bolus steroid therapy as a rescue agent. Vascular complications, including hepatic arterial thrombosis and portal vein thrombosis, are additional major problems. When they occur in the immediate postoperative period, they can produce fulminant hepatic necrosis requiring retransplantation, so intensive anticoagulation therapy is needed as prophylaxis against these vascular complications. If thrombosis of the hepatic artery or portal vein is diagnosed early in the postoperative course, emergency thrombectomy with reanastomosis should be attempted. Outflow obstruction by hepatic vein stenosis sometimes causes liver dysfunction, pleural effusion, and hepatosplenomegaly. Percutaneous transhepatic or transjugular approached hepatic vein dilatation is very useful in case of hepatic vein stenosis. Recipients are generally immunocompromised secondary to immunosuppressive therapy and their poor clinical condition and are at high risk for postoperative infection. Infection is a major cause of morbidity and the most common cause of death in liver transplant recipients. Antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral agents are used empirically, and serologic examinations and bacterial investigations of blood, sputum, stool, urine, and discharge from drains should be performed as well as antibiotic sensitivity tests when necessary. Other complications related to the operation are intraabdominal bleeding, bile leakage, biliary anastomotic stenosis, and intestinal perforation. The postoperative course of liver transplant recipients with these complications depends on making an accurate diagnosis promptly and initiating appropriate management. Postoperative complications of living-related liver transplantation are protean, so it is very important to communicate with professionals in each specialized field to ensure optimal treatment.

Background: This report describes a one-step insertion of an expandable metallic stent to treat obstructive jaundice due to unresectable common bile duct carcinoma., Methods: A percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram is obtained, and the bile duct obstruction is negotiated with a guide wire. After advancing the catheter into the duodenum, contrast material is injected to measure the length of the stenosis. After an expandable metallic stent is positioned, an external biliary drainage catheter is left in place to provide temporary drainage. The catheter is removed after stent patency is confirmed after 3 days., Conclusions: One-step insertion of an expandable metallic stent for biliary obstruction is a useful method that shortens hospitalization. Once it has been decided to use stent palliation, the stent should be inserted without undue delay to maximize symptomatic relief and cost benefits.

We isolated a DNA probe, designated MMDYZ1, using a chromosome microdissection technique from the Y chromosome of the Rhesus monkey. The probe obtained from eight whole Y chromosomes shows higher specificity for the Y short arm of the Rhesus monkey, which consists totally of constitutive heterochromatin. Two microclones (MMY#3 and MMY#4) were constructed from the Y-specific primary PCR products. Sequence analysis of these two microclones revealed that both were essentially identical to each other and the sizes were 870 and 686 bp, respectively. From alignment analysis using the Genbank database of primates, the alphoid DNA has the highest affinity with the probe. However, the total composition of this probe has extremely high homology with the Y short arm of the Rhesus monkey, as demonstrated by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). Comparative FISH-mapping disclosed that this DNA-sequence cluster was located at extremely different sites on the Y chromosome in several species of the Old World monkey. Accordingly, this probe seems to be a high-quality tool, now established for the first time, for investigating Y chromosome evolution of the Old World monkey.

We describe an unusual case of extreme hepatic left lobar atrophy with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. A 67-year-old woman was referred to Nippon Medical School with obstructive jaundice. On admission, computed tomography revealed dilated intrahepatic bile ducts and a defect in the area drained by the left side of the middle hepatic vein. A Spiegel lobe was demonstrated, but the left lobe could not be detected to the left side of the gallbladder. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography was performed and demonstrated obstruction of the intrahepatic bile duct at the hepatic hilum. A drainage catheter was left in place. Angiography revealed that the left hepatic artery was present, but there was narrowing of the left portal vein. A diagnosis of agenesis of the left hepatic lobe with hilar cholangiocarcinoma was made. At surgery, the left lobe appeared extremely atrophic without atrophy of the Spiegel lobe. The right anterior branches of the hepatic artery and portal vein had been invaded by carcinoma, so a left trisegmentectomy was performed. Final pathology was advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma with invasion of the hepatic parenchyma, portal vein, and nervous system. The left lobe was atrophic without hepatolithiasis. The left portal vein was narrow distal to the Spiegel branch. The serum total bilirubin concentration was elevated postoperatively, and the patient was treated for hepatic failure. The patient died of pneumonia without recurrence 7 months after surgery. This rare case of extreme hepatic left lobar atrophy with hilar cholangiocarcinoma was successfully treated by left trisegmentectomy. Preoperative portal embolization was unnecessary because the left lobe was already atrophic.

