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The number of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients are increasing worldwide, and more HIV-positive patients are undergoing urgent or elective cholecystectomy. There is still insufficient evidence on the relationship between surgical complications of cholecystectomy and antiviral status in HIV-positive patients. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate surgical outcomes after cholecystectomy in HIV-positive patients. Records of consecutive HIV-positive patients who underwent cholecystectomy between January 2010 and December 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into urgent and elective surgery groups. Urgent surgery was defined as surgery within 48 hours of admission. Postoperative complications were evaluated according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. A total of 30 HIV-positive patients underwent urgent (n = 7) or elective (n = 23) cholecystectomy. Four complications (13.3%) occurred, and the rate was significantly higher in the urgent group than in the elective group (p = 0.008). However, all complications were minor (3 cases of grade I and one case of grade II), and there were no severe postoperative complications. There was no significant difference in CD4+ lymphocyte status in all patients and between the 2 groups before and after surgery (p = 0.133). No cases of postoperative deterioration in the control of HIV infection were observed. In conclusion, cholecystectomy in HIV-positive patients with controlled HIV under recent antiretroviral therapy may be performed safely even in an emergency situation.

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a fluorescent dye that selectively accumulates in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as in extrahepatic metastases of HCC. Reported here is a case of metachronous lymph node (LN) metastases from HCC that were resected using ICG fluorescence navigation. A man in his 70s was referred to this department for suspected LN metastasis from HCC. Computed tomography revealed an enlarged suprapancreatic LN. After a laparotomy, an ICG fluorescence imaging system intraoperatively revealed strong fluorescence of this LN, which was then easily resected. An examination after the removal of the LN revealed fluorescence from the adjacent lymphatic tissue as well, so an additional resection was performed. Pathologically, both LNs were confirmed to be metastases from HCC. In this case, some lymphatic tissue metastases from HCC could not be identified prior to surgery, but intraoperative use of ICG fluorescence navigation facilitated their complete removal.

Background In hepatectomy, the preservation of portal perfusion and venous drainage in the remnant liver is important for securing postoperative hepatic function. Right hepatectomy is generally indicated when a hepatic tumor involves the right hepatic vein (RHV). However, if a sizable inferior RHV (IRHV) exists, hepatectomy with preservation of the IRHV territory may be another option. In this case, we verified the clinical feasibility of anatomical bisegmentectomy 7 and 8 with RHV ligation, averting the right hepatic parenchyma from venous congestion, utilizing the presence of the IRHV. Case presentation A 70-year-old man was presented with a large hepatic tumor infiltrating the RHV on computed tomography during a medical checkup. The patient was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), T2N0M0, stage III. Right hepatectomy was first considered, but multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) also revealed a large IRHV draining almost all of segments 5 and 6, suggesting that IRHV-preserving liver resection may be another option. The calculated future remnant liver volumes were 382 mL (26.1% of the total volume) after right hepatectomy and 755 mL (51.7% of the total volume) after anatomical bisegmentectomy 7 and 8; therefore, we scheduled IRHV-preserving anatomical bisegmentectomy 7 and 8 considering the prevention of postoperative liver failure and increased chance of performing repeat resections in cases of recurrence. Preoperative three-dimensional simulation using MDCT clearly revealed the portal perfusion area and venous drainage territories by the RHV and IRHV. There was an issue with invisibility of the anatomical resection line of segments 7 and 8, which was completely dissolved by intraoperative ultrasonography using Sonazoid and the portal dye injection technique with counter staining. The postoperative course in the patient was uneventful, without recurrence of HCC, for 30 months after hepatectomy. Conclusions IRHV-preserving anatomical bisegmentectomy 7 and 8 is a safe and feasible procedure utilizing the three-dimensional simulation of the portal perfusion area and venous drainage territories and the portal dye injection technique.

Hepatectomy for gastric cancer liver metastases (GCLM) has a 5-year survival rate of 9-42%; however, indications for hepatectomy remain unclear. Many researchers have reported prognostic factors for GCLM after hepatectomy, but surgical indications vary according to the literature. Furthermore, the indication for optimal candidates for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and intensive chemotherapy is also unclear. To understand the indications for surgery and chemotherapy intended for hepatectomy for GCLM, a new treatment algorithm was created based on previously reported evidence from the viewpoint of hepatic surgeons.