In the liver, function of the bile salt export pump (Bsep), a major canalicular exporter of bile salts, is complemented by activity of the multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2), a canalicular organic anions transporter. Mrp2 was found capable of transporting various anticancer drugs out of cells, eventually undermining their therapeutic potential and contributing to multidrug resistance. We employed a RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence to examine their gene, protein expression, and distribution of antigenic sites in the rat liver during development from 16-day-old fetus to adult animal. Bsep mRNA was almost undetectable before birth. It was first clearly expressed in the liver of newborn rats. On the contrary, Mrp2 mRNA was seen before birth, although at low levels. In concert with mRNA expression, Bsep protein was undetectable before birth, while Mrp2 protein was already expressed. Both proteins were clearly detectable in the postnatal period. Confocal immunofluorescent microscopy showed asynchronous appearance of Bsep and Mrp2 proteins during development but their colocalization in the bile canaliculi once each one is expressed. During the gestational period, a weak immunofluorescence for Mrp2 was observed only in livers of 16-day-old embryos. No fluorescence for Bsep was seen. Both proteins were clearly visualizable after birth, although the pattern of immunostaining varied. These findings provide molecular evidence that expression of both Bsep and Mrp2 during development is transcriptionally regulated. They also point out the differences in relevance to the liver function of the systems responsible for canalicular transport of bile salts versus organic anions.

This is a report of a case of liver cell adenoma (LCA) in a 26-year-old man with no prior history of liver disease or glycogen storage disease and no record of hormonal therapy. He was found to have an asymptomatic hepatic mass during a routine medical examination. The physical findings were unremarkable, and the results of routine laboratory studies were all within normal limits. Selective hepatic arteriography showed a hypervascular mass within the right lobe of the liver. Despite the radiological examination, the nature of the mass was unknown, and preoperative biopsy was unadvisable because of the risk of bleeding. Because of the difficulty of determining the malignancy of the hepatic tumor preoperatively, elective laparotomy for diagnosis and hepatectomy as treatment appeared to be the best available approach. Pathological examination of the surgical specimen resulted in a diagnosis of LCA. A review of the literature revealed that LCA unassociated with the use of oral contraceptives is rare.

In a 63-year-old woman computed tomography (CT) incidentally detected a celiac artery aneurysm approximately 3 cm in diameter. While conventional angiography suggested that the splenic artery and common hepatic artery arose from the celiac artery aneurysm, three-dimensional CT angiography indicated that the aneurysm involved only the mid portion of the celiac artery. Considering the risk of eventual aneurysm rupture, surgery was performed. Aneurysmectomy and devascularization of hepatic, splenic, and celiac arteries were carried out following complete cross-clamping of the celiac artery. The distal segment of the celiac artery was directly anastomosed to the proximal segment in an end-to-end fashion. Histologically, the aneurysm wall showed atheromatous changes. Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT confirmed complete removal of the celiac artery aneurysm, and postoperative angiography confirmed good arterial flow. The patient recovered uneventfully after surgery, with normalization of transiently abnormal hepatic function parameters. In this case of celiac artery aneurysm, three-dimensional CT angiography was found to be valuable in determining the relationships of the aneurysms to important arterial branches.

A 39-year-old man hospitalized with upper abdominal pain had been found to have a 3mm polyp in the body of the gallbladder 3 years previously. Laboratory tests on admission showed mild liver dysfunction. Ultrasonography depicted a dilated gallbladder with increased wall thickness; the polyp could no longer be seen. Computed tomography with drip infusion cholangiography again showed a dilated gallbladder, and also stenosis of the distal cystic duct. The resected specimen obtained by laparoscopic cholecystectomy showed disappearance of the polyp from the body of the gallbladder. A cholesterol stone was incarcerated in the cystic duct, representing an impacted detached cholesterol polyp causing acute cholecystitis. Spontaneous detachment of a cholesterol polyp from the gallbladder mucosa, then, can result in acute cholecystitis.