Models of liver corrosion were developed by injecting colored Mercox, epoxy resin, silicon rubber and other materials into the portal vein, hepatic artery, bile duct and hepatic vein of autopsied livers. The glissonean or venous branches that obstructed the view of the caudate lobe of the liver were subsequently removed. The detailed anatomy of the caudate vessels was studied and the three parts of the caudate lobe (Spiegel lobe, paracaval portion and caudate process) were defined based on portal segmentation. Caudate portal branches should be defined as dorsal branches arising from the main trunk, or from the first order branches of the portal vein covering the hepatic region in front of the inferior vena cava. The hepatic region, where the internal branches from segment eight cover the front of the inferior vena cava, should be defined as segment eight, and not as the paracaval portion. Prof. Couinaud defined the right side of the caudate lobe as segment IX based on the spatial position; however, this classification of the caudate section seemed to lack consistency with that of other hepatic segments, which were defined based on portal segmentation. We have sustained the dogma that any hepatic segment should be defined based on portal segmentation, and our classification of the definition and boundary of the caudate lobe, which was published in 1985, has sufficient consistency to be used as an international standard.

Background: Open aortic cross-clamping via a resuscitative left thoracotomy is effective in maintaining adequate blood pressure in patients with abdominal bleeding until achieving hemostasis. However, the procedure to encircle the descending aorta to secure cross-clamping is technically demanding for general surgeons, especially in emergency situations. Case Presentation: We report a case of rupture of the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm associated with median arcuate ligament syndrome, which required surgical hemostasis. Because of severe hypotension after laparotomy, open aortic cross-clamping with a left thoracotomy was performed by general surgeons. However, the aortic clamps repeatedly slipped off because the clamping was conducted without encircling the aorta. Then, we attempted finger clamping of the descending aorta, and the blood pressure was quite effectively stabilized. Conclusion: Descending aorta finger clamping via a resuscitative left thoracotomy is easy and feasible and might be an effective procedure to maintain adequate blood pressure for general surgeons.

We reviewed the progress made in the field of liver surgery over the past 50 years. The widespread use and improved outcomes of the hepatectomy were, primarily, due to pioneer surgeons who were responsible for technological advances and rapid improvements in the safety of the procedure in the last century. These advances included the hepatic functional evaluation used to determine the safety limit of liver resections, the introduction of intraoperative ultrasonography, and the development of innovative techniques such as portal vein embolization to increase the remnant liver volume. Cadaveric liver transplantation has been attempted since 1963. However, the clinical outcomes only began improving and becoming acceptable in the 1970s‐1980s due to refinements in technology and the development of new immunosuppressants. Partial liver transplantation from living donors, which was first attempted in 1988, required further technological innovation and sophisticated perioperative management plans. Moreover, these developments allowed for further overall improvements to take place in the field of liver surgery. Since the turn of the century, advances in computation and imaging technology have made it possible for safer and more elaborate surgeries to be performed. In Japan, preoperative 3‐dimensional simulation technology has been covered by health insurance since 2012 and is now widely used. An urgent need for real‐time navigation tools will develop in the future. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging was first used in 2007 and has led to the creation of a new surgical concept known as fluorescence navigation surgery. Laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery have solved the issue of large incisions, which used to be a major drawback of open liver surgery; however, further improvements are required in order to achieve the level of safety and accuracy observed during open liver resection when performing all minimally invasive procedures. In the near future, liver surgery will become more precise and less invasive due to substantial progress including the development of navigation surgery, cancer imaging, and minimally invasive surgery. This overview of the history of liver surgery over the past 50 years may provide useful insights for further innovation in the next 50 years.

Recently, indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging has been widely used as a substitute for cholangiography in hepatobiliary surgery, to detect hepatic tumors, for accurate anatomical hepatectomy, and to increase the safety and accuracy of minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robotic) hepatectomy. The clinical relevance of this method has been increasing gradually, as new procedures develop in this field. Various important roles and the latest added value of ICG fluorescence imaging in liver surgery are discussed in this report.

The Eastern and Western Association for Liver Tumors (EWALT) is an international association for clinical and basic scientists dedicated to worldwide study on hepatocellular carcinoma. A single topic conference of EWALT on "COVID-19 and Liver Surgery" was held online on April 23th, 2021. The presenters from France, Italy, Japan, and the United States, reported the current situation of COVID-19 in each country and the influence on the clinical practice and education in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery. Here we would like to summarize the core of this single topic conference.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, caused by disease-induced loss of pancreatic exocrine cells, may be treated through regenerative stem cell technologies that facilitate the production of pancreatic exocrine cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, delivering the digestive enzymes produced in the transplanted cells to the gastrointestinal tract remains a challenge. To generate an allogenic transplantation rat model, minced pancreas was transplanted into the gastric submucosal space with ablation of muscularis mucosa. In the allogenic transplantation, transplanted pancreatic cells were engrafted. Elevated amylase was detected in gastric juice, while transplanted cells disappeared through auto-digestion when the muscularis mucosa was not eliminated. Human iPSCs were differentiated into pancreatic exocrine cells by stage-specific treatment with growth factors and chemical compounds, and the differentiated pancreatic cells were implanted into the gastric submucosal space of nude rats. The transplanted cells were engrafted, and amylase was detected in the gastric juice in some cases. These findings suggest that transplantation of pancreatic exocrine cells into the gastric submucosal space with muscularis mucosa elimination will contribute to a regenerative approach for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.

Background The mortality of abdominal vena caval injuries is as high as 50–80%. Yet, there were few reports on how to repair injured inferior vena cava (IVC). This report presents a method of vena caval repair in a case of penetrating retrohepatic IVC injury, requiring hepatic resection and total vascular exclusion (TVE). Case presentation The patient was a 20-year-old man with a stab wound in the epigastrium. An emergency laparotomy was performed in the emergency room, and a stab incision on the left liver was detected. As the Pringle’s maneuver did not reduce bleeding, hepatic vein injury was suspected, and left hemihepatectomy was performed to confirm the bleeding point. After the hepatectomy, laceration was still evident deeper into the resection, and IVC injury was suspected. The bleeding was temporarily controlled by tentative hepatorrhaphy and gauze packing, and the initial damage control surgery was terminated. Definitive surgery was performed on the third postoperative day. The lacerated point was observed under TVE, and the laceration penetrated the retrohepatic IVC through its posterior wall. The slit of the posterior wall was sutured first, followed by suturing of the anterior wall of the IVC. Finally, the lacerated liver was closed with hepatorrhaphy. TVE was removed, and the massive bleeding was successfully controlled. Conclusion In severe liver injuries involving the retrohepatic IVC, hepatic resection and TVE may be useful for ensuring an optimized surgical field for repairing the injured IVC.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death globally. Clinical guidelines for HCC have been established and revised by many countries and regions. We summarized and compared the treatment algorithms in the updated HCC guidelines established by Japan, China, Hong Kong, the Asian-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and the European Association for the Study of the Liver and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Variations in treatment algorithms between the guidelines is inevitable, considering the differences in the prevalence and etiology of HCC, local clinical practice, and medical and insurance systems between countries or regions, and this might be confusing for practitioners worldwide. A comprehensive understanding of the guidelines that are globally available might be useful for future improvement of each guideline.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a serious threat to global public health and economies. Currently, hundreds of clinical trials on a wide variety of treatments against COVID-19 are being conducted around the world. Here, we conducted a search for ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19 at the clinicaltrials.gov database on April 2, 2020. In total, 48 clinical trials were identified, and of these, 41 trials adopted drug intervention and the other 7 trials utilized biological intervention. The number of trials stratified by a chief country conducting the investigation were 18 in China, 5 in the United States, 4 in Canada, 3 in Italy, 2 in France and Brazil, and 4 trials are being performed multinationally. The drugs utilized in more than one trials were remdesivir (6 trials), lopinavir/ritonavir (6 trials), hydroxychloroquine (6 trials), interferon (5 trials), methylprednisolone (3 trials), nitric oxide gas (3 trials), oseltamivir (2 trials), arbidol (2 trials), and vitamin C (2 trials). We also described the Japanese trials which are now being conducted or scheduled, utilizing lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir, favipiravir, ciclesonide and nafamostat.