The spontaneous disappearance of a hepatic cyst is described. A 62-year-old woman presented with symptoms of general fatigue in August 1992. Her past medical history was significant for chronic hepatitis, which was diagnosed in 1990 but not treated. Initial laboratory tests revealed mild liver dysfunction with a positive serologic test for hepatitis C. In August 1992, ultrasonography and computed tomography disclosed a cystic lesion along the middle hepatic vein in the right anterior segment of the liver, which was 40 mm in diameter. Repeat radiologic studies in June 1994 demonstrated that the size of the cyst was unchanged. In May 1995, the cyst was only 25 mm in diameter, and it continued to decrease in size thereafter, to 10 mm in September 1995 and 7 mm in September 1996. No hepatic cyst was visualized in December 1996, though the region in which the cyst existed was hyperechoic. Laboratory data were essentially unchanged from August 1992 to December 1996. Clinically the patient remained asymptomatic.

We were able to isolate a lysosomal fraction from rat brain which had a higher degree of purity than in previous studies with good recovery. This has been made possible by using percoll gradients following the swelling of mitochondria in the presence of calcium which would eliminate contamination from small amounts of mitochondria. By using percoll density gradient centrifugation after the swelling of mitochondria in the presence of calcium, cerebral lysosomes were purified 312-fold with the recovery of approximately 22 %, which is the highest reported for any cerebral lysosomal preparation. The most effective procedure for the separation was achieved by using 1.25 mM calcium incubation with post nuclear fraction. As brain lysosomes may play a major role not only in degrading macromolecules but also in their transport to the deposition site, obtaining purified rat cerebral lysosomes represents an important step in the study of the generation of macromolecules which accumulate in the brain.

The A and J series of prostaglandins (PGs) accumulate in the nuclei to suppress the proliferation of cancer cells. Here we report that Delta7-PGA1 methyl ester, a synthetic anti-cancer PG, increased the level of mRNA for the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 in human leukaemia HL-60 cells. The induction of p21 was associated with the accumulation of hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and the suppression of c-myc gene expression. Since the p53 gene is deleted in HL-60 cells, the anti-cancer PG is suggested to inhibit cancer cell growth by inducing p21 via a p53-independent pathway. Unlike HL-60 cells, cisplatin-resistant HL-60/R-CP cells were insensitive to Delta7-PGA1 methyl ester. While c-myc expression was transiently suppressed, neither G1 arrest nor hypophosphorylation of pRB was observed with the anti-cancer PG. Plasma membrane vesicles from HL-60/R-CP cells showed an enhanced level of GS-X pump (ATP-dependent glutathione S-conjugate export pump) activity towards the glutathione S-conjugate of Delta7-PGA1 methyl ester (Km 110 nM). GIF-0019 ¿N-carbomethoxy-S-[5-(4-benzoylphenyl)pentyl]glutathione dimethyl ester¿, a specific inhibitor of the GS-X pump, dose-dependently enhanced the cellular sensitivity of HL-60/R-CP cells to Delta7-PGA1 methyl ester and induced G1 arrest. The GS-X pump is suggested to play a pivotal role in modulating the biological action of the anti-cancer PG.

It is known that some organophosphates produce not only well-known acute toxicity but also characteristic delayed neurotoxicity. Tri-ortho-tolyl phophate (TOTP), which was formerly named Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphaete (TOCP), was first noticed in an incident of poisoning as the compound which produced organophosphate induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). It is said that triphenyl phosphite (TPP) is also one of the organophosphates which possesses OPIDN. However, it is thought that TPP-induced delayed neurotoxicity (TPP-DN) is not identical with classical OPIDN. An intermediate syndrome was later proposed as the third neurotoxicity caused by organophosphates. We think that TPP is a model chemical of the third neurotoxicity. We compared TOTP with TPP using Japanese quails. We measured cholinesterase (ChE) activity and clearly demonstrated the difference between the two chemicals, that is to say, the activity recovered after 72 hrs from the administration of TPP, whereas the inhibition continued for more than 11 days after the administration of TOTP.