Background Colorectal cancer is commonly diagnosed among the Japanese population, and various strategies in treating the colorectal liver metastasis have been introduced over the years. Here, we present a case of colorectal liver metastases in which we devised a multidisciplinary treatment plan for a better prognosis. Case presentation We report a case of a 44-year-old female who developed rectal cancer with advanced synchronous liver metastases and was treated by a liver-first surgical approach following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. At diagnosis, there were 12 bilobular lesions in the liver, and the primary rectal cancer was asymptomatic and unprogressive. We adopted a liver-first strategy because the control of the liver metastases was considered the key prognostic factor. Furthermore, because the lesions were highly progressive, we planned neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy first to provide an observational period to identify potential new metastatic lesions that were refractory to systemic chemotherapy or contraindicative for surgical resection. We administered two courses of S-1 + oxaliplatin (SOX)+ bevacizumab (BV) and an additional course of SOX without BV as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in preparation for surgery. This resulted in a prominent minimalization of colorectal liver metastases, and no other remote metastasis was observed. Then, surgical resection of the colorectal liver metastases was performed safely, and the pathological result revealed complete remission of all tumors by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The primary tumor in the colon was successfully resected 2 months after the hepatectomy. Although the patient experienced a recurrence in two different sites in the lungs 10 months after resection of the primary rectal lesion, these metastases were successfully resected after diagnosis. The patient is alive with no signs of recurrence 3 years after the diagnosis of colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases. Conclusions The combination of a liver-first strategy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a possible treatment of choice to cure colorectal cancer with simultaneous advanced colorectal liver metastases.

Background Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for peritoneal metastasis (PM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) has been reported to substantially improve the prognosis and the quality of life of patients in comparison to systemic chemotherapy or palliative approaches. This study aimed to demonstrate the safety and feasibility of hepatectomy for metachronous liver metastases from CRC following CRS and HIPEC for PM on the basis of three case reports. Case presentation We describe three cases involving patients who underwent hepatectomy for metachronous liver metastases from CRC after CRS and HIPEC for PM. All patients underwent CRS and HIPEC after primary tumor resection, and hepatectomy was performed for the metachronous liver metastases after CRS and HIPEC. The hepatectomy procedures for cases 1, 2, and 3 were left hemihepatectomy and partial resection of S5, posterior sectionectomy, and left-lateral sectionectomy and partial resection of S5 and S8, respectively. Although adhesion of surrounding organs to the liver surface was observed on a broad level, dissections and hepatectomy could be performed safely. No recurrence was detected in cases 1 and 2 after hepatectomy. In case 3, liver metastases were detected from the time of the initial diagnosis of the primary tumor, and complete remission was achieved once with systemic chemotherapy. Although we performed hepatectomy for the recurrence of liver metastases after complete remission, early re-recurrence was observed after hepatectomy. Conclusions Hepatectomy for metachronous liver metastases after CRS and HIPEC for PM could be a multi-modality treatment option for CRC recurrence.

Special care must be taken in hepatic vein reconstruction to avoid outflow block in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) with a right liver graft. We have used cryopreserved homologous veins to reconstruct the right hepatic vein (RHV), middle hepatic vein (MHV), MHV tributaries (V5 and V8), and inferior right hepatic vein (IRHV). The reconstruction of V5, V8, and IRHV was based on the estimated congestive volume, calculated by the computed tomography volumetry, to secure the functional graft volume of 40% of the recipient standard liver volume. Among 262 right liver LDLT recipients, the number of reconstructed RHVs, MHVs, V5s, V8s, and IRHVs was 262, 48, 110, 111, and 147, respectively, and the overall patency was 95%, 100%, 36%, 58%, and 86%, respectively. Although the patency of the RHVs and MHVs was satisfactory, that of the V5s, V8s, and IRHVs was suboptimal. Patency of the IRHVs (86%, 126/147) was significantly better than that of both V5s (36%, 40/110) and V8s (58%, 64/111; P

Effective adjuvant therapies have not been established for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study aimed to determine prognostic influence of statin against HCC recurrence after initial resection. From 2003 to 2013, 734 patients underwent initial HCC resection. Exposure to statins was defined as the use at the recommended daily dosage for > 90 days after surgery. Outcomes were compared between patients who did and did not receive statins. Of 734 patients, 31 (4.2%) received statins for dyslipidemia (statin group) and 703 (95.8%) did not (non-statin group). The proportions of hepatitis B (6.5% vs. 22.8%, P = 0.032), C (19.4% vs. 45.0%, P = 0.005), and a fibrosis score of F3-4 (16.1 % vs. 39.8%, P = 0.008) were significantly lower in the statin than non-statin group. The recurrence-free survival rate was significantly higher in the statin than non-statin group (P < 0.001), without significant difference of the overall survival rate (P = 0.142). A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the use of statins (hazard ratio, 0.34; P = 0.005) was associated with a significantly lower risk of HCC recurrence. After one-to-two propensity score matching, the RFS rate was also significantly higher in the statin group (n = 31) than in the non-statin group (n = 62) (P = 0.008). IN CONCLUSION The statins use reduced the risk of HCC recurrence after initial resection. Statins may have protective influences on HCC recurrence in patients who undergo initial liver resection.

Simultaneous splenectomy is preferentially performed in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to modulate portal flow; increase postoperative platelet count, especially among those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; and immunomodulation in ABO-incompatible cases. The negative effects of the procedure, however, are not well established. Records of 395 LDLTs performed at our institution, including 169 patients (42.8%) with simultaneous splenectomy and 226 (57.2%) patients with spleen preservation, were reviewed with special reference to the simultaneous splenectomy cases. The most common indication for splenectomy was HCV-related disease (n=114), followed by low preoperative platelet count (n=52), and other reasons (n=3). Simultaneous splenctomy did not increase the platelet count in the early postoperative period, but the incidence of reoperation for postoperative hemorrhage was increased, mainly at the splenectomy site, within the first week. In addtion, the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and incidence of lethal infectious disease were significantly higher in the splenectomy group, while the incidence of small-for-size syndrome was comparable between groups. Finally, splenectomy was an independent predictor for both postoperative hemorrhage (odds ratio [OR]=2.451, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.285-4.815, P=0.006) and lethal infectious complication (OR =3.748, 95% CI=1.148-14.001, P=0.03). Conclusion. Based on the present findings, we do not recommend simultanenous splenectomy in LDLT. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The authors present a case of recurrent acute liver failure because of occupational exposure to organic solvents. A 35-year-old man with a 3-week history of worsening jaundice and flu-like symptoms was admitted to our hospital. Viral hepatitis serology and autoimmune factors were negative. The authors considered liver transplantation, but the patient's liver function spontaneously recovered. Liver biopsy revealed massive infiltration of neutrophils, but the cause of the acute hepatitis was not identified. Four months after discharge, the patient's liver function worsened again. The authors considered the possibility of antinuclear antibody-negative autoimmune hepatitis and initiated steroid treatment, which was effective. Four months after discharge, the patient was admitted for repeated liver injury. The authors started him on steroid pulse therapy, but this time it was not effective. Just before the first admission, he had started his own construction company where he was highly exposed to organic solvents, and thus the authors considered organic solvent-induced hepatitis. Although urine test results for organic solvents were negative, a second liver biopsy revealed severe infiltration of neutrophils, compatible with toxic hepatitis. Again, his liver function spontaneously improved. Based on the pathology and detailed clinical course, including the patient's high exposure to organic solvents since just before the first admission, and the spontaneous recovery of his liver damage in the absence of the exposure, he was diagnosed with toxic hepatitis. The authors strongly advised him to avoid organic solvents. Since then, he has been in good health without recurrence. This is the first report of recurrent acute liver failure because of exposure to organic solvents, which was eventually diagnosed through a meticulous medical history and successfully recovered by avoiding the causative agents. In acute liver failure with an undetermined etiology, clinicians should rule out organic solvent-induced hepatitis.

We toured Europe to make an inspection on some Institutes, Univer sities, and societies. Public nuisance problems on air pollution are different in European countries. The V.D.I.(Verein Deutscher Ingenieure) is the largest society of Engineers in West Germany, and in this society the air pollution problem is an important matter. The OECD (at Paris) take great interest on the air pollution control